Downeast Day 1 Goes to McNicholas, Smith UPDATED—Full Report, Photos, Full Results

NEW GLOUCESTER, MAINE—Conditions, rather than racers, dominated at the first day of the Downeast Cyclocross Weekend at Pineland Farm in New Gloucester, Maine. A week of heavy rain followed by two dry days meant the low-lying course had plenty of time to go from soup to bog. Early in the day, racers had been forced to run long sections of the course, but as the Elite Women toed the line, conditions had turned for the better with the mud tacking up and lines becoming firm. On the final two laps of the women’s race, however, the rain came again, turning the corners back to grease in time for the finale of the women’s race and all of the men’s event.

Elite Women

From the start of the race, it seemed like it would be a duel between Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) and Andrea Smith (LadiestFirst Racing). The two at the front had put a large gap behind them within the first lap. For much of the race, it was between Smith and Annis, neither able to make any appreciable gap on the soft and relatively slow course. From behind, however, with three laps to go, came long time elite racer Lyne Bessette (cyclocrossworld.com), finally completing the bridge to the leaders. The three rode together for a lap until Smith attacked and Annis came off the chase. Smith was able to hold it together in the difficult conditions and cross the finish line first with Bessette close behind and Annis third.

Elite Men

As has been the case in so many New England races this year, Dylan McNicholas (cyclocrossworld.com) shot off the front from the start. Today, his companions included Luke Keough (Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross) and Adam Myerson (SmartStop/MOB p/b Ridley). Not far behind was the man with the long East coast winning streak, Justin Lindine (bikereg.com/Joe’s Garage).  As the course had softened thanks to the rain during the women’s race, the course had returned to its prior state of slop, and the biggest moves in the race were dictated by mechanical problems. With four laps to go, McNicholas and Lindine drove the pace on the front and had opened an advantage over their competitors, but a broken derailleur hanger far from the pit forced Lindine to run nearly half a lap and lose several positions. McNicholas took this advantage and drove a hard but steady pace, riding gingerly through the grass sections and taking few risks. When all was said and done, McNicholas was able to raise his hands for the second consecutive year at the Downeast Cyclocross Weekend as the Saturday victor. Behind him, closing for most of the race, was Luke Keough. New England fixture Adam Myerson and a resilient Justin Lindine battled for third, until Lindine caught and passed Myerson passing the pits on the final lap. “I was trying to ride a fast, safe line and Lindine came past me like a freight train,” said Myerson after the race.

Thanks to predictions of dry weather on Sunday, the UCI racing on Sunday should make for one of the most exciting events of the season. Racing picks up at 8:30 Sunday morning with the Elite Women going off at 2pm and the Men at 3pm.

Downeast Results Day One