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Kaiser hops the stairs in his signature style at Gateway Cross Cup Day One. © Matt James

Kaiser hops the stairs in his signature style at Gateway Cross Cup Day One. © Matt James

(St. Louis, MO) – Competitors at the 2014 Gateway Cross Cup in St. Louis, MO saw an entirely new course from years past and unseasonably warm temperatures that sought to test the rider’s limits and provide dynamic racing to both the men’s and women’s fields.

With the sun creeping down the horizon, the men’s field leapt off the line at blistering speeds and took to the hilly, undulating course with a fury meant to break the race to pieces as quickly as possible. The opening laps saw a driving pace at the front due to the efforts of Cody Kaiser, Troy Wells, Zach McDonald and the Raleigh Clement duo of Ben Berden and Jamey Driscoll.

The Men’s Elite Race at the Gateway Cross Cup Day One saw an intensely fast start to shed away any of the underdogs as fast as possible. © Matt James

The Men’s Elite Race at the Gateway Cross Cup Day One saw an intensely fast start to shed away any of the underdogs as fast as possible. © Matt James

The relentless pace forced many riders off the back as a group of fifteen pried themselves loose in the early stages of the race. With the fast dry conditions, Wells sensed the need for an attack and surged to the front in the fourth lap, whittling the lead group down to five with McDonald, the Raleigh riders and a storming Brian Matter hanging on.

A couple of laps later, Driscoll and Berden set a pace that pulled them clear of the break and it looked like they would ride together for a Raleigh Clement one-two. Berden ultimately lost the front and was caught by Matter while Driscoll built a commanding lead. Berden held on for second with a late surge, as Brian Matter took third. Zach McDonald appeared to wilt in the heat and dropped down the lead group, eventually finishing 11th.

Jamey Driscoll, constantly placing well all year, takes his first UCI win of the season. © Matt James

Jamey Driscoll, constantly placing well all year, takes his first UCI win of the season. © Matt James

As explosive as the men’s race was, the women’s race was as much a war of attrition as the top of the field fought the grueling course and searing heat. Courtney McFadden and Nicole Duke both drove the pace early on and split the field into groups from the start. A lead group of five formed with last year’s winner Amanda Miller, Duke, McFadden, Erica Zaveta and Samantha Schneider of IS-Corp all in the mix. Dangling just behind, Caroline Mani of Raleigh Clement tried to keep the leaders in sight while local rider Sunny Gilbert of Michelob Ultra Big Shark hung gamely between.

As the lead group fragmented and faded, the steady diesel approach of Gilbert and Mani paid off as both made contact with the front group and put themselves into podium position. Gilbert took the lead for half a lap before being overtaken by Erica Zaveta who soloed in for the win ahead of Gilbert and Mani.

Erica Zaveta rode well all race to claim her first-ever UCI win. © Matt James

Erica Zaveta rode well all race to claim her first-ever UCI win. © Matt James

The Gateway Cross Cup continues tomorrow with day two at Queeny Park in St. Louis. If day one is any indication, the field will have as much competition from the course and the unseasonable heat as from their competitors.

2014 Gateway Cross Cup Women's Elite Race Full Results

ResultFirst NameLast NameTeamTime
1EricaZavetaTeam Redline46:20.0
2SunnyGilbertMichelob Ultra - Big Shark Racing46:41.0
3CarolineManiRaleigh / Clement47:22.0
4AmandaMillerUCI WPT: Team TIBCO/ To the Top47:40.0
5NicoleDukeMarin/SPY48:10.0
6EmilyKachorek48:32.0
7AmandaCarey49:13.0
8Carol jeaneSansomeCounty Cycles Masters CX p/b Trek49:36.0
9SamanthaSchneiderISCORP50:20.0
10KatherineKelterTeam Colavita/ Parisi Coffee50:32.0
11KseniaLepikhinaSDG Bellwether pb Krema Peanut Butt50:42.0
12JenniferNicholsInfinity Racing/Tom Williams BMW-Mi50:47.0
13SamanthaRunnelsTeam Super Awesome50:47.0
14MackenzieWoodringU.S. National Paralympic Cycling Te51:36.0
15NicoleBrandtLa Grange51:47.0
16LaurelRathbunRaleigh/Clement52:46.0
17RachelDobrozsiRed Zone Cycling52:54.0
18SarahSzefiPSIMET Racing53:28.0
19KatieIsermannPSIMET Racing53:48.0
20KatherineSantosRed Zone Cycling53:58.0
21MackenzieGreenRed Zone Cycling54:14.0
22HeidiWood333fab CX Factory Team54:39.0
23LindsayZuccoPSIMET Racing
24CourtenayMcfadden
25ElizabethSoTeam TATI

2014 Gateway Cross Cup Men's Elite Race Full Results

ResultFirstLastTeamTime
1JameyDriscollRaleigh / Clement01:51.0
2BenBerdenRaleigh / Clement02:06.0
3BrianMatterTeam Wisconsin / Clif Bar02:20.0
4TravisLivermonUCI CT: Team SmartStop p/b Mountain02:58.0
5TroyWellsTEAM CLIF BAR Cycling03:17.0
6TristanUhl787 Racing03:22.0
7MitchellHokeUCI CT/WPT: Team Optum p/b Kelly Be03:36.0
8JakeWells03:36.0
9LewisGaffney03:47.0
10BenjaminSonntagTeam Clif Bar04:21.0
11ZachMcdonaldKCCX Elite Cyclocross Team p/b Chal04:55.0
12ChristopherJonesUCI PCT/WPT: UnitedHealthcare05:01.0
13AdamYorkCyclocross Network Racing05:16.0
14RobertMarionCarpediem Racing05:29.0
15SteveFisherUCI CT: Jelly Belly Cycling05:37.0
16MaxxChance05:49.0
17NicholasLemkeHiFi/TheFeed/CraftHairStudio06:15.0
18IanMcpherson06:28.0
19IanHauptMilwaukee Bicycle Company Racing06:29.0
20CodyKaiserLangeTwins/Specialized07:14.0
21BradenKappiusTEAM CLIF BAR Cycling07:24.0
22SpencerDowningClif Bar Development Cross Team07:27.0
23AndrewReardonSophisticated Living/Bobs Red Mill07:29.0
24KyleRussBrazen Dropouts Cycling Team07:49.0
25GabeVareleVertical Earth07:50.0
26MichaelDutczakSouth Chicago Wheelmen09:14.0
27GeraldDrummondDe Pijp Racing
28ZacharyCarlsonMatrix/RBM
29JoshJohnsonMichelob Ultra - Big Shark Racing T
30AlexRyanMock Orange Bikes Pro CX Team
31TravisBraunRevolution Cycles
32JoshBauerTwin Six
33MaxwellAckermannISCorp Cycling/NCSF
34MarkNortonKS Energy Services / Team Wisconsin
35TaylorSquillaciGet Out!
36DavidReyesHeritage Race Club
37JayStrothmanOff the Front Racing
38CraigWohlschlaegerGiant Southwest Racing
39KaitinWaterman
40AdamFinckTeam Velocity Bike Shop
41AndrewGiniat
42BrettHeuringDogfish Racing Team
43MichaelDogfish Racing Team
44NathanBrown
45MatthewKelleyQuantum Mesa Cycles
46KevinBradford-parish
47DylanPostierEVOKE Racing
48JimWood
49TavisWerts
50J pBrocketEthos Racing
51RyanKnapp
52EricThompsonMt. Borah Epic Team
53SkylerMackeyTeam Soundpony
54TylerCloutier
55IsaacNeff5Nines/Motorless Motion