Domestic Cyclocross Report and Power Ranking – Week #2

Posted on September 29, 2010 by


2010 CrossVegas - Mourey Wins

Photo by Mia Sullivan/www.studiomproductions.com


Vegas, Baby!


The spectacle that has become CrossVegas enjoyed one of the deepest fields ever seen on US soil last Wednesday—and lived-up to all the hype. A ridiculously large and powerful field came down to one of the closest sprint finishes ever seen in a cross race, with Francis Mourey coming out on top—continuing his successful US road trip. Mourey dashed Jamie Driscoll’s hopes on the finish line after Driscoll spent almost the entire race alone off the front. Mourey caught and passed Driscoll in the finishing straight, winning ahead of a World Cup caliber chase group. It was a race only the bright lights of Las Vegas could provide.


Behind the chaos at the front, there was a bit of mayhem behind. Todd Wells crashed early in the race, taking-out a bevy of riders including Tim Johnson (who is clearly finding his form after a rough road season). Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the night was Ryan Trebon. Trebon is enjoying terrific form and buried himself trying to catch Driscoll. Although Mourey and Gerben de Knegt were able to get by him, he could have fared better if he hadn’t done so much work. The rest of the top-10 was filled with the usual cast of characters including Jonathan Page, Jeremy Powers, and Geoff Kabush.


Wisconsin USGP


The glitter and glam of a Las Vegas night quickly gave way to the warm, windy Wisconsin daylight as the bulk of Wednesday’s field traveled to the Midwest to the first two rounds of the USGP. The weekend quickly became a reminder of how much of last season went. The Cyclocrossworld trio of Johnson, Powers and Driscoll used the course in Wisconsin to continue their domination.


Jeremy Powers took-off right from the start on Saturday and never looked back. His traditional first lap surge went unmatched and a combination of team tactics and tired legs left the New Englander free to take the win. Behind, Ryan Trebon and Geoff Kabush led the chase, with Johnson staying along for the ride. Johnson eventually took-off himself, extending his gap to 30-seconds over the chase by day’s end. As was the case in Washington and Vegas, Trebon handled the bulk of the pace making only to fade in the final few laps. His fade allowed Todd Wells and Jonathan Page to join into the battle for third, which Page won in a sprint finish.


Two of the day’s more notable results belonged Mourey and Tristan Schouten. Mourey’s winning streak came to a grinding halt midway through the race as he fell way off the pace, finishing 14th. Meanwhile, Schouten, a local rider with only a few years of elite experience, battled it out with the top riders in the country, finishing a stellar seventh behind Driscoll and Christian Heule.


Sunday’s Round Two felt like déjà vu all over again, only this time, there was a twist. Powers made his usual move, but unlike Saturday, Johnson was able to bridge across and counter, winning by 30- seconds over Powers. Mourey was able to recover from the previous day’s poor result, finishing third. And Trebon was—again—the pacemaker in the chase group, until he imploded to finish ninth.


Saturday’s revelation, Tristan Schouten, showed he’s no one-hit wonder, battling Mourey and Christian Heule to the line to take fifth. And last week’s New England standout, Luca Damiani posted impressive results both days and is now a major contender for the U23 USGP title. Another rider with back-to-back weekends of stellar results was Davide Frattini. Coming off a pair of UCI wins in Baltimore, Frattini left the USGP with a pair of top-10 finishes against a stacked field.


New England


While the majority of the US cross riders headed to Wisconsin, several riders decided to chase UCI points by staying close to home, racing in New Hampshire and New York.  Justin Lindine dominated both races, attacking early in Saturday’s Nor’Easter Cross to win by nearly a minute. Sunday’s Ellison Park Cross in New York saw a similar attack from Lindine, but this time Derrick St. John was able to go with him. The pair gained nearly three minutes on the rest of the field before Lindine took the win.


This week’s rankings reflect a weekend in which received our first true look at who’s got what domestically cross. Several riders dropped-out this week, largely due to the fact that last week there were actually 12 riders in the rankings. (I included Powers, Wells and Driscoll because they hadn’t raced yet, and boy do I look good for doing so.) So without further ado and self-promotion, here’s this week’s Domestic Power Rankings:


Power Ranking


1. Jeremy Powers (10tie) – Powers kicked off his 2010 US cross campaign with three spectacular races. He was able to survive the mayhem that was CrossVegas, finishing an impressive seventh. His first and second place finishes at the USGP prove that he’s the best rider in the US right now.


2. Tim Johnson (1) – Last week’s #1 also had an excellent weekend in Wisconsin, netting a first and second. His twelfth in Vegas was more a result of Todd Wells crash, but Johnson still looked a bit off his game. Sunday may have been a sign of things to come, and all eyes will be on the New Englander when he races in front of a virtual hometown crowd in Gloucester.


3. Ryan Trebon (2) – Trebon has quickly become the chase group leader. The problem is that he drags all the other superstars around until they attack and leave him in their wake. When Trebon won Nationals a few years ago he attacked early, a la Jeremy Powers. Perhaps it’s time for him to find that first lap acceleration again.


4. Jamey Driscoll (10tie) – How crushed where you when Mourey caught Driscoll on the line in Vegas? Talk about drama! Despite the setback, Driscoll held his head high and wrapped up a pair of top-10’s in Wisconsin. Consistency was the mark of Driscoll’s season last year and he’s already off to a good start. Will he remain overshadowed by his two teammates—or will he finally break out? Only time will tell.


5. Todd Wells (10c) – Todd Wells began his 2010 cross campaign with a bang—literally. He crashed on the run-up early in CrossVegas, ruining his chances at victory.  Wells held-on though for a respectable 15th-place finish. He then rebounded well to take fourth Saturday and eighth Sunday in Wisconsin. Now he’s going to take two weeks off, the break might be just enough time for him to collect his thoughts and embark on a National Championship campaign.


6. Tristan Schouten – The 28-year-old American competed in six UCI events last year. And while he picked-up several top-10 finishes, four of the six races had less then stellar fields. But what a difference a year makes as Schouten eanred a pair of top-10’s in Wisconsin against World Cup caliber fields. It may be a bit early to predict, but Schouten could be headed to Worlds at the end of the season. Talk about improvement!


7. Davide Frattini (3) – Frattini slips in the rankings a bit, but proved last week’s criticism to be a bit hasty. He finished ninth Saturday and sixth Sunday in Wisconsin, proving he can play with the big boys. The question now is if and when will he beat the big boys?


8. Justin Lindine (6) – Lindine decided not to head to Wisconsin, staying close to home to save some travel time and pick-up some valuable UCI points. Boy did that plan pay-off! Lindine dominated the East Coast UCI races, taking maximum points both days. While the fields were less than spectacular, he proved a few weeks ago that he can mix it up with Johnson and the rest of New England’s elite. He’ll have a lot to prove in Gloucester this weekend.


9. Geoff Kabush – Kabush had a quiet, but solid start to the season. After some good results in Washington, he earned top-10’s in Vegas and Round One of the USGP. Sunday he suffered a bit, but still managed to finish 12th. A lack of consistency has been Kabush’s Achilles’ heel—perhaps last week is a sign of change in the air.


10. Luca Damiani (4) – Damiani proved that last week’s spot in the rankings was a bit high, but not premature. The young Italian racked-up a top-15 in Vegas and a top-10 in Round Two of the USGP. He now has a big target on his back as a candidate to win the NECCS and USGP U23 crowns. He’ll have chance to continue his bid for the NACT U23 crown as well this weekend in Gloucester.


Dropped this week: Valentin Scherz (5), Adam Craig (7), Anthony Grand (8) and Joachim Parbo (9).


After a week of amazing races, there’s no time for rest. Rounds Three and Four of the NACT head to Gloucester for two days of racing. Dubbed, “New England World’s”, Gloucester is an event all to itself. Needless to say, there should be fireworks. For those of you wondering why the West Coast gets little coverage, here’s your chance to shine with Krosstoberfest Weekend in San Dimas, California.  Who will win in Gloucester? And who’s going to do some California dreaming?


Share your comments and picks below.

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World Championship Preview – Elite Men’s Time Trial

Posted on September 28, 2010 by



2010 Vuelta a Espana - Cancellara in Stage 17

Fotoreporter Sirotti




Here’s a run-down of our top favorites for Thursday’s World Championship time trail from Melbourne, Australia.  Share your comments and picks below.


5-Stone Favorites


Fabian Cancellara

The last few weeks haven’t exactly gone as planned for Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara He failed to finish the year’s Vuelta a Espana—much to the disappointment of team management—and was uncharacteristically defeated in the race’s one and only ITT by not one, but two men.  All signs point to a poor performance Thursday is Australia for the reigning World Champion, right?  Think again, this is Fabian Cancellara we’re talking about.  Do you have the courage to doubt him?


Tony Martin

Of the men who stand to benefit from Cancellara’s reported struggle for fitness, Germany’s Tony Martin stands the most to gain.  Martin’s proven over the past two years that he’s the world’s second-best best time trialist—a title he’s ready to abandon with a storming ride Thursday.  Martin only finished third in Mendrisio after skipping last year’s Vuelta—an ominous sign considering he made the same decision (skipping the Spanish grand tour) this season.  But for a young rider with seemingly limitless potential, anything seems possible.


4-Stone Favorites




2010 Vuelta a Espana - P. Velits in Stage 17

Fotoreporter Sirotti




Peter Velits

Peter Velits pulled-off a bit of a surprise when he won Stage 17’s ITT at the Vuelta two weeks ago—beating Cancellara, Denis Menchov, and several noted time trialists in the process.  For the young Slovakian, his stage win and subsequent 3rd-place finish overall confirms the potential he showed when he won the 2007 U23 World Championship.  If he manages to hold-on to the form he displayed in Spain, his only obstacle on the way to a podium spot Thursday might be his ambitions for Sunday’s road race.  Look out Spartacus, you have some pretty serious competition in your quest to become a double world champion.




2010 Vuelta a Espana - Larsson in Stage 17

Fotoreporter Sirotti




Gustav Erik Larsson

Sweden’s Gustav Erik Larsson’s the guy everyone forgets about each year—until the World Championship ITT.  Last year Larsson was the only person able to stay within two minutes of Cancellara in Mendrisio—this year he hopes to have the form necessary to topple his soon to be former teammate.  He won an ITT in this year’s Giro as well as a silver medal in the 2008 Olympics.  Does the Swede have what it takes to trade silver for gold?


3-Stone Favorites


Bert Grabsch

Grabsch won the World Championship ITT in 2008—the last time Cancellara didn’t race.  A veteran with a knack for finding his form just when he needs it—especially in time for a time trial—the German might be asked to use his ride as a gauge for Martin, his German teammate.  Regardless, Grabsch is a solid podium candidate.


Svein Tuft

Like Grabsch, Tuft’s best performance at Worlds came in 2008—he finished second.  This year, the Canadian rode impressively at the Tour of Denmark and Benelux Tour, perhaps earning him his new contract with Pegasus Racing/Fly V.  Without the Vuelta in his legs though, I wonder if Tuft can really challenge for the podium—he deserves mention nonetheless.


David Zabriskie

Talk about a riddle wrapped in an enigma!  DZ is one of the hardest nuts to crack in the professional peloton.  When he wants to be, he’s one of the 3-5 best time trialists in the world.  On other days though, he’s pack fodder.  Zabriskie’s last high finish at Worlds came in 2008 when he finished third.  I have a hunch he might put in a good ride Thursday—he rode an aggressive Vuelta (by his standards), and needs a good result to justify his spot on a team that has few seats left on the bus.


2-Stone Favorites


Edvald Boassen Hagen, Luis Leon Sanchez, Michael Rogers, and Richie Porte deserve mention as outside contenders for top placings Thursday.  Boasson Hagen ‘s a proven performer who’s underwhelmed thus far this season.  Sanchez has placed well as Worlds in the past, but is better bet to save himself for the road race Sunday.  As for Rogers and Porte, Rogers is a former World Champion while Porte’s been one this year’s biggest surprises.  Both could make their home fans proud.


And my prediction?


1. Fabian Cancellara

2. Tony Martin

3. Gustav Erik Larsson


Share your comments and picks below.


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Monday Musette – A Closer Look

Posted on September 27, 2010 by




2010 Vuelta a Espana - Gilbert Wins Stage 19

Fotoreporter Sirotti




Editor’s Note: In today’s Monday Musette, Mattio takes “A Closer Look at Stage 19 of the Vuelta”, a stage that might prove to have been a good indicator of who will be wearing the rainbow jersey six days from now.


On paper, Stage 19 of the Vuelta looked like just another sprint finish.  However, the stage profile didn’t indicate the true difficulty of the last few kilometers before the finish. That said, it’s likely Phillipe Gilbert knew exactly what to expect—he finished 2nd to Paolo Bettini in 2008, when Stage 6 finished in Toledo with the same run-in. Gilbert is a true classics champion, an aggressive rider who knows to win with powerful attacks on late-race climbs. He knows the kind of parcours that suits his strengths; Stage 19 was a likely target.


His victory bodes well for his prospects at the upcoming World Championships, where Gilbert is the #1 favorite. This year’s Worlds course is said to favor sprinters—not pure sprinters, but rather, the classics-type sprinter who wins from small, select groups.  As Paolo Bettini said, if a sprinter wins, “it will be a sprinter that has a lot of resistance in the harder parts of the course.” Gilbert might not be a sprinter, but he has the power and the savvy to find the right late move or get the jump on the sprinters in a dwindling group—his performance in the Vuelta (Stage 19 in particular) suggests his form is there. Indeed, his effort on Stage 19 is impressive.  A few late attacks pushed the pace, disintegrating the leadout trains of the field sprinters on the twisting roads of Toledo.  And though a Garmin man forces Gilbert to close the gap to Gianni Meersman, Gilbert still summoned the power to attack—from the front with 700 meters to go, a “come and get me” move that left no room to wonder who was strongest on the day.


Take a look though, at who finished second—Tyler Farrar, who despite obvious talent has sometimes had a hard time taking field sprint wins against other notable sprinting heads of state. (Cavendish chalked-up his defeat to Farrar on Stage 21 as being due to a broken spoke and rear wheel rubbing on his brake pad.) Some of his other performances this year—in particular, his 5th-place at the Ronde Van Vlaanderen—suggest he’s got the potential to trade-in some of his top-end speed for the endurance required for success in races favoring classics riders. That Farrar was on Gilbert’s wheel, trying to come around him, when so many gaps had opened on the rolling, technical approach to the finish, indicates potential for a high American finish at Worlds. It’s also a sign that Farrar, Thor Hushovd, and Heinrich Haussler, united on Garmin-Cervélo for 2011, have the potential to be a major threat next spring.



2010 Vuelta a Espana - Nibali Finishes Stage 19

Fotoreporter Sirotti



The finish to Stage 19 also revealed the prospects of another possible Worlds dark horse. Vincenzo Nibali, wearing the leader’s red jersey, finished sixth, 12- seconds ahead of Ezequiel Mosquera. In those final kilometers, as the race strung-out and broke apart, Nibali moved to the front and stayed there. The moto camera spots him tucked a few wheels behind Gilbert when the Belgian launches his race-winning attack. Mosquera later lamented that he didn’t want to lose the Vuelta by those twelve seconds—certainly the extra time allowed Nibali a bit more breathing room when Mosquera attacked on the steep climb to Stage 20’s Bola Del Mundo. General Classification contenders must climb well and time trial well, but one can’t overlook the importance of smartly snatching time at every opportunity. Nibali’s attentive riding in the approach to Toledo was a smart move and a good indicator that his grand tour performances this year were no fluke.  And who knows, with a bit of free rein from Italian DS Paolo Bettini this Sunday, Nibali could trade his red for rainbow stripes.


Share your comments below.


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2010 Vuelta – Winners & Losers

Posted on September 24, 2010 by



2010 Vuelta a Espana - Final Podium

Fotoreporter Sirotti



The season’s third and final grand tour came down to the wire, ending what might have been one of the most competitive grand tour seasons in recent memory.  Before we all turn our attention to Worlds and the fall classics, here’s a rundown of the race’s winners and losers.




2010 Vuelta a Espana - Farrar Wins Stage 21

Fotoreporter Sirotti



Winners:

Vincenzo Nibali

Nibali iced the cake on a fantastic season for himself and Liquigas. His Vuelta win and his podium finish at the Giro this year, during which he rode for Ivan Basso, indicate more good results to come. The small things about his performance suggest a fine Grand Tour rider: the effective of teammates such as Roman Kreuziger on Stage 16, when Kreuziger set a pace that none of Nibali’s rivals could attack; attentive riding such as when he grabbed 12 seconds from Mosquera on Stage 19; and intelligent energy expenditure such as the way he let Mosquera go up the road before gamely clawing his was back before the line in Stage 20. Nibali’s climbing and time trialing are good, and his savvy and team support might be exactly what it takes to stand on the podium in France next year—especially if Liquigas can get their wheel changes a bit smoother.


Team HTC-Columbia

HTC-Columbia had a banner race with Cavendish winning the Green Jersey and three stages, and former U23 World Champ Peter Velits winning Stage 17’s ITT and finishing third overall—HTC’s first grand tour podium.  Throw-in a victory in the Stage 1 TTT, and you have another dominating grand tour performance.


Ezekiel Mosquera

Ezekiel Mosquera finally landed on the podium of the Vuelta a Espana. His do-or-die performance on Stage 20 might not have been enough to take the win, but it sure was amazing to watch.


Phillipe Gilbert

With two stage wins, Phillipe Gilbert showed everyone that he’s ready for the World Championships. His mullet may be gone but his power remains.


Tyler Farrar

Tyler Farrar finally beat Mark Cavendish in a sprint finish as the Vuelta arrived in Madrid. Two stage wins is good, but more impressive might be his second place on Stage 19. It’s only a matter of time before he brings home a big classic.


Honorable Mention:

Euskaltel

The Orange Armada responded to Igor Anton’s abandon after Stage 14 by sending three riders up the road halfway through Stage 16 to launch Mikel Nieve to the stage win on the Alto de Cotobello. It was an impressive display of panache and resilience from a heartbroken team.




2010 Vuelta a Espana - Rodriguez in Stage 20

Fotoreporter Sirotti



Losers:

Igor Anton

Igor Anton won two stages and then crashed and broke his elbow while wearing the red jersey. His abandon a bitter pill to swallow, the Vuelta would have been even more exciting had his luck been better.


Joaquim Rodriguez

Joaquim Rodriguez pulled-on the red jersey after Stage 16 knowing that he hadn’t gained enough time to hold-off Nibali in the time trial.  He then imploded in the race of truth and finished the Vuelta just off the podium.  He might have won a stage, but he lost the battle.


Caisse d’Epargne

Last year’s Vuelta winner—Alejendro Valverde—is serving a suspension for ties to Operacion Puerto.  But despite a deep roster and two stage wins, Caisse d’Epargne couldn’t put-on a performance to divert people’s attention from Valverde’s absence.


Cervélo Test Team

Cervélo finished the Vuelta with both both Carlos Sastre and Xavier Tondo in the top-10 overall. That said, with only 1 stage and yet another deflated grand tour effort from Sastre, they failed to deliver on their pre-race expectations.  Even worse, the team learned just as the race began that it was no more—Cervélo has jumped-ship for Garmin, and several riders and staff have been left scrambling for work in 2011.


Denis Menchov

Menchov’s a surprise loser only because it was so easy to forget he was racing. One expected a bit more from a Tour de France podium finisher and two-time former Vuelta champion—though it may be safe to say he was tired.


Team Saxo Bank

Saxo Bank showed signs of distress this month, with Bjarne Riis kicking Andy Schleck and Stuart O’Grady from the Vuelta for a disputed night of indiscretion.  Fabian Cancellara then displayed a rare sign of weakness with thrid in the final time trial before abandoning—the race and then his team.  In the end, the best the squad could muster was a fifth place overall for Frank Schleck—though we all hoped he would bounce back from his upsetting Tour de France injury to challenge for the win.


Mark Cavendish

Cavendish finally won a green jersey, but it seemed like a bit of a consolation prize after a topsy-turvy and a failed bid for green at the Tour de France. Factor in his failure to win as many stages as his teammate and rival (in sprinting and snide comments) Andre Greipel did last year (on his way to winning the green jersey), and his performance fails to impress. Worse, after losing Stage 21 in Madrid to Tyler Farrar, rather than compliment his rival, Cavendish claimed the only reason he lost was due to broken a spoke and rubbing rim with 4-kilometers to go. His reaction was a reminder that even though we all liked his tears of joy after his first stage win in this year’s Tour de France, he’s still the same old Cav: whiney, inconsistent, and obnoxious—and not in a cute way.


So there you have it, winners and losers from the 2010 Vuelta.  Who’s on your list?


Share your comments below, and have a great weekend!

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2010 Cyclocross Preview – 7 Women to Watch

Posted on September 23, 2010 by


2010 CrossVegas - Women's Race

Photo by Mia Sullivan @ www.studiomproductions.com



We’ve spent the majority of our time covering the male side of things over the past two weeks—now it’s time for the ladies! Here are 7 women to watch this ‘cross season:


Marianne Vos


Clearly Marianne Vos is the woman to beat. While some say Katie Compton is the best female cross racer in the world, Vos has proven time and time again that she can win when it counts. Her biggest “failure” last year was two-fold: she finisehd 2nd overall in the World Cup and at the Dutch National Championships. However, Vos won the European Championships, the World Championships, and ended the season as the UCI points leader. Overall, Vos won 10 out of the 16 races she entered, including three World Cup wins. This year I’m sure she would love to repeat last year’s successes while adding the World Cup overall and a National Championship to her haul.


Katie Compton


For Katie Compton, last year’s biggest let-down was Katie Compton. Her persistent cramps aggravated her at the worst possible times, virtually costing Compton her season. By mid-December, she appeared to be a virtual lock for a World Cup overall title and a World Championship. By mid-January though, her season was all but over. She finished fourth in the World Cup standings after failing to start/finish the last few of races and ended her season with a DNF at Worlds. On the bright side, Compton won her sixth-consecutive National Championship and won 12 out of the 15 races she entered (sound familiar?). If Compton can solve her leg problems, she could become an unstoppable force. But tings aren’t looking good: it has already been revealed that Compton’s injuries from this year’s Mountain Bike World Championships are still preventing her from riding cyclocross. Only time will tell how—and if—she’ll rebound.


Katerina Nash


Last year, Katerina Nash has proven that US racing is just as good as, if not better, than European racing. The Czech dominated the US cross scene, winning the USGP overall with six-straight wins. Her only two non-wins were Rounds One and Two; she placed second to an in-form Katie Compton. Nash’s worst result of the season was fifth—at the second World Cup round. Nash rounded-out her season with a National Championship and  fourth at Worlds—in her home country. This season, Nash has continued her US domination with a pair of wins this season in Washington and last night’s CrossVegas event.  Nash looks ready to parley her US domination into further European success and perhaps a medal at Worlds.


Daphny Van Den Brand


Van Den Brand’s biggest coup came at the Dutch National Championship when she narrowly beat Vos in an all out brawl.  She wound-up just off the pace at Worlds though, finishing third.  However, Van Den Brand’s consistent riding allowed her to pick-up the World Cup overall, besting Vos by a few points. In fact, Vand Den Brand finished no worse than fourth all season. If she and Vos are in form, it’s going to be an all Dutch affair this season, one that could pit these two against each other in the world’s biggest races.


Hanka Kupfernagel


Perhaps the biggest name in women’s cross, Kupfernagel had a poor season last year, but still managed to make herself known when it counted. She raced a shorter season than usual, which accounted for her poor results. She won two races, including a National Championship, but only finished outside the top-5 once. Her second at Worlds was definitely a bright spot and reminder that Kupfernagel is a name no one should forget. This could be her final season, I bet she would like to go out by winning the rainbow stripes in front of her home nation in St. Wendel.


Sanne Van Paassen


As if the Vos/Van Den Brand duo wasn’t bad enough, Van Paassen is proving to be another Dutch star in the making. She raced nearly 20 times last year and made nearly a dozen podium appearances, including third at the National Championships. But while Van Paassen didn’t take a single victory, she also never finished outside the top-10. If Van Paassen continues her steady improvement and matures a bit (she’s the youngest woman on the list), she could be a force to be reckoned with. There’s serious potential for a Dutch 1-2-3 finish at Worlds—that’s downright Belgian!


Laura Van Gilder


Van Gilder is a name known well by most US road fans, but until a few years ago, she wasn’t well known for her cross skills. Over the past few seasons though, she’s become a podium regular and a two-time member of the US World Championship team. Some argue that her technical ability holds her back, but her record in the US seems to dispel that criticism. Last year she won the Mid Atlantic Cross overall, placed fifth at Nationals while racking-up several podium finishes. At 46, she’s the oldest woman in cross, but age hasn’t slowed her down. In fact, she’s won 3 races this year already—perhaps a National Title and another trip to Worlds are in the cards.


As with the men, this should prove to be an exciting season in women’s cyclocross. The Dutch trio is an ever-present danger, but Kupfernagel and (a healthy) Compton could be up for the challenge. If Compton gets healthy, Nash will have her hands full stateside—her biggest results could come from her European campaign. And behind these riders lurk dozens of women, all capable of big performances.


Unfortunately, compared to the men, there are significantly less races for the women in Europe. While the US seems to have equal UCI races for both sexes, the European races and series are vastly different. However, things appear to be changing. The women only have one less World Cup round this year, and many of the major European races are starting to add women’s fields. The advantage of this is that when there’s a women’s race in Europe, everyone shows up ready to compete. It’s only a matter of time before we’ll find out who is ready to dominate.


Thanks for reading—share your comments and picks below.

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This week in race history (Sept. 19-25)

Posted on September 22, 2010 by

Photo by Jeremy Rauch


14 years ago: 19 year old David Millar signed his first professional contract – for Cofidis’ 1997 season. After a UCI ordered “timeout” starting in June of 2004, he signed to Saunier-Duval for a portion of 2006 and 2007. He’s now a rider and part-owner of the team soon to be known as Garmin-Cervélo.

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