Preview: Northampton International Opens 2019 Vittoria NECX Series

The 2019 Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series begins this weekend with the 29th Annual Verge Northampton International Cyclocross presented by Cycle-Smart. Taking place November 9 and 10 in Northampton’s Look Park, the NohoCX event is the oldest cyclocross race in North America sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

The Vittoria Series includes competition on classic cyclocross courses in the Northeast, which include Northampton, M.A., Suffern, N.Y. and Warwick, R.I. It is the longest standing UCI cyclocross series in the United States.

At the Verge NohoCX, UCI Elite Class 2 (C2) races will be held both days for professional women, men, and Junior men. Athletes will compete for points on the USA Cycling Pro Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX), as well as for the Vittoria Series overall competition.

Winning athletes will be awarded coveted Verge Sport leader’s jerseys at the Northampton event and “the podium cookie” which has become a crowd favorite and a Northampton tradition, this year supplied by Roni Vetter of Jake’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream.

The podium cookie returns in 2019. © Angelica Dixon

Look Park will host the kickoff weekend of the Vittoria Series. The venue at the 150-acre park is a favorite among racers, fans and families alike. in the US. “We’re excited to showcase the Pioneer Valley to the cyclocross community,” said Cycle-Smart’s Alec Donahue, the event director. “We have a great course and a lot of great food and beer at the event. The JAM Fund and Northampton Cycling Club make this race special with their volunteer support, and seeing everyone pitch in to produce the race is what community is all about.”

New categories have been added to the Vittoria Series and Northampton will showcase the debut of a UCI Junior Men 17-18 field and a corresponding Junior Women’s 15-18 race with equal prize money.

“We were mandated this season by the UCI to add the Junior Men’s category but it was crucial for us to match that for the Junior Women as well, in advance of the optional addition of their UCI category in 2020,” Series and NohoCX president Adam Myerson said. “If we want to recruit and retain Junior Women, we have to treat them as equals from the start.” Riders will also compete for the Vittoria Series jersey in the 15-16 men’s and women’s categories, as well as the 17-18 men and women.

Race Preview

For the Elite Women, expect to see several riders on the upswing of their season and many looking to score valuable UCI points at the C2 competition.

Riders from New England and across the country are set to start the Elite Women’s races this weekend. © Angelica Dixon

Beth Ann Orton (Team S&M CX) of Oregon will travel to Paradise City for the weekend for the points and for the conditions. “I always look forward to racing in the North East,” exclaimed Orton. “I especially look forward to racing in Massachusetts, where the courses are storied, training is bananas and the weather can get perfectly nasty! New England has a deeply rooted cyclocross community, that while different from Oregon, has a similar flare and history. I always feel at home racing in Massachusetts.”

Racing in New England for the first time this season will be Erica Zaveta (The Pony Shop p/b KPMG), who is also a coach for event organizer Cycle-Smart. “Last year was my first time racing Northampton and the course was great,” noted Zaveta. “An interesting mix of grass turns as well as steep ups and downs into wooded areas. I’m excited to get back there for the race this year.”

Racing and volunteering this weekend will be JAM Fund rider Jane Rossi. “This race means a lot to me,” said Rossi. “I showed up to this race a year ago with the hopes of getting the attention of the Northampton cyclocross community and finishing in the top five was better than I could have dreamed of. To race for JAM Fund/NCC this weekend is a huge honor. This race and the Vittoria Series truly embody the spirit of New England Cyclocross.”

Also racing this weekend, look for Caitlin Bernstein (Easton/Velocio/MCGOVERN Cycles) who finished sixth both days of last weekend’s Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross and Arley Kemmerer (Bike Law Network p/b Piscitello).

For the Elite Men, Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz/Donkey Label Racing) will race in Northampton as part of an East Coast tour.

“I came out to the East Coast to hit a small block of racing before returning home for some more training and preparation for nationals,” explained Ortenblad. “I opted to go to Northampton to score some UCI points. I do feel the trajectory of my fitness is trending in the right direction, but staying out east and doing Northampton will hopefully ensure a front row start at Nationals. I’m finally starting to feel some good form the last two weekends of racing in Cincinnati and Falmouth after a sluggish start to the season.”

With two podium finishes last weekend in Falmouth, Ortenblad will be searching for the top step.

Tobin Ortenblad scored podium finishes both days at Really Rad. 2019 Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross. © Angelica Dixon

Additional Elite Men to watch include Cooper Willsey (Bicycle Express Racing), Merwin Davis (Cycle-Smart), Ben Frederick (ORNOT) and Kevin Bradford-Parish (SETcoaching p/b KBPracing).

Following Northampton this weekend, the Vittoria Series will continue with its second event at Supercross Cup Nov. 16 and 17, in Suffern, N.Y. The Vittoria Series grand finale will be at the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclocross Dec. 7 and 8, in Warwick, R.I.

Watch the races unfold in person or by following tweets at @VittoriaSeries. Follow on Facebook and YouTube for race weekend highlights video highlights provided by DirtWire.tv. For more information visit necyclocross.com.

Start lists are below.

Elite Women Start List: 2019 Northampton International

Elite Men Start List: 2019 Northampton International