It’s a big weekend of US UCI racing, with Jingle Cross, Ruts N Guts in Oklahoma, and NBX in Rhode Island. We preview the NBX weekend below, the finale of the 2015 Verge New England series.
Series Founder and President Adam Myerson runs through NBX’s famous beach section.
Photo: Meg McMahon, 2014
The most anticipated race weekend in the New England cyclo-cross calendar is upon us. This weekend, December 5th and 6th, NBX Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross will be the grand finale of the 2015 Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series presented by Stan’s NoTubes and Cycle-Smart.
Fifteen categories of racing span amateur and Elites, Juniors and Masters, ensuring non-stop excitement in Warwick, Rhode Island. A spectator favorite, the classic NBX course in Warwick is one of New England’s most challenging, with its trademark beach sections calling to mind the Euro racing in the sand dunes of Koksijde. Racers will pick lines through technical turns, tricky descent chutes, and rooted trails. The NBX course is one where the strongest, most highly skilled racer will prevail.
File Photo: Noble and White shown going through the Stan’s NoTubes barriers at the Cycle-Smart Northampton International, look to square off at the NBX Gran Prix this weekend. Photo by Todd Prekaski
Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) and Emma White (Cyclocrossworld.com), freshly returned to the States after successful campaigns racing the toughest courses in Europe, plan to pick up their long-standing rivalry where it left off during Northampton’s Rounds Three and Four of the Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series.
Noble won decisively on day one of Cycle-Smart Northampton International, but it was White who bested Noble on day two. The showdown will continue between these two talented young racers this weekend in Warwick. Noble hopes to retain her overall Elite Women’s jersey, as well as the U23 leader’s jersey. Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers p/b Van Dessel), the winningest cyclist in history, will certainly give the young talent a run for their money. In the mix for the podium honors, we’ll be watching for Kate Lysakowski (Joe’s Garage CX p/b BikeReg) and Jena Greaser (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria).
File photo: Fresh from a successful European campaign, Curtis White looks to take his form to the NBX Gran Prix. © Bart Hazen
In the Elite Men’s race, fans are sure to be treated for a tight battle for the Series lead. The current leader, Raphael Gagne, is already preparing for his mountain bike racing season. His absence readies the field for a battle for the crown. Anthony Clark (Squid Bikes) and Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld) both appear poised to claim the honors.
Clark’s successes racing on the West Coast in recent weeks should give him a boost of confidence going head-to-head with White, who recently claimed a top ten finish in Flandriencross Hamme’s U23 race. Scott Smith (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) will hope to retain the U23 Series lead he earned with consistently impressive riding so far in this year’s Series.
Stay tuned this weekend for coverage of the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross.
