Division 1 Collegiate Men Winner Kerry Werner wins Nationals in style. © Tim Westmore
New team rosters are getting announced left and right, with Nicole Duke joining Marin, Jamey Driscoll shifting to Raleigh-Clement, Jeremy Powers staying with Rapha, Rock Lobster hanging on to Aaron Bradford, and Curtis White joining Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld. And down South, Mock Orange Bikes has announced their team for 2013.
Mock Orange Bikes (MOB) is celebrating Autumn with the third year of its professional cyclocross team. And with a lineup that includes U23 national cross-country mountain bike and collegiate champion Kerry Werner and North Carolina podium fixtures Emily and Katherine Shields, the wins could be as numerous as the laundry cycles.
“North Carolina is a hotbed of cycling talent,” Team Director and Mechanic Zach Lail said. “Our goal [with this team] is to support the development of these young men and women while promoting the unique sport that is cyclo-cross.
“And yes, the dark jerseys and shorts hide the mud!”
Werner and the Shields sisters, all Banner Elk residents, will be joined by fellow racers Alex Ryan, a professional mountain biker from Lewisville, and Winston-Salem resident Patrick Beeson. Beeson, who also manages the team’s web presence and marketing, finished third overall in the Mens’ Elite category in last year’s NC CX series. He and Ryan also race for MOB’s mountain bike team, with occasional forays on the road.
The Winston-Salem bicycle retailer MOB, located across from Hanes Park in the city’s West End neighborhood, is a fixture in the North Carolina CX scene. In addition to sponsoring its namesake team, the shop hosts several races, including four at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA). The first SECCA race will be held Thursday, September 5 at 6 p.m. Donations for youth cycling development are also being accepted.
The MOB CX team plans to compete in all NC events as well as larger races further north. But its campaign begins officially in Las Vegas at the annual CrossVegas race. Season goals for the team include winning several UCI Elite category races, the NC CX series (men and women), and a podium finish at the US National Championships in Boulder.
