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Today's women's podium: Mani wins, Noble second, Compton third. Photo by Todd Prekaski Today’s women’s podium: Mani wins, Noble second, Compton third. Photo by Todd Prekaski

Full Report by Cindy Brennan

Gloucester, MA-The 2015 Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series got underway today at Gloucester, Massachusetts’ Stage Fort Park, the scenic venue of the Craft Sportswear Gran Prix of Gloucester. Course designer Tom Stevens and Race Director Paul Boudreau redesigned this classic cyclo-cross course by the sea, taking advantage of the sandy terrain to build a challenging, technical course. A new run-up, tougher than any seen before at Gloucester, and plenty of pedaling sections meant today was a day for the well-rounded racer to claim victory.

The Verge NECX Series races heated up throughout the day as some of the nation’s best racers entered into season-long competitions spanning fifteen categories of elite and amateur racing. The Series’ commitment to equality in men’s and women’s racing is evidenced by the newly added 45+ Category 3 women’s category and an Elite 35+ women’s category, and by this weekend’s entirely sold out races for Category 4 Women, Category 3 Women, and Elite Women.

The Elite Women took to the course, a cloud of dust billowing from the course as the large field of racers sped through the dry, sandy track. Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Racing) and Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) gained a gap early, as a large chase massed behind them. Caroline Mani (Raleigh/Clement), a winner at Gloucester last year, bridged to the leaders. The chase was on: a few seconds back, Katie Compton (Trek Factory Racing), Amanda Miller (Boulder Cycle Sport/YogaGlo), and Australian National Champion Lisa Jacobs hunted down the leaders.

Compton bridged to the front as Wyman, whose strengths were not favored by today’s course, fell a bit off pace. Noble, Mani, and Compton gained time on the field as Wyman rode alone in fourth spot. The chase hung on, working to reel in Wyman, as Mani and Noble traded attacks in the hopes of weakening Compton. Compton clung with tenacity to the leaders, but was unable to muster the legs to come around the other two in the lead group.

Noble launched an attack in the final corners and gained several seconds on Mani, only to bobble. Mani won by a slim margin over Noble in second and Compton in third. Wyman remained in fourth spot, holding off the chase from Miller in fifth.

In the Series competitions, Mani claims the overall jersey. Noble is the U23 leader, while Compton has the first-ever 35+ Elite Women’s leader’s jersey in the history of the Series.

The men's podium: Powers first, White second, Hyde third. Photo by Todd Prekaski The men’s podium: Powers first, White second, Hyde third. Photo by Todd Prekaski

The men of the Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com team made their plan clear early in the Elite Men’s race. Curtis White took the hole shot, and teammates Stephen Hyde and Ryan Trebon went right with him. Jeremy Powers, defending a two-year winning streak at Gloucester, soon found himself in a lead group including only himself and the Cannondale trio, isolated and only getting further away from any chase group.
Each man in green would attack, forcing Powers to chase down every move singlehandedly. Trebon flatted on a sharp rock through a sandy stretch, and Powers attacked. Soon Hyde, too, flatted, leaving young a White alone with the National Champion. Powers moved into the engine room, gapping White off his wheel, as Hyde chased in third and Trebon worked his way back into the top ten. Powers, able to meter his efforts without the need to chase down his competitors’ attacks, won the day, making his fifth in a row at Gloucester. White held on for second, Hyde claimed third, and Trebon fought back for fifth just out of reach of Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh/Clement), whose solid race got him the fourth spot.
Powers moves into the Series lead, as White claims the U23 Series victory. Another day of racing at Gloucester tomorrow will cement the Series leadership for those racers, elite and amateur, master and cub junior. Follow along live on Twitter with live updates from @VergeNECXS, @GPGloucester, and #gpgcx.

Use the slider below for full results and photos from the event.

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Gran Prix of Gloucester, Women's Elite Race, Day 1

ResultFirst NameLast NameTeamTime
1CarolineManiRaleigh / Clement0:50:01
2EllenNobleJAM/NCC/Vittoria0:50:03
3KatieComptonTrek Factory Racing0:50:10
4HelenWymanKona Factory Racing0:50:53
5AmandaMillerBoulder Cycle Sport/YogaGlo0:51:06
6JenaGreaser0:51:09
7ArleyKemmererLevel Eleven Racing p/b PB20:51:11
8GabbyDurrinNeon Velo Cycling Team0:51:13
9CourtenayMcfadden0:51:16
10CrystalAnthonyBoulder Cycle Sport/YogaGlo0:51:37
11CassandraMaximenkoVan Dessel/ISM/PowerBar/ChallengeTi0:52:00
12RebeccaFahringerAmy D Racing0:52:01
13LisaJacobs0:52:11
14KathleenLysakowskiJoe's Garage CX p/b BikeReg0:53:00
15AllyStacherStan's NoTubes Elite CX0:53:03
16KathrynCummingCyclocross Magazine Racing0:53:06
17HannahPaytonTeam Kinesis UK0:53:10
18NatashaElliottRed Truck Garneau p/b Easton Cyclin0:53:14
19EmilyKachorekSquid0:53:32
20BrittleeBowmanHOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMAN0:53:38
21AmiraMellorOldfield/Paul Milnes Cycles0:53:43
22StaceyBarbossaMidAtlantic Colavita Women's Team0:53:48
23BethAnn ortonKona0:54:23
24JulieHunterSEAVS/Haymarket pb Van Dessel0:54:38
25EricaZavetaMaxxis-Shimano Pro Cyclocross Team0:55:13
26CatherineSterlingBikeman.com0:55:31
27JulieWrightTeam Averica0:55:38
28NikkiThiemannRare Disease Cycling0:55:41
29JoanneGroganNEXT-BMB0:55:46
30EllenSherrillRock Lobster Cyclocross0:55:52
31MeghanKorolTeam Handmade0:55:57
32MelodyGrayColonial Bicycle0:56:00
33LeslieTimmladies first racing0:56:09
34RoniVetterState 9 Racing p/b Vittoria0:56:23
35JennyIvesVerge Test Pilot/Jamis0:56:30
36JessicaDupplerColonial Bicycle Company0:56:34
37ErinFacconeTeam Averica0:56:40
38NatasjaBrooijmansGREEN LINE VELO Driven by ZipCar0:56:42
39AnaSirianniHup United0:56:48
40JenniferMalikGranville Brewing - Stanridge CX Te0:56:57
41IngridLovittHellgate Cyclery0:57:02
42HeidiWood333fab CX Factory Team0:57:09
43EmilyReynoldsladies first racing0:57:19
44ChristinReutercrossresults.com0:57:20
45AnnaDingmanTRT Bicycles0:57:23
46ReginaLeggeGREEN LINE VELO driven by Zipcar0:57:30
47MelissaLafleurRoyal Mills p/b Graphic Innovations0:57:51
48PaulaBurksPeachtree Bikes0:57:52
49MicheleSmithHup United0:57:59
50JocelynMauldinNEBC p/b CycleLoft0:58:04
51KateKirkpatrickSEAVS/Haymarket0:58:05
52FrancesMorrisonC3 Twenty20 Cycling0:58:22
53MelissaSeibBarker Mountain Bikes0:58:30
54JosieSimpsonFlanders Nemisis Race Tean0:58:35
55JessicaSnyderMac50:59:02
56SiobhanKellyTo Wheels/Epic Sports Performance2L
57KellyChangVoler/HRS/Clif Bar/Rock Lobster2L
58JordanDubéCraft Factory Racing3L
59HannahRossiB2C2 p/b Boloco3L
60StacyBenekeTeam Dahanger4L
61VickieMonahanTeam ERRACE p/b DSO Manufacturing4L
DNFElizabethWhiteHOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMANDNF
DNFEmilySmithKelpius CyclingDNF
DNFElizabethAdamsLivDNF
DNFJessicaCutlerJamis Pro CyclocrossDNF
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