The new and improved course at Derby City.
With the Derby City Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, just two days away, Cyclocross Magazine is on the scene to check out the famed Eve Bandman Park, home of the 2013 Cyclocross Worlds venue. We tagged along with Redline’s Justin Lindine to bring cyclocross fans who couldn’t be at the race the scoop on what the Worlds course is looking like, as well as what’s fun and exciting to do in Louisville when staying for Worlds weekend in February, and of course, to bring the best race reports from the USGP this weekend.What you think you know about the course, you’d better rethink, as a quick preride today showcased some serious changes to the venue from years past.
This is the third weekend of the USGP series, after races in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and Fort Collins, Colorado, and Jeremy Powers and Katie Compton are holding onto the series’ leads in their respective categories. This weekend won’t disappoint, with top tier talent in both the men’s and women’s fields.
With the Elite Men’s field already set at over 80 men before registration has even closed, it’s going to be a blazing fast start, going into a steep tabletop that nearly guarantees a crash in at least one field over the course of the weekend. Jeremy Powers will be in attendance to defend his title, with teammates Ryan Trebon, Tim Johnson and Jamey Driscoll all hot on his heels. Zach McDonald will be defending his U23 title as well, up against Jeff Bahnson, Cody Kaiser and Yannick Eckmann. Roadies including Danny Summerhill, Brad White, Alex Candelario and Jesse Anthony will be on the scene as well, along with MTBer Spencer Paxson. New England has sent a veritable cadre of elites down for the race, including Justin Lindine, Dan Timmerman, Adam Myerson and Jeremy Durrin. Belgian Ben Berden will also be in attendance.
The women’s field is equally impressive with over 50 women entered, including series leaders Katie Compton, Bronze Medal Olympian Georgia Gould, Katerina Nash, Kaitie Antonneau, Crystal Anthony, Nicole Duke, Mical Dyck and Andrea Smith (featured in CXM Issue 18). From overseas, Gabby Day and Helen Wyman both made the trip across the pond to get in on the action, and Frenchwoman Julie Krasniak joins Day to round out the Rapha-Focus squad, while Caroline Mani joins Duke.
Stay tuned to Cyclocross Magazine this weekend for reports, interviews, photos and great Louisville coverage!
