Keough and Hyde Have a Charmed Sunday at Charm City Cross Day 2 – Report, Photos

BALTIMORE, Md.—Cloudy skies, a little rain and a lot of humidity seemed to ignite the second day of competition on Sunday at Charm City Cross for USA Cycling’s Professional Cyclocross calendar (ProCX). The  Category 2 races began with Kaitlin Keough (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) taking her second victory on the weekend at Druid Hill Park, attacking on the signatures stairs to gap second-place finisher Maghalie Rochette (Clif Bar Pro Team). Reigning U.S. National Champion Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) would narrowly snag the win in the Elite Men’s race over youngster Spencer Petrov (Aspire Racing) in the final turns of the course.

Keough Goes Back-to-Back

In the Women’s Elite C2 race, Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com teammates Keough and Emma White would control the first part of the race, similar to the team tactics used Saturday in the C1 event.

Emma White leads Ellen Noble while Kaitie Keough chases. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Canadian National Champion Rochette was in the mix, as well as Rebecca Fahringer (Stans NoTubes p/b Maxxis/gof) and Crystal Anthony (Maxxis Shimano Pro Cyclocross) and France’s Caroline Mani (Van Dessel).

Rebecca Fahringer led the way early on. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Keough and Rochette would attack with two laps to go establishing a solid lead, with White holding steady in third place. As they reached the pavement for the final time, Keough would just edge Rochette for the win. It would be the fifth time Rochette would finish second in a ProCX event this year, a third time to Keough.

Maghalie Rochette had a strong ride for second on Sunday. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

“Maghalie (Rochette) really made me work for it,” said Keough, who earned her seventh podium spot, five of those wins, this ProCX season. “She (Rochette) raced really smart today. She didn’t put her nose in the wind once until the last lap, which was really smart for her. Emma and I were up there together and it was two against one for a while, so that was good. But I was motivated today. This is my last race for a little bit at the end of a big block, so I’m happy to do well here this weekend.”

Kaitie Keough went back-to-back in Baltimore. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

With the win, Keough continues as the solid leader for the women in the Sho-Air US Cup-CX Series. White and Rochette are second and third, respectively. Rebecca Fahringer and Crystal Anthony are tied for the fourth spot.

Women’s podium: Keough, Rochette, White. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Hyde Returns to His Winning Ways

A group of six would stick together on the tacky course until the final laps in the Elite Men’s race. With four laps to go, 19-year-old Petrov would animate the race with several attacks, forcing Hyde to chase. It would come down to a battle between these two riders and a small crash after the big steps in the final half lap. The results would find Hyde remounting from the mishap cleanly and holding a small gap for the win.

Stephen Hyde leads riders up the steep flyover. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

“It was a fight between him (Petrov) and I. I had a little slip of my front wheel, and of course, it was wet right there,” Hyde said about the tumble with Petrov on the final lap in the “W” section of multiple turns. “He rode over top of me, and we both got tangled up. I was the first one back on the bike. You don’t want it to play out like that, you want it to be like legs-on-legs. Then from there on out I had like a four-second gap. I tried to hold it. I don’t think he was able to get into his pedals really quickly after the stairs. I just dug deep and held it. That was it man, I just dug deep.”

Stephen Hyde celebrates his win. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Petrov would earn his second runner-up finish in an Elite Men’s ProCX race this year, having finished in the silver spot at the C1 contest at KMC Cross Fest in Connecticut last weekend.

Spencer Petrov pops a wheelie to celebrate finishing second. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

In the mix all day was Kerry Werner (Kona Factory CX Team), who finished a solid third place on Sunday.Saturday’s winner and current ProCX point leader Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz/Donkey Label Racing) would finish fourth.

Kerry Werner had a strong ride for third. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

It was the second ProCX win of the year for Hyde, the first as a C2. The win kept him close to overall Sho-Air US Cup-CX leader Ortenblad in the men’s standings, in second place. Werner is third overall, followed closely in the points by Petrov. Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) is fifth in the series.

Men’s podium: Hyde, Petrov, Werner. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Next Up on the Pro CX Schedule

The Sho-Air Cycling Group partnered with four ProCX events and offers a total prize purse of $20,000, to be shared equally for the top woman and man at the final event in Louisville, Ky. on Nov. 4.

Stephen Hyde. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

Next weekend, Oct. 14-15, ProCX will continue with Category 2 competitions in New England and Colorado. The first of four events for the Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series presented by Clif Bar will begin at the CRAFT Sportswear Gran Prix of Gloucester in Mass. Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s races will be held at historic Stage Fort Park in Gloucester for a 19th year, which has given the event the label of the “New England Worlds.” Boulder, Colo. will feature the U.S. Open of Cyclocross at Valmont Bike Park. This event will feature UCI cyclocross events for Under-23 Men and Junior 17-18 Men.

Kaitie Keough outlasted Maghalie Rochette in a tough battle. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine

The 2017 ProCX schedule provides a total of 43 race days across 18 states and the District of Columbia. The calendar spans September to December and is comprised of UCI-inscripted Category 1 and Category 2 races. Follow ProCX updates and standings this season on Twitter (#ProCX and @USACProCX), Facebook (usacycling) and at www.usacycling.org/procx.

Women's Results - 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2

Men's Results - 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2