Bruno-Roy and Timmerman Double Up in Maine

Men's 2-3 racers wallowing in the mud. © Paul Weiss

by Jeff Bramhall

The sun shone down on the Verge NECCS today in New Gloucester, but the mud hung like a black cloud over the head of many racers. Maureen Bruno-Roy (MM Racing p/b Seven Cycles) and Dan Timmerman (Richard Sachs/RGM/Radix), on the other hand, had great days in the saddle, each doubling up on the weekend and extending their series leads.

Bruno-Roy kept herself upright through the start of the race, but that was the only change from Saturday as she dominated from the gun to the finish. On the first half lap, she had pushed out a twelve second lead and never looked back. Behind the surging Bruno-Roy was a chase group much like on the day before with Mary McConneloug (Kenda/Seven/NoTubes), Natasha Elliott (Garneau/Club Chaussures/Ogilvy), Andrea Smith (Minuteman Road Club) and Amanda Carey (Kenda/trainwitheric.com).

Maureen Bruno Roy on her way to a 2nd weekend victory. © Paul Weiss

On the second to last lap, the gaps among the chasers began to open with McConneloug and Elliott securing the second and third steps of the podium, leaving Smith and Carey behind for fourth and fifth, respectively.

The elite men began with a flurry of surprises, not the least of which was the early attack of Kirt Fitzpatrick of team Sexual Camel. Taking advantage of a pileup on a muddy downhill, Fitzpatrick attacked, leaving the field in his wake. With four to go, he held a lead of ten seconds on a group of Mike Broderick (Kenda/Seven/NoTubes), Luke Keough (Team Champion Systems), Gavin Mannion (Hot Tubes Junior Development Team) and Justin Lindine (bikereg.com/Joe’s Garage/IF).

It was not to be as a resurgent Dan Timmerman came through the chase group, followed by a red-hot Derrick St John (Garneau/Club Chaussures/Ogilvy). The attacks caused a reshuffling at the top with Lindine taking the lead and opening a gap on Timmerman of nearly thirty seconds. With three to go, Mannion had been pushed off the back of his chase group as St John rode through the competition with a vengeance. St John had moved into third place on the road when he fell victim to one of the many broken derailleurs on the day with only half a lap to go, he managed to slog through on foot and hold on for eighth. Lindine seemed to be in control, coming through the pit but Timmerman found another gear and threw down, catching Lindine in the woods halfway through the bell lap. When the two came to the pavement, Timmerman led with Lindine glued to his wheel, poised to come around. Dan Timmerman once again set a pace that could not be matched and Lindine settled for a strong second.

Shortly behind, Mannion pulled some late-race heroics as well, recatching Luke Keough and holding him at bay for third and victory in the U-23 field. Another Sachs rider, Josh Dillion, who had for a second day mashed his way through the field, ran out of time finishing fifth in front of the surprise of the day, Kirt Fitzpatrick. Keough’s fourth place pushed him past the absent Tim Johnson into second overall in the elite series, while holding onto his U-23 leader’s jersey.

The masters’ race seemed poised to be a repeat of yesterday with Johnny Bold and Kevin Hines of Corner Cycle and Roger Aspholm from Westwood Velo dominating the field. From the beginning the three were off the front but today Bold was not able to dial the course quite as well as Hines and Aspholm, falling back to a chase group of three on the third lap. Aspholm and Hines rode like two champions, matching each other through every section of the course, unable to create any space until the final lap, when Aspholm turned on the gas, securing yet another NECCS victory. Bold’s group with Curtis Boivin (Planet Bike) and Kurt Perham (bikeman.com) held together until the final paved stretch as Bold showed his prowess with an emphatic third leaving Perham fourth and Boivin fifth. The victory catapulted Aspholm back into the series leader’s jersey with Bold and Hines close behind.

Timmerman chases © Paul Weiss

The U-19 men looked to have a repeat of Joshua Lehmann (Sunapee/S&W/Continental Paving)’s dominance as he took a large early lead. This time, though, Corner Cycle’s Jesse Keough and Quad Cycle’s Ryan Packard were not about to let him get away. Keough managed to bring Lehmann back with smooth navigation of the deep mud that covered nearly the whole course. Keough took victory with Lehmann second and Packard third, only fifteen seconds back. With a second and first on the weekend, the leader’s jersey stays with Keough.

The Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series will be contested over 7 weekends in 2009, starting with the New England Cross-toberfest of Cycling:  3 straight weekends of UCI calendar racing to be held in Williston VT, Gloucester MA, and Providence RI.  After a weekend of much needed rest, the series will continue with stops in New Gloucester ME on Oct 24, Northampton MA on Nov 7, Sterling MA on Nov 28, and the series finale in Warwick RI on Dec 5.  This year series is generously supported by Verge Sport, makers of fine cycling clothing and products since 1993; by Cycle-Smart, purveyors of personalized cycling coaching and solutions for riders across the country; by BikeReg.com, the official online registration service of the NECCS; by Paul Weiss Photo/Video, the official photographer of the NECCS, by October Handmade Bicycles, and by Ryders Eyewear.  You can visit these sponsors and get more information on the series by going to the web at http://www.cycle-smart.com/neccs.

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