Cross Crusade at Washington County Fairgrounds: Ryan Trebon’s Return From Injury, Orton Notches Win in Record Rainfall

Mud, and plenty of it after massive rainfall before the race. © Pat Malach

by Pat Malach

Ryan Trebon powered through the peanut butter mud at the Washington County Fairgrounds Sunday to claim the fourth race of the 2014 Cross Crusade series. The Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com rider was competing in his first race back after crashing and injuring his spine in early September.

Ryan Trebon was on fine form during his first race back after injury. © Pat Malach

In the women’s race, Beth Ann Orton (Team S&M) followed her win at Heron Lakes the week before with another impressive solo performance.

A week of record-setting Oregon rainfall softened the grass fields at the fairgrounds into spongy mush when the first of nearly 1,200 riders hit the course early in the morning. By the time the elite men, women and masters 35+ hit the course just after 1 p.m., the pancake-flat track was a mudbog from start to finish. Standing water mixed with greasy patches and heavy grass sections to hold even the fastest laps to just above 12 mph.

Carl Decker led the chase behind Trebon. © Pat Malach

Trebon, who suffered broken ribs and compression fractures in several vertebrae at the Het Meer race in Vancouver, Wash., back in September, looked smooth and steady in the heavy conditions as he slowly opened a gap over series leader Carl Decker (Giant Factory Racing). Trebon finished more than a minute ahead of Decker, who had as big a gap over the rest of the field.

Beth Ann Orton took advantage of another power course. © Pat Malach

Orton won her race in similar fashion to Trebon; she powered away from the field in the difficult conditions and slowly opened a wide margin over her rivals, earning an extra lap for her efforts. Orton covered seven laps of the course in 1:13:20, finishing less than seven minutes behind runner-up Laura Winberry (Speedvagen), who raced six laps in 1:06:52. The Athletic’s Julie Krasniak rode to third place, followed by Megan Faris (River City Bicycles) and Alexandra Burton (Portland Bicycle Studio).

The thick mud was tough on drivetrains. © Pat Malach

Race #1 winner Megan Chinburg (River City Bicycles) suffered multiple mechanicals and finished 15th, but she continues to trail series leader Winberry by just 20 points in the overall. Decker leads the elite men’s series over Chris Jones (The Athletic) and Cameron.

Cross Crusade #4
Washington County Fairgrounds
October 26

Elite Men
1. Ryan Trebon (Cannondale-Cyclcocrossworld.com) 1:08:59
2. Carl Decker (Giant Factory racing) 1:10:18
3. Seth Patla (River City Bicycles) 1:11:23
4. Shannon Skerritt (Trek) 1:11:33
5. Josh Kelley 1:11:38
6. Ben Thompson (Thump Coffee) 1:11:44
7. Andrew Coe (Soraz Racing-CAPA) 1:11:52
8. Brennan Wodtli (Speedvagen) 1:13:53
9. Scotty Carlile (Thump Coffee) 1:04:15
10. Molly Cameron (Portland Bicycle Studio) 1:04:28