- Photo Courtesy of CyclingCaptured.com
The 2012/13 cyclocross season officially kicks off this weekend with a pair of UCI C2 races in Rochester, NY at Rohrbach’s Ellison Park Cyclocross. Not only is cyclocross back, but so is Pavé’s cross coverage. We’ll be covering, arguably the biggest cross season in US history with our usual insight and analysis. We’re also going to unveil some new features, including a computerized ranking system and my attempt to predict the winner of every UCI race this season. So, without further ado, here’s my predictions for week one of the US cross season:
The Winner
Nicolas Bazin – the defending champion has crossed the pond again this year and looks keen to start his season off with a victory. This time, he’s bringing his fellow countryman Flavien Dasonville, a young racer on the rise. Whether or not he can help secure Bazin’s victory remains to be seen.
The Podium
Justin Lindine – all eyes will be on Lindine whose breakout 2011/12 season has made him a  marked man. I suspect he will podium both days and if he’s on form, he could put a halt to Bazin’s attempt at a repeat.
Jonathan Page – the real fireworks could come from Page, who had a poor season last year and looks to rebound with a strong start in the US. I think Page will finish on the podium both days and wouldn’t be surprised if he made a bid for victory, something he failed to do last year.
The Wildcards
The absence of the usual American heavy hitters should allow riders like Jeremy Durrin, Adam St. Germain, Craig Richey and Troy Wells to score a handful of UCI points as they all look to start off their seasons on the right foot. Any of these riders could make a run at the podium, but I suspect they’ll be battling for fourth.
Dan Timmerman – Timmermans name should ring a bell for diehard cross fans. In 2009, Timmerman stormed through New England and the mid-Atlantic en route to a top-10 at Nationals. Then, before the start of the 2010 season, he retired. Last year Timmerman stayed local and was a perfect six-for-six. Is this the return of the “bearded wonderâ€? I for one cannot wait to find out.
Local knowledge update: Lindine crashed hard training and will be racing on an injured hand. A less honey-badgerish individual wouldn’t be racing at all.
Timmerman is back, and terrifying, if the rumors are to be believed.
[X] believe atmo –
Did Jonathan Page finalize his sponsorship deals for the season?
Karl,
No official word yet from Page. I think we’ll hear more at Vegas or as the European season rolls around in October.
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