by Fatmarc Vanderbacon
September 18, 2010; Conshohocken, PA, USA: Under warm sunny skies, C3-Athletes Serving Athletes hosted round 2 of the Champion System MAC Cyclocross Series, and the first day of the Charm City weekend. the course conditions were dry and fast. This edition of the course offered more technical delights and exciting racing through out the day.
In the UCI Women’s field, Laura Van Gilder, riding for the home team C3- Athletes Serving Athletes, was shadowed for the bulk of the day by Kristin Gavin of Team CF. On the final lap Van Glider was able to get a little room on the back section of the course. Gavin would not go away easily clawing her way back to Van Gilder’s wheel to set up a final sprint. As she has the past two years, Van Gilder sprinted to victory. “A strong race here in Baltimore has been a good sign of things to come, I hope this translates to the same.” Dee Dee Winfield, who was dislodged from the lead two by any early flat, finished a strong third. Tomorrow will be round two in this battle.
Day 1 Women’s Top Three:
1. Laura Van Gilder -C3 Athletes Serving Athletes
2. Kristin Gavin- Team CF
3. Dee Dee Winfield- C3 Athletes Serving Athletes
The bulk of the men’s race was a shown down between two men: defending MAC Cup Champion Valentin Scherz ( Cyfac-Champion System) and defending Charm City Cross Champion Davide Frattini (HUDZ-Suburu). Through the early stages, and middle of the race, the two champions exchanged jabs with neither seeming to gain any advantage over the other. Finally, with the lap cards showing 3 to go, Frattini opened a gap, and continued leverage his increasing advantage, claiming another Charm City Victory. Perhaps the most exciting racing of the day took place in the battle for third where Ryan Knapp (Bikereg.com), Ryan Dewald (Haymarket) and Anthony Grant (Cyfac-Champion System) battled fiercely through out the race. Each rider took their best swing at separating themselves from the others, to no avail. Hitting the final stretch of asphalt together, Grant shot to the front, and took the third spot on the podium.
Day 1 Men’s Top Three
1. Davide Frattini- HUDZ- Suburu
2. Valentin Scherz- Cyfac Champion
3. Anthony Grant- Cyfac Champion
In the Elite Master’s race, all around class guy Stephan Kincade broke away early in the race, and claimed his first Champion System MAC victory. More exciting racing is expected tomorrow for day two of Charm City Cross, round three of the Champion System MAC Series.
