OVCX #6: Juniors Continue Podium Reign at Storm Eva Bandman Cyclocross

Spencer Petrov takes the win at OVCX #6. © Kent Baumgardt

by Joe Bellante

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY –As the Zipp OVCX Series rolls toward the Toyota Cincy 3 CX Festival (UCI C2/C1/C2) and the following week’s MudFund Derby City Cup, juniors continue to dominate the Elite races.

Spencer Petrov (Sophisticated Living p/b Bob’s Red Mill), 15 and 16-year-old Chloe Dygert (Midwest Devo) stood atop the Halloween-themed podium Sunday at Storm Eva Bandman Cyclocross hosted by the Papa John’s Racing Team in Louisville.

While Dygert will take the Elite Women’s start line alongside the likes of Katie Compton in Cincinnati, the slightly younger Petrov will try to make his mark on the U19 races.

Sunday’s Eva Bandman course featured many of the obstacles that Sven Nys tamed at the World Championship in February including the “Stonehenge steps” and numerous sandy sections.  Sunshine and warmer temperatures dished up dry, dusty and fast racing.  After the races, costumed competitors, including Twinkie the Kid, took to the podium for the costume contest judging.

ELITE WOMEN

Despite a front row start on the pavement, Dygert didn’t get off the line as quick as she would have hoped and was boxed in. “Once we hit the grass I took the outside line to take the lead,” she said after the race. The course, featuring a handful of long flat straight-aways, suited Dygert’s power.

With a big early lead she occasionally looked back, “to see if [Katherine Santos] and [Mackenzie Green] were still second and third,” recalled Dygert.  Like last week’s race at John Bryan, she added, “I was hoping we would all pull off one, two, three again but it didn’t work out that way this race.”

Instead, Sierra Siebenlist (Mathews Bicycles) solidified second place with a comfortable gap to Santos (Red Zone Cycling) while Green (Borah) dug deep in order to try and hang on for fourth. It wasn’t to be. AnnaJean Dallaire (Clarksville Schwinn Racing), contorting her body as she put power into every pedal stroke, steadily picked her way through the pack lap after grueling lap, eventually edging past Green late in the race.  Green would drift into sixth behind a steady Shera Clark (McDonalds Cycling Team).

Chloe Dygert soloed away early for the Elite Women’s win. © Kent Baumgardt

ELITE MEN

With fellow junior Gavin Haley off to Belgium, this was the week for Sophisticated Living p/b Bob’s Red Mill teammates Spencer Petrov and Ian McShane to shine.  However, Andrew Messer (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) and Robert Kendall (Papa John’s Racing) had their own plans to spoil the party.

Petrov let the first cannonball loose into the side of the ship by taking the holeshot and breaking off an early group of seven or eight.  Then, with admirable maturity for a 15 year old, he moved back into the chain of riders. It wasn’t an easy ride.  In the long power sections he was gapped off two or three times, but clawed his way back in each instance.

His persistence paid off as the group whittled down to four including McShane, Messer, and Kendall. With such a well-matched bunch, you could have flipped a four-sided coin to determine the winner.

“We all stayed together into the last lap with lots of mini attacks testing each other,” said Petrov.  On the bell lap, going into two long straight-aways, the powerful Messer took to the front in hopes of shaking loose the caboose.  The effort taxed Kendall, bringing the group down to three.

Running out of real estate, the elder Messer guarded the front.  “Going past the second pit entrance and into the 180 that followed, I tried to get around Andy, but he shut the door fast,” said Petrov.  He tried again on the next corner, and got the gap he needed.  Petrov held it through the technical sections leading into the last steep climb before the finishing straight.

With teammate McShane unwilling to chase, Messer was forced to try and close as the trio hit the pavement.  They finished with the same time, Petrov raising his long arms at the finish.  “I feel very honored to get my first Elite Men’s Podium in the OVCX,” said Petrov.

The early leaders of the Men’s Elite race hit the deep sand. © Kent Baumgardt

In its 10th anniversary season, the Zipp OVCX Series, including the MudFund Derby City Cup and Cincy3 UCI weekends, and Cross After Dark, will continue its focus on maximizing the growth of regional cyclocross through great courses, competitive fields, and good times.  Find the complete schedule and registration links online at OVCX.com.

OVCX #6 Photo Gallery:

Elite Men’s Results:

Elite Women’s Results: