by Marc Vettori
September 21, 2009; Baltimore, MD, USA: Close to 700 racers showed up for the UCI C2 Charm City Cross, the second half of the MAC Powered by SRAM opening weekend at Historic Druid Hill Park in downtown Baltimore Maryland. C3-Athletes Serving Athletes hosted this attendance record breaking event that was framed with outstanding weather, and fast racing conditions. The course was fast and flowy, and put a premium on strong pack riding skills. That being said, this was no grass crit as the parcours demanded sound cyclocross skills with four dismounts a lap: the planks, the sandpit, the park’s new stairs, and the now infamous planter dismount.
In the UCI Elite Women’s race, six women broke away from the rest of the field. The six traded blows at the front, working together and keeping the pace high. The group included C3-Athletes Serving Athletes own Laura Van Gilder and Dee Dee Winfield, Mo Bruno-Roy (MMRacing Seven Bicycles), Rebbecca Wellens (Team Plan C), Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing) and Kristin Gavin(Human Zoom-Pabst Blue Ribbon). As the lap cards wound down a nervousness and anxiousness came across the field as no one wanted to make a mistake that would cost them the race. On the bell lap, Van Gilder went to the front and drove the pace to open a slight gap. Van Gilder took the gap and used her powerful sprint to take her second win in as many days.
Elite Women
1. Laura Van Gilder (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes)
2. Mo Bruno-Roy (MMRacing Seven Bicycles)
3. Rebeca Wellens (Team Plan C)
The UCI Elite Men’s race started in similar fashion as a group of racers separated themselves from the rest of the field and, like the women’s race, riders were nose-to-tail through the serpentine course. The group included former MAC and Italian National cyclocross champion Davide Frattini (Team Fuji), Canadian Mike Garrigan (LaBicicletta/Jet Power), Adam Myerson (Cycle-Smart), Tyler Wren (Colavitta Sutter Home), Ryan Dewald (Battley-Harley Davidson), Luke Keough (Champion Systems), defending Zipp OVCX Tour champion Ryan Knapp (BikeReg.com). Also in the large lead group were host C3-Athletes Serving Athletes’ own “Bad” Andy Wulfkule and newlywed Wes Schempf, the defending MAC powered by SRAM champ. As the hour ticked away, the intensity in the group increased. Myerson took a go at the front with a big flyer. He was pulled back as the group recognized Myerson as a “danger man” in the group. With two laps remaining, Frattini hit the deck and briefly fell off the back of the group. He bridged back to the group and then charged off the front. Frattini would hold his gap to the finish, taking his second win in two days. Mike Garrigan rolled in second, with Cycle-Smart’s Adam Myerson rounding out the top three.
1. Davide Frattini (Team Fuji)
2. Michael Garrigan (LaBicicletta/Jet Power)
3. Adam Myerson (Cycle-Smart)
The MAC Powered by SRAM Series returns for another double-header of UCI Elite and USAC amateur racing on October 17 and 18, when North America’ best take on the legendary Cyclocross at Granogue and the following day’s Wissahickon Cross. For more information, see BikeReg.com.
