Fahringer and Cowie Take First ProCX Wins on Day 1 at NCGP in Hendersonville

HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina—One of the final two weekends of competition for the 2016-17 USA Cycling Professional Cyclo-cross Calendar (ProCX) took place at the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Grand Prix (NCGP). In addition to final ProCX points, athletes came to western N.C. to earn their shares of a $6,400 prize purse for UCI Category 2 Elite Women and Men. Saturday also featured four categorized collegiate races for men and women.

Fahringer Climbs to the Top in North Carolina

Rebecca Fahringer takes her first USAC ProCX win at 2016 NCGP Day 1. © Weldon Weaver

Chilly temperatures, but clear, blue skies greeted the field for the UCI Elite Women’s race in the Blue Ridge Mountain town of Hendersonville. It turned into a battle of New England riders in the Tar Heel state. Rebecca Fahringer (Amy D. Foundation) scored her first win of the 2016-17 Pro CX season in the pack-happy women’s event. The New Hampshire native has scored 11 Top 10’s this season in C1 and C2 events, with six podium finishes. Last week she was third at the C2 Ruts N’ Guts competition.

“I finally made the top step,” exclaimed Fahringer after crossing the line at the fast course at NCGP. “Happy to take my first UCI win in the last race weekend before Nationals, and excited to see what happens tomorrow.”

Fahringer and Crystal Anthony (Boulder Cycle Sport/ YogaGlo) took the early lead on the first lap, but it was Fahringer who opened a small gap at the end to lead to the win. Anthony, who has 17 Top 10s this season, would cross the line in second, her fifth podium of the year. Coming into the final weekend of racing for Pro CX, the Massachusetts rider was fourth overall in the Elite Women’s individual standings.

Anthony, Fahringer and Maximenko. 2016 NCGP Day 1.

The contest of 31 competitors was packed together most of the day, as the course provided dry, fast conditions. It was a sprint to the line for the final podium spot, nabbed by Cassandra Maximenko (Van Dessel Factory Team) of Connecticut. She edged out Emily Shields (Hearts Racing Club) of N.C.

Cowie Leads North Carolinian Sweep

Willsey, Cowie and Livermon. 2016 NCGP Day 1.

The field of 25 riders in the UCI Elite Men’s race whittled down to a pack of seven by the midway point. Lees McRae alum Kerry Werner (KONA Factory) would ride at the front for a while, and changed positions as surges rotated among the group that included Dan Timmerman (Stan’s NoTubes Elite), Cooper Willsey (Cyclocrossworld), Tristan Cowie (Triple Oaks Racing), Travis Livermon (Maxxis Shimano), Alex Ryan, Robert Marion, and Byron Rice (Storm Racing Team).

Cowie would rule the day on his home turf for the win for his first Pro CX win this season. The Brevard, N.C. rider finished fourth at Major Taylor ‘Cross Cup last weekend.

Twenty-year-old Willsey seemed happy with a second-place finish, his first podium in a UCI Elite Men’s contest. He won the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championship for Division 2 Men this past January in nearby Asheville, N.C., riding for Furman University.

He edged out Livermon, another N.C. resident, who would finish third. In a disappointing fourth spot was Werner.

“Bad position on the last lap took me out of it. That’s racing and there is always tomorrow,” said Werner about a narrow miss for the podium on Saturday.

Pro CX races at the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Grand Prix in Hendersonville, N.C. and the Resolution Cross Cup in Garland, Texas are the season finales.

2016 NCGP - North Carolina Gran Prix Day 1 Women's Results

2016 NCGP - North Carolina Gran Prix Day 1 Men's Results