Photo: Natalia Boltukhova | Pedal Power Photography | 2011
It was a slim weekend for North American cyclocross. Many of the nation’s top-tier riders opted to take the weekend off after a grueling couple of weeks that saw seven major UCI-rated races – last week’s huge USGP weekend in Louisville, and before that, races in Cincinatti and Massachusetts. Some had particularly compelling reasons to take time off the bike – LTS-Felt rider Ryan Trebon is getting his sea legs back following a painful pre-race crash at last Sunday’s USGP race. Stay tuned for an interview with Trebon, wherein he talks about his knee and the rest of his season.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at this weekend’s action:
North Carolina GP (C2/C2)
It was deja vu all over again in Hendersonville, NC as Ben Berden picked up a pair of UCI C2 victories this past weekend. It was no particular surprise to anybody who glanced at the start list, which was devoid of many of the pros that Berden races against on the national calendar. It should come as no surprise that Berden picked did the double, especially after his UCI C1 victory at the Boulder Cup earlier this month. The Belgian rider is racing a full season, and his last, in the US. After twenty years of racing in Belgium, Berden wanted to see all the US had to offer – hence his season in the States and his trip to Hendersonville. Berden is likely happy to pick up the UCI points, as they’ll ensure his place at the front of the starting grid in future races. More interestingly, the top four riders remained the same on both days, with Brian Matter finishing second, Travis Livermon third and Canadian Mike Garrigan fourth. The race also saw fine finishes by riders from Bob’s Red Mill, namely Ryan Knapp, and from SmartStop/MOB/Ridley – namely Adam Myerson, who reeled in 6th place on Sunday.