US Cyclocross Nationals – Day 1 Predictions

Posted on December 8, 2010 by
2010 Portland USGP - Amateur Men

Photo by Dave Roth, http://www.dmroth.com/cycling.html

On Thursday, December 9, the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships will kick-off in Bend, Oregon as the Old Mill District will play host to the National Championships for the second consecutive year. 1,400 cyclists of all ages and abilities will line up to battle each other, and mother nature, in a festival-like atmosphere that features BikeYoga classes, a warm-up area with LeMond Revolution trainers, and the Cross Culture: Art & Bike Festival, among other things.  In all, 36 titles will be awarded.

For the first time ever, men’s and women’s singlespeed titles will be awarded (on Thursday). This year’s course will be longer and a bit more technical then last year’s course. Finally, with the exception of the elite, U23, and collegiate categories, riders will have the option to earn start spots based on results in the individual time trial completed the day before their race. All-in-all it promises to be an exciting four days in the heart of the Northwest.

For the third consecutive year, I will attempt to predict the winner of all 36 national titles that will be awarded this year. (We will have a more detailed preview and predictions for the elite races.) Below I have listed my predictions for all the races on day one (Thursday). I will post my other predictions as the week goes one–along with a quick review of how I’m doing with my thus far. Feel free to add your own or comment on my excellent–or poor–choices. Best of luck to everyone in Bend!

Day 1 Predictions:

  • Men 60-64 – Glen Norton
  • Men 65-69 – James Wagner
  • Men 70-74 – Erik Nordenson
  • Men 75+ – Walter Axthelm
  • Women 55-59 – Flo Leibowitz
  • Women 60-64 – Martha Iverson
  • Women 65+ – Julie Lockhart
  • Women 45-49 – Karen Hogan
  • Women 50-54 – Kris Walker
  • Women 40-44 – Gina Hall
  • Men 55-59 – Paul Curley
  • Men Single-Speed – JT Fountain
  • Women Single-Speed – Tricia Sandstron
Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #14

Posted on December 8, 2010 by


2010 Fleche Wallonne - Evans Wins

Fotoreporter Sirotti


#14(tie) – BMC Racing Team (Preview Ranking: #5) & Cervélo Test Team (Preview Ranking: #2)

What We Said (BMC):

The new-and-improved BMC Racing Team is the first of two Professional Continental teams in the top-5, proof that a Pro Tour license isn’t the only key to success. Jim Ochowicz must have had quite a bit of fun signing the likes of Alessandro Ballan, Marcus Burghardt, Karsten Kroon, George Hincapie, and—just when we all thought the roster was complete—the newly-crowned World Champion, Cadel Evans. While they’re shy to admit it, the signing of Evans gave BMC the final piece they needed to most likely earn an invite to the 2010 Tour.

Regardless, the team is wise to take nothing for granted, planning the first half of its season around the classics and the Giro. Between them, BMC’s new men have all scored top-10 results in all major classics. Burghardt’s a threat in Ghent-Wevelgem and Flanders; Hincapie in Ghent, Flanders, and Roubaix; Ballan in Flanders and Roubaix; Kroon in Amstel; and of course, Evans in the Ardennes. If BMC plans wisely, they could certainly prove to be one of the sport’s most dominant teams from March through April.

After the Ardennes, the focus shifts to the Giro, where Cadel Evans will make another attempt at scoring a win in a grand tour. The Giro is a fitting choice, as it’s the place where Cadel first burst onto the grand tour scene with Mapei in 2002. (He held the Pink Jersey for a day before cracking to finish 14th overall behind Paolo Salvodelli.) Evans returns this year, hoping to shrug-off the bad luck he’s displayed in subsequent grand tour attempts. While Cuddles is a bit temperamental, I think his Worlds win could be the beginning of a new phase in his career, perhaps instilling the confidence he seems to have lacked in years past. Who knows, maybe he wins the Giro, and then goes to the Tour relaxed and riding high?

The knock against BMC is chemistry. Only Burghardt and Hincapie raced together last season; otherwise everyone comes from a team in which he was more or less an undisputed leader. Will Ballan defer to Hincapie in Roubaix? Will Kroon defer to Evans in Amstel? If everyone peaks at the same time, these are questions that will need to be answered—and not on the road.

Man of the Hour: Cadel Evans won Worlds last year, a victory that moved him from a place on someone’s Hot Seat, to BMC’s Man of the Hour. Hopefully Cadel uses the win as stepping-stone to bigger things. Liege? The Giro? The Tour?

On the Hot Seat: George Hincapie’s running out of time for what would certainly be a career-topping win in Paris-Roubaix. He’s 37, and luckily Roubaix’s one race where age is less of a factor—especially since George’s age comes with the benefit of many years of experience on the pavé. With Burghardt and Ballan at his side, BMC has a team of Quick Step’s caliber—the one thing George has lacked in his past attempts. Clearly, this is his best chance yet.

Up-and-Comer: BMC’s perhaps the most up-and-coming squad in the sport—hopefully they’ll win enough to justify the distinction.

Best Pick-Up: The signings of Evans, Hincapie, and Ballan received more press, but Marcus Burghardt might actually win the most races for BMC, possibly beginning this Saturday in the Omloop.

Biggest Loss: As a squad relatively new to the sport’s upper echelon, BMC’s gained more than it’s lost. We’ll have to revisit this one next year.


What We Said (Cervélo):

Another Professional Continental team occupies the 2nd spot in our ranking as Cervélo Test Team hopes to build on its terrific first year in the sport. While HTC might be deeper, Cervélo has a better chance of winning big races, led mainly by Heinrich Haussler, Thor Hushovd, and Carlos Sastre. Basing such a lofty ranking on 3 riders is indeed a bit risky, but these men are worthy of such high expectations.

Haussler was the revelation of last year’s spring classics, finishing 2nd in both Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. While these results were impressive, Haussler’s presence seemed to elevate Thor Hushovd, who had one of his better springs with a win in Het Nieuwsblad and third-places in both San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. He and Haussler complement one another well: Haussler’s attacks allow Hushovd to follow wheels, offering him a free ride to the finish should his teammate get caught. Right now, they’re both a bit under the weather, but look for them to peak in time for their favorite cobbled events. As long as they continue to work well together, they’ll be top favorites.

After the classics, it’s Carlos Sastre’s time to shine as the grand tour season begins. Last year, Sastre experimented, using the Giro to prepare for the defense of his 2008 Tour de France title. While the experiment didn’t help him in France, he won 2 summit finishes in Italy on his way to placing 4th overall. This year he’s focusing a bit more on the Giro as a result; perhaps he can add a pink jersey to the yellow one he earned two-years ago.

In July, all three men will head to the Tour with Hushovd hoping for another green jersey, Sastre another yellow one, and Haussler for more stages. While yellow might be tough—the competition’s just too strong for Sastre—a green jersey and several stages are well within the realm of possibility.

All in all, we’ll know the success of Cervélo’s 2010 campaign by August 1st. A classic or two plus a successful Giro and Tour will be more than enough to justify their status as one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the world.

Man of the Hour: Thor Hushovd had an impressive season in 2009, even though his late-race fall kept him from winning Roubaix. This year he heads into the season more motivated than ever—will he bring a pavé trophy home to Norway?

On the Hot Seat: Carlos Sastre’s 34, an age many consider to be the beginning of the end—of a grand tour rider’s peak, that is. This year might be the last in which he’ll be considered a legitimate contender for an overall title—unless his performances dictate otherwise.

Up-and-Comer: Haussler’s an old story, but he’s an up-and-comer because he’s still on the way up. There’s an incredibly high ceiling for his talent—and we have yet to see him reach it.

Best Pick-Up: Cervélo spent surprisingly little money upgrading its roster, signing only 5 riders including a 31-year-old, a 34-year-old, and a former track rider. All in all, that’s little to get excited about. Their biggest pick-up might just be SRAM, a component company still willing to throw heaps of cash at elite teams. Did you notice the switch Cervélo made from Dura Ace’s 7900 levers to 7800 levers last year? They weren’t completely compatible with the team’s Rotor cranksets. SRAM’s components offer no such compatibility issues, and likely came with a much bigger check.

Biggest Loss: Cervélo had no chance to retain Simon Gerrans after leaving him home during the 2009 Tour. They’ll miss him in the Ardennes and the Grand Tours—especially if others fail to find success.



2010 Elite Mens World Road Race - Thor Wins

Fotoreporter Sirotti



What We Saw:

As for BMC, they hit the podium a meager 24 times this year, winning only 4 races.  That’s a hard statistic to believe considering how it seemed as if Cadel Evans was at the front of just about race he entered.  While the team came far from justifying it’s high preseason ranking (#5), it did pretty well for itself, taking Fleche Wallonne, a stage at the Giro, and wearing both the pink and yellow jerseys.  It wasn’t what they had expected, but for their first season in the sport’s upper echelon, it wasn’t quite so bad.

On the other hand, 2010 was a disappointment for the Cervélo Test Team—even before the team’s late summer announcement of the program’s demise and subsequent merger with Garmin.  On paper, the team hit the podium 44 times in 2010—a number far worse than what we might have expected from the team I ranked as the #2 team in the world back in February.  Worse still, of those podium visits, 8 of them came thanks to Daniel Teklehaimont’s domination at the Tour of Rwanda two weeks ago—as a stagiare for the team during the latter part of the season, the wins get credited to CTT.

There were some bright spots though. Thor Hushovd took stages at the Tour and the Vuelta before winning the World Championship in Australia.  Xavi Tondo won stages in Paris-Nice and Catalunya early in the year and then competed for a podium spot at the Vuelta in autumn.  And Theo Bos, the converted track superstar, won races for the team—all field sprints.

Most Valuable Rider: Without Thor Hushovd and Cadel Evans, neither team would have made the list.  With stage wins in all three grand tours, a classic, and a World Title between them, it’s easy to see why.

Biggest Disappointment: With Heinrich Haussler, Thor Hushovd, Roger Hammond, George Hincapie, Alessandro Ballan, and Marcus Burghardt, its easy to see why most picked these two squads to be two of the best in this spring’s cobbled classics.  Of them all, Hushovd and Hammond did the best, scoring top-5 places in Paris-Roubaix.  Haussler’s injury kept last year’s spring revelation out of the mix, while Ballan seemed to be on vacation (literally and figuratively) much of the spring.  And Hincapie? I’d like to believe in George, but I just don’t think it’s possible anymore.

Biggest Surprise: All season, it was generally assumed that Taylor Phinney would sign a long-term contract with Team Radio Shack.  Then after the Tour, rumors began to spread that market for the talented, young American was a lot more “open” than once thought.  For a two-time winner of the U23 Paris-Roubaix and possible field sprint contender, hindsight makes Phinney’s reasons for choosing BMC all the more clear: a chance to learn from Hincapie; a roster generally free of any sprint competition; and of course, Jim Ochowicz.

So that’s it for #14.  Come back tomorrow to see who’s next on the list.

Share your comments below!

Posted in Featured, Teams | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Special Cyclocross Report: Changes to the Domestic Landscape

Posted on December 8, 2010 by
2010 NACT Round 8 - CX Landscape

Photo by Natalia Boltukhova, Pedal Power Photography, 2010


If you’re a fan of domestic cyclocross, you’ve recently become aware of a “new” rule that affects all UCI races and series. Actually, it’s a rule the UCI has had for a while, but never enforced—until now. Well, it’s only been about a week and already the backlash has been felt far and wide, causing rifts between US promoters and the UCI as well as US promoters and other US promoters. Without speculating as to why the rule is suddenly being enforced, let’s take a look at how its reemergence will change the landscape of the 2011-2012 North American calendar.  But first, allow me to explain the “new” rule.

It’s actually rather simple: the rule states that all UCI races—no matter the category (Cat. 1 or Cat. 2)—must be part of a UCI-sanctioned series [see: The Race Before the Race for an explanation as to the importance UCI status in cyclocross racing]. The series must have a general classification, a leader’s jersey, and no more than eight races. As of right now, there is no minimum for UCI events in a series, but the UCI must approve each series—so you can bet your euros that a promoter looking to put on a weekend series of two races will be denied.

As of right now, the USGP is the only UCI-approved series in North America for the 2011-2012 season. After lengthy discussions with the UCI, the NACT and Verge NECCS have been denied sanctioning by the UCI. These series, like others, contained several UCI events and several non-UCI events, thus violating the not-new, but previously un-enforced rule. It also appears that the MAC, Surf City, and Ohio series will be denied UCI sanctioning in their current structure as well. Clearly, changes are in store.  But what and how?

We know the NECCS will still exist as a 15-race series from September to December in New England. However, it will not feature an elite men’s or women’s category. Instead, the eight-race, UCI-sanctioned, New England Professional Cyclocross Series will offer elite men’s and women’s races—perhaps at places and times similar to NECCS events? As of right now, most of those weekends will offer elite racing (Cat. 1 events) on one day (most likely Saturday), while the NECCS will provide racing on both Saturday and Sunday.

Initial discussions among MAC promoters and organizers appear to follow a similar pattern to that of the NECCS. This year the MAC offered eleven races, seven of which were UCI-sanctioned. Under that new plan, the MAC would include only amateur races, while a parallel series would offer the elite events.

After being flat-out rejected by the UCI, it is understandable that NACT organizers, Myles Romanow and Brook Watts, are very upset. Rumor has it they are also displeased with the USGP and are going to form a new series to directly compete with the USGP. As a result, the NACT will have to reform and restructure. Star Crossed and the Rad Racing GP are two iconic cross races in the Northwest that could continue as the opening round for the new series. In addition, the traditional closing round in New York (the Super Cross Cup) could return to offer a pair of UCI events. The two Colorado races could stay as well.  Making things even more interesting, USA Cycling (USAC) is prepared to establish an NRC-style cross series (a season-long domestic series sanctioned and owned by USA Cycling).

As of right now, Cross Vegas, Krosstober-fest Weekend, Cincinnati 3-day, Ellison Park Cross, Dam Cross Weekend, the North Carolina GP, Jingle Cross Rock, and the Kingsport Cup all are without a series. Because there is no minimum races for a UCI series to exist, any number of the races could try to come together and form their own UCI-sanctioned series. However, with the discussion of a USAC NRC-style series, perhaps these races become part of it? If USAC wanted to create a successful series though, they would most likely need to form two separate series—one for each coast. If this happens, the odds are that not all of these races will participate.

Realistically, I’m betting on the formation a few new regional series, rather than yet another national series—even one backed by USAC. The Cincinnati 3-day, North Carolina GP, Jingle Cross Rock, and Kingsport Cup could join to form a Midwest eight-race series. The Krosstober-fest and Dam Cross weekends could be combined with Cross Vegas to form a five-race West Coast series.

However, there are more wrinkles: a UCI race in Wilkesboro, NC is tentatively on the schedule for Saturday, January 14, 2012, with the Kingsport Cup taking place on the 15th (a three-hour drive away). Also, Cincinnati may play host to another UCI race (Kings Cross) in December. If the promoters of these races decide to go ahead with their plans, here’s a more likely regional scenario: the three North Carolina races and the Kingsport Cup will form a “Southeast Cup” (expect someone else in the region to promote a race or two to bring the series to six races). There will be a Midwest Cup featuring four UCI races in Ohio and three in Iowa. Finally, a West Coast Cup featuring Cross Vegas, the four UCI races in California, and—should the new NACT style series fail—Star Crossed and the Rad Racing GP would bring the series to seven races.

Clearly, anything is still possible, but with what we know currently the scenarios above seem to be the most likely outcomes of the UCI’s enforcing of these “new” rules. USA Cycling, and a potential NRC-style calendar, will play a crucial role in allowing many of these independent cross events to continue. One would assume that USAC would want to work with the promoters who have been caught-out, but that remains to be seen. Let’s hope that while the 2011-2012 season might look different, the vitality of the sport will remain strong.

Share your comments below.

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2010 Team-By-Team Season Review: #15

Posted on December 8, 2010 by

2010 Giro dell'Emilia - R. Ricco

Fotoreporter Sirotti

#15 – Vacansoleil (Preview Ranking: #17)

What We Said:

Vacansoleil is the epitome of a team trying to do more with less.  Look at its stars from 2009: Bozic, Hoogerland, and Westra are hardly household names, yet they accounted for more wins than several teams with bigger budgets and more recognizable rosters.  In addition to these three, 2010 sees the arrival of France’s favorite brothers: the Feillu’s.  Young Brice endeared himself to many French fans following his fantastic win at Arcalis during the 2009 Tour, while Romain—more of an all-rounder—is a threat in both sprints and from breakaways. Together, they add depth to a squad hoping to steal Skil-Shimano’s wild card invitation to this year’s Tour.

The meat and potatoes of Vacansoleil’s roster come in the form sprinter Borut Bozic and all-rounder Johnny Hoogerland.  Bozic won a grand tour stage in last year’s Vuelta, while Hoogerland finished 12th overall before taking 5th in the Tour of Lombardy.  Of the two, Hoogerland has the higher ceiling, as Bozic doesn’t seem to fare as well when facing the best of the best.  Beyond these two and the Feillu’s, there’s a solid backbone of strong men able to support of their leaders while making the most of their own chances when opportunities arise.  Of these, Bjorn Leukemans remains an outside bet for a one-day win in one of the Belgian semi-classics.  (I promise this will be the last year I say that.)

Man of the Hour:  Johnny Hoogerland’s stock is high following a successful final stretch in 2009.  His rides in the Vuelta and the fall classics put him on the radar as a talent to watch in 2010.  Now the pressure’s on to see if he can raise the bar a little bit higher, perhaps taking a big win or two in a grand tour.  Not to be forgotten is Hoogerland’s penchant for cobbles—he finished well in several Belgian races last spring.  Look for him in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

On the Hot Seat:  Assuming the ASO grants Vacansoleil an invitation to the 2010 Tour de France, whichever 9 men make the roster will be under the gun to produce at least one stage win.  ASO is a fickle organization, one not too keen on giving hand-outs to non-French squads that don’t animate the race.  Should Vacansoleil’s boys not score on the big stage come July, in 2011 they might find themselves on the outside looking in.

Up-and-Comer: Brice Feillu won the hearts of French housewives everywhere (we really need a new metaphor) when he won Stage 7 in the 2009 Tour.  Now he needs to prove he’s more than just a flash in the pan.  This year, I’d like to see him try for a high overall placing in Paris rather than searching for stage glory.  It’s a tough choice, as his team will likely be desperate for success; but in terms of this rider’s development, a year following wheels in the mountains could reveal much more about his true potential.

Best Pick-Up: For obvious reasons, the Feillu brothers.

Biggest Loss:  Some might consider Baden Cooke’s departure a big deal, but let’s be honest, Bozic’s success made the Australian expendable.  Cooke’s much better off as the latest subject of one of Bjarne Riis’ career resurrection projects.

What We Saw:

Vacansoleil was the Rodney Dangerfield of professional cycling in 2010: they got no respect (sorry, I couldn’t resist).  But seriously, they were overlooked by not one, but all three of the grand tours and several other major races, but still managed to score an impressive 17 wins—more than many of the teams in the UCI’s Pro Tour.  Overall, Vacansoleil riders made 74 trips to the podium in 2010, an incredible haul considering the team missed-out on about nine weeks of racing.

Borut Bozic and Wouter Mol got things started in February with Bozic taking two stages at the Etoile de Besseges and Mol winning the overall in Qatar.  Then Bobbie Traksel took his memorable win in the cold and rain at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, while Bjorn Leukemans was the man of the hour April, taking several top-10’s including high finishes in both Flanders and Roubaix.

In May, the squad took its second stage race of the year, thanks to Matteo Carrara’s win in the Tour of Luxembourg.  By August, Roman Feillu finally found his form (as for brother, Brice, your guess is as good as mine), taking stage wins at the Vuelta a Burgos and Tour de l’Ain (Wout Poels took one too).  Feillu continued winning into September by taking the prestigious GP Fourmies semi-classic in France.  At the Tour of Britain, Poels and Bozic both won stages, while Joost Van Leizen and Riccardo Ricco closed-out the season with October wins at the Munsterland Giro and Coppa Sabatini respectively.

While lacking the major win or two that had hoped for, 2010 wasn’t an entirely bad year for the squad.  But one wonders what they could have done had they been invited to at least one grand tour.  If all goes as planned, they’ll certainly have their chances in 2011.

Most Valuable Rider: Bjorn Leukemans was a one-man wrecking crew during the cobbled classics this spring, ensuring that Vacansoleil’s jersey was in just about break that mattered from Dwaars Door Vlaanderen to Roubaix.  He didn’t win a race until the end of August, but with an improved squad and better support, he shouldn’t have to wait as long in 2011.  And with Belgian sponsors DCM and Palmans joining the fold next season, a case could be made that Leukemans’ spring heroics are at least part of the reason why.

Biggest Disappointment: Brice Feillu gave new meaning to the phrase, “starting the season on a high note” by placing eight in the GP d’Ouverture la Marseillaise on January 31st—it was his best result of the season.  He might have been banking on a solid Tour performance, but those invites had been handed out so early that there’s little excuse for such a poor year.  Johnny Hoogerland’s season followed a similar trajectory—he deserves a mention as well.

Biggest Surprise: Over the course of the summer, Vacansoleil offered contracts to Riccardo Ricco, Ezequiel Mosquera, and Stijn Devolder, thereby adding a convicted doper, a suspected doper, and a dopey teammate to its ranks—surprising moves for certain.  Will these risky moves pay-off next season?

That’s if for #15—come back later for more! And share your comments below.


Posted in Featured, Teams | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sticky Bidon – Dec 7, 2010

Posted on December 7, 2010 by

Interesting and/or amusing cycling items from across the Internet, December 7, 2010.

Seen any cool links we missed? Share ’em in the comments below

Posted in Sticky Bidon | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Domestic Cyclocross Report & Power Ranking – Week #12

Posted on December 7, 2010 by


2010 USGP Final - Powers Wins

Photo by Dave Roth, http://www.dmroth.com/cycling.html


The weekend before Nationals is always one of the best weekends of racing in the US. Everyone going to Nationals races and they bring virtually everything they have in anticipation of the following Sunday’s showdown in Bend, Oregon. This weekend featured great racing on both coasts with the NBX GP (the Verge NECCS series finale) in Rhode Island and the USGP finale in Portland, Oregon. Both events provided a pair of UCI races and both of their respective overall titles were still up for grabs.

In Rhode Island, Adam Myerson came out on top at Day 1 of the NBX Grand Prix in Warwick. Myerson began the race as part of a large group that slowly whittled down over the course of the hour. In the end, he won a two-up sprint against Canadian Derrick St. John to take his second UCI victory of year—career. 40-seconds later, Justin Lindine outsprinted Christian Favata for third place, keeping himself in the NECCS lead—by a slim margin over Myerson.

On Sunday, all eyes were on a 5-man leading group as Lindine and Myerson as they battled for the overall title. While many expected Myerson to win the day, it was Nick Keough who outkicked the rest of the leaders in the closing meters to take the victory. Myerson took second in the sprint ahead of St. John and Lindine.  The gap between the two was enough for Myerson to take the NECCS overall title—and a considerable amount of momentum heading into Nationals.

Heading west, like the NECCS finale, the USGP was up for grabs between two men—only this time, they’re teammates. Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com teammates Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers entered the weekend separated by a handful of points. Powers was fresh from his double victory in Massachusetts, while Johnson was returning to the US after an up-and-down two-week European stint.

As has become his style, Powers kicked-off the weekend with a win in Portland on Saturday. He used his usual fast start to establish a good gap, taking Ryan Trebon and Chris Jones with him. Like last Saturday in Belgium, Johnson had another poor start and ended-up in a chasing group with Todd Wells and Jesse Anthony. At the end of the fourth lap, Trebon went down, separating Jones and himself from Powers. Jones was never able to reconnect though and a few laps later, disaster struck for Trebon as he sheared-off his rear derailleur over half a lap from the pits. Needless to say, Powers was able to solo to victory, finishing almost 30-seconds ahead of Jones. Johnson was able to recover from his bad start to finish third—tying him with his teammates for the USGP heading into Sunday’s final round.

Thus, with Powers and Johnson even on points, Sunday’s race was expected to be a no-holds-barred brawl between the two teammates—and the men looking to steal one last bit of glory. Clearly upset following the previous day’s mechanical, Trebon grabbed the hole-shot and led the first lap. Unfortunately, he could not match the speed of Johnson who quickly attacked on the second lap, dropping the Kona rider like a stone. Powers was initially left out of the action, but he managed to get across to Johnson by the end of the third lap, passing Trebon and Todd Wells in the process.

The rest of the race featured repeated attempts from each rider to rid himself of his teammate. Heading into the barriers one last time though, Powers bunny-hopped them while Johnson elected to run. Despite Johnson’s lightening fast remount, Powers hit the pavement first, giving him just enough room to take the win. Behind, Trebon was able to hold a slight advantage over the last half-lap, on his way to a third-place finish ahead of Wells.

It was a thrilling weekend to say the least. Myerson proved that he’s ready for what may be his last race as an elite while Johnson, Powers, Trebon and Wells gave us all sneak preview of what might be the best National Championships in years. Where does everyone fall in the Power Ranking? Time to find out.

Domestic Power Rankings – Week #12

1. Jeremy Powers (1) – Four-straight UCI wins have netted Powers his first USGP and NACT overall titles. More importantly, he seems unbeatable with less than a week before Nationals as he simply simply out-rode his closest competition on both days. At this point, he’s the #1 favorite for Bend.

2. Tim Johnson (2) – After a European campaign that was filled with mixed results and poor starts, Johnson’s struggles continued Saturday.  Luckily, he was able to recover by the end of the race, and on Sunday, he looked like the Johnson of old—except he was unable to drop Powers. He’s worn the stars and stripes proudly for the last year—he won’t give them up easily.

3. Ryan Trebon (5) – Trebon suffered his first race ending mechanical when he sheared-off his rear derailleur on Saturday. His third-place ride Sunday was an expected consolation and it was nice to see him set the pace for the first lap. Now his bad-luck season has come down to one race in Bend—a victory there would certainly right the ship. That said, he has yet to prove he can beat both Johnson and Powers.

4. Todd Wells (4) – Wells’ poor result Saturday (fifth) convinced him to stick around for Sunday’s race—he finished fourth. Once again, Wells is a contender for a national title, but he’s going to need to have the race of his life in order to win.

5. Chris Jones (7) – Jones jumps to the fifth this week after his podium on Saturday and top-ten finish on Sunday. Jones has the ability to produce a stellar result at Nationals, but seems to struggle to maintain the pace needed to keep him in the lead group. As the face of the new Rapha-Focus team, I think a top-5 at Nationals would make his new sponsors proud.

6. Jamey Driscoll (3) – The “studious one” drops a few spots this week after nabbing a pair of seventh-place finishes in Portland. Driscoll pulled-out two solid victories in Iowa, but seemed to settle back into the chase group this past weekend. If anyone can pull off an epic one-race performance, it’s Driscoll.  Look-out for him Sunday.

7. Jesse Anthony (n/a) – Anthony returns to the rankings this week in seventh. He’s shown sporadic signs of success and domination this year, but his good results have been few and far between. Perhaps he’s perfectly designed his peak for Nationals? We’ll find out next weekend.

8. Geoff Kabush (6) – The Canadian’s season was one of his best in recent memory. He finished inside the top-10 on both Saturday and Sunday against stiff competition. It’s unclear yet if he plans to extend his season or if he’s going to call it quits and get ready for next year’s mountain bike campaign.

9. Adam Myerson (n/a) – For the first time, Myerson makes the Power Rankings after a strong season capped-off with a UCI victory and a NECCS title. I don’t think Myerson will contend for a national title, but a top-10 finish is not out of the question. Myerson’s biggest advantage will be his front row start.  He’s the tenth American in the UCI rankings. With Jonathan Page skipping Nationals and Luke Keough doing the U23 race, that gives him the eighth and final spot on the front row. Hopefully he can prove he belongs there.

10. Zach McDonald (n/a) – McDonald finished just outside the top-10 on Sunday, but gets the last spot in the rankings because he has been so consistent this season. I expect a big performance out of him in Bend.

Dropped this week: Adam Craig (8), Barry Wicks (9) and Troy Wells (10)

And there you have it—come back all this week for more gossip, previews, and predictions.

Share your comments below.

Posted in Featured, Races | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment