Lights, camera, and CX action from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Cyntergy Hurtland held its Category 2 UCI cyclocross races for elite women and men under the lights this year. Hosted for a second year at Owen Park, the prize money offered for 17 categorized cyclocross races totaled $17,500. This makes the one-day CX event, part of the 2016-17 USA Cycling Professional Cyclocross Calendar (Pro CX), the largest payout in U.S. cyclocross racing. thanks to title sponsor Cyntergy, an architecture, engineering and construction management firm based in Tulsa.
Gilbert Repeats at Cyntergy Hurtland for C2 Elite Women
2016 Cyntergy Hurtland C2 Elite Women’s race start. © Cyntergy Hurtland
In the UCI Elite Women’s C2 race, Missouri’s Sunny Gilbert (Michelob Ultra/Big Shark) repeated for the win. She outlasted Christina Gokey-Smith (Matrix/RBM) for a second year in a row with a final kick at the line. The winning margin was two seconds in the six-lap race, the same as 2015.
In the C2 Elite Women’s race, Sunny Gilbert (Michelob Ultra/Big Shark) beat Christina Gokey-Smith (Matrix/RBM) by 25 seconds across the line. Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) was third. © Cyntergy Hurtland
Gokey-Smith took the lead on the first lap, but was passed on lap two. Gilbert pushed the pass to open her lead to as much as 20 seconds, but it still had to hold off a closing push from Gokey-Smith for a second year.
Another shot of the C2 Elite Women’s podium at the 2016 Cyntergy Hurtland event. © Cyntergy Hurtland
Third place was secured by Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers p/b Van Dessel), 29 seconds off the winning time of 40:55. It is her second UCI C2 podium of the Pro CX season, the last one coming in October on Day Two of HPCX in Jamesburg, New Jersey.
Tulsa-native Skylar Mackey Takes the Close Win for C2 Elite Men
2016 Cyntergy Hurtland C2 Elite Men’s race start under the lights. © Cyntergy Hurtland
The Elite Men’s C2 event was redemption for Tulsa-native Skylar Mackey (KCCX Elite Cyclocross Team). The 21-year-old kicked it up a notch from 2015, improving his second place finish at Cyntery Hurtland to a win. It marks his first C2 Elite victory for the Pro CX season.
Casey Hildebrandt (The Underground Project) and John Purvis (unattached) finished second and third, respectively, just two second separating the podium finishers.
Young Tulsa-native Skylar Mackey (KCCX Elite Cyclocross Team) takes the win with Casey Hildebrandt (The Underground Project) and John Purvis (unattached) finishing second and third. © Cyntergy Hurtland
The first two laps had the field strung out with six riders pushing the pace – Alex Ryan (MockOrange Pro CX Team) and Mackey at the front, followed by Nicolas Gaurin (PACC), Purvis, Hildebrandt, and Chris Drummond (SPCX p/b RK Black). Five additional riders were hanging on, five seconds back.
On the third of the nine laps, Mackey moved to the front with Gaurin on his wheel. Hildebrandt and Purvis were a few seconds back to form the first chase group. Ryan had moved down to fifth. Drummond had a mechanical and pulled out of the race.
Another shot of the C2 Elite Men’s podium at the 2016 Cyntergy Hurtland event. © Cyntergy Hurtland
With four to go, Gaurin charged to the front and formed a gap between himself and Purvis, with Mackey dropping back and fighting it out with Ryan and Jake Wells (Stans NoTubes Elite CX).
Mackey made his move with two laps to go and held the lead across the line, under the lights in Owen Park. Wells would finish seven seconds behind in fourth, and Gaurin would finish fifth, 13 seconds back.
Cyntergy Hurtland is one of 19 UCI C2 races that will close out the Pro CX season in November and December across nine states. The next event in the Midwest region will be Ruts N’ Guts in Broken Arrow, Okla., which offers C1 and C2 events the weekend of Dec. 3-4.
2016 Cyntergy Hurtland CX C2 Elite Women
| Place | Bib | Last | First | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | GILBERT | Sunny | Michelob Ultra/Big Shark | 40:55 |
| 2 | 42 | GOKEY-SMITH | Christina | Matrix/RBM | 41:21 |
| 3 | 2 | VAN GILDER | Laura | Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers p/ | 42:50 |
| 4 | 4 | MOORE | Catherine | Trek CXC | 43:40 |
| 5 | 10 | WOOD | Heidi | 333fab CX Factory Team | 44:19 |
| 6 | 11 | STEPHENS | Lauren | Speedy Ace | 46:13 |
| 7 | 13 | POOLE | Caroline | iBike | 44:50 |
2016 Cyntergy Hurtland CX C2 Elite Men
| Place | Bib | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Skyler MACKEY | KCCX Elite Cyclocross Team | 1:05:48 |
| 2 | 7 | Casey HILDEBRANDT | The Underground Project | 1:05:50 |
| 3 | 3 | John PURVIS | 1:05:52 | |
| 4 | 26 | Jake WELLS | Stans NoTubes Elite CX | 1:05:55 |
| 5 | 24 | Nicolas GAURIN | PACC | 1:06:01 |
| 6 | 25 | Dylan POSTIER | Renewed Cyclocross | 1:06:32 |
| 7 | 5 | Alex RYAN | MockOrange Pro CX Team p/b VP C | 1:07:01 |
| 8 | 1 | Kevin BRADFORD-PARISH | SET/coaching | 1:07:38 |
| 9 | 2 | Jacob LASLEY | SPCX pb RK Black | 1:07:48 |
| 10 | 22 | Tyler CLOUTIER | Renewed Professional Cyclocross | 1:08:04 |
| 11 | 20 | Mat STEPHENS | Bicycles Plus Racing | 1:09:36 |
| 12 | 8 | Kacey CAMPBELL | 1st city cycling | 1:10:52 |
| 13 | 23 | Derrick SAUNDERS | Smooth Operator | 1:10:57 |
| 14 | 9 | Rob SANDUSKY | Matrix/RBM | 1:05:03 |
| 15 | 21 | Olivier LAVIGUEUR | Rossi-thePACK | 57:10:00 |
| DNF | 6 | Chris DRUMMOND | SPCX p/b RK Black |
