HPCX Day 2: Gordon and Decker’s Sand Skills Snag First UCI Wins of the Season

After finishing a close second on the opening day of Highland Park CX, Serena Gordon (Liv l Giant Co Factory) took advantage of the sand to get a little gap that held and won Day Two of the Elite Women’s C2 race in Jamesburg, N.J. Canadian Natasha Elliott (Garneau-Easton Cycling) improved to second place on Sunday, clipping Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) and Arley Kemmerer (Fearless Femme Racing) in a sprint for the final spots on the podium.

Elliott, Van Gilder and Kemmerer all finished 11 seconds behind Gordon. Kemmerer, Saturday’s winner, finished in the back of the three-woman sprint behind Van Gilder’s wheel. Van Gilder claimed third and Kemmerer fourth. In fifth, 54 seconds back, was Kathleen Lysakowski (Joe’s Garage CX p/b Bikereg).

“It was great. Great racing, great competition,” said Gordon, who is going home to Oregon for a week to rest after several weeks of racing. “It was a fun course. It was a little bit slippery in a couple of corners. I like the sand. I think that is where I got the gap.”

The field of 37 riders broke apart on the first lap, with seven riders taking charge. Halfway through the race the three podium finishers started to distance themselves from the lead pack. Kemmerer and Gordon them made an extra push on the final lap.

2016 HPCX Day 2. Gordon celebrates her win with Elliott and Van Gilder.

Jeremy Durrin (Neon Velo Cycling) took the holeshot in the Elite Men’s C2 race but could not hold off Carl Decker. The Giant Factory Off-road rider took his first Pro CX win of the 2016-17 season, crossing the line 22 seconds ahead of Durrin, and keeping the Day Two victory within the team after Adam Craig’s win on Day One. Derrick St John (Van Dessel p/b Hyperthreads) finished third. Cole Oberman (Protestedgear.com), who was third on Saturday, was fourth on Sunday.

The weather remained mild and dry at Thompson Park’ and the signature sand pits seemed to make a difference for the men. “This is thrifty, and fast, and fun,” said Decker. “Today was good people, [a] good course, and a really good time.”

“I was talking about the second sand pit, like it’s all going to iron out once everybody’s riding it. But it never got easier. It was really hard, right to the very end. The first one, you felt like you were good at it. And then the second one, just took it right back.”

2016 HPCX Day 2. Decker claims his first UCI CX win of the season ahead of Durrin and St. John

Next week Pro CX events will be hosted in Louisville, Ky. at the Derby City Cup, with C1 races on Saturday and C2 races on Sunday.

2016 HPCX Day 2 UCI C2 Results - Elite Women