Stevenson Pips Wells at the Line to Win Masters 35-39 – 2014 National Cyclocross Championships – Report, Gallery, Full Results

In the most suspense-filled, dramatic race of the 2014 Cyclocross National Championships week, Russell Stevenson (Voler Custom CX) and Jake Wells (NoTubes) battled mano-y-mano, trading the lead, trading attacks, and entering the final finish straight ready to settle their 45-minute fight with a final dual.

Wells took the final corner in the lead, confident in his sprint.

Stevenson rounded the corner, glued to Wells’ wheel, confident in his sprint, but nervous about his bike and the win.

“My bike was just popcorning the whole way down the finishing straight,” Stevenson told Cyclocross Magazine, alluding to his badly skipping gears.

The two crossed the line side-by-side, but it was too close to call.

“I hope [I got it]…my eyes were closed!” Wells said right after his finish.

“I was making so many mistakes.” Stevenson said.

The announcers couldn’t call the race. It was a photo finish, and finish line video needed to be reviewed.

Both riders were confident and optimistic.

“It was back and forth, we traded positions six times,” said Wells. “We’ll see.”

“I think I got it!” shouted Stevenson.

But officials were still looking at the finishing film.

@cyclocross @RussyStevenson here's the pic. pic.twitter.com/xWOZkUXb1G I mis-calculated the throw!

— Jake Wells (@IamJakeWells) January 12, 2014

Five minutes later, just before we interviewed Stevenson, the officials declared it. Stevenson won bike a few mm, and perhaps because of a superior bike throw.

“I was on my back foot the entire race,” Stevenson, last year’s winner, told Cyclocross Magazine. “I felt strong, fit, I prepared well, but this was a course that demanded 100 percent of everything, not just cyclocross, not just pedaling. The wind was causing me headaches and I was making lots of mistakes.”

Wells went to the front early and often, pulling down the finishing straight, and then gapping Stevenson, and Andy Jacques-Maynes, a former Masters 30-34 National Champion making his return to National Championship Masters racing.

“I wasn’t trying to take control, but I wanted to ride at my own pace, and I was riding [the off-cambers] a little better,” Wells said. “It’s just trying to play to your strengths.”

While Stevenson eventually took the win in a photo finish, relegating Wells to second, it was Steven Stefko who took third, followed by Christopher Case and Andy Jacques-Maynes.

Video interviews and full results below the photo gallery.

Masters 35-39 – 2014 National Cyclocross Championships – Gallery by Matt Lasala

Video: Russell Stevenson Interview, Seconds After Learning He Won the Masters 35-39 National Championship

Video: Jake Wells Interview, Before Learning He Was Second by Inches:

[youtube 476B0HeJeks 590 332]

Masters Men 35-39 Race Results at 2014 USA Cycling National Championship of Cyclocross

Place	Bib	Last	First	Team
1	248	STEVENSON	Russell
2	260	WELLS	Jake
3	247	STEFKO	Steven	Fort Collins Cycling Team
4	195	CASE	Christopher	Boulder Cycle Sport
5	216	JACQUES-MAYNES	Andy
6	194	CARRINGTON	Taylor	Feedback Sports Racing
7	221	KRAUSE	Greg	Groove Subaru Excel Sports
8	212	HEITHECKER	Troy	Roosters/Bikers Edge-UT
9	228	NIETERS	Jared	SEAVS/Haymarket
10	201	DONAHUE	Alec	Tenet Racing
11	197	COLLINS	Eric
12	192	BURKE	Tom	Wolverine Sports Club
13	230	PERRY	Bryson	K4 Racing
14	245	SPANNRING	Thomas
15	250	STROTHMAN	Jay
16	231	ROBINSON	Justin	California Giant Cycling
17	263	HUSEBY	Johannes	Boulder Cycle Sport
18	206	GAREY	Logan	Boulder Cycle Sport
19	258	WATKINS	Garren	USC Cycling Team
20	205	FRIEDBERG	Mike
21	251	TARKINGTON	Jon	Natural Grocers Cycling Team
22	242	SHEEK	David	SDG Felt
23	226	MOSLEY	Wiley	Team Super Awesome
24	238	SCHULER	Doug	Boulder Cycle Sport
25	253	UPTON	Scott	Team Kappius
26	188	ANDERSON	Gavin	Sonic Boom Racing
27	198	CRABTREE	Scott	Real D-Amgen Masters Cycling
28	227	NELSON	Eric	Mudfoot
29	215	HUGHS	Ryan	Pain Cave Productions
30	219	JONES	Thomas	Scalo Veloce
31	210	HARBER	David
32	208	GREGORY	Courtney
33	241	SHARKEY	Mike	Boulder Cycle Sport
34	234	RONDEAU	Patrick	Northampton Cycling Club
35	193	CADY	Josh
36	257	WATERMAN	Kailin
37	203	FEENEY	Andrew
38	229	PARKER	Jess	Team Air Assurance/Tulsa Connec
39	224	MADOLORA	Rey	Team Super Awesome
40	211	HEALY	Justin	Ski Utah|Plan 7
41	187	ALDEBARAN	Sage	CX Nation
42	246	SPRAFKE	Andrew	Pactimo Cycling
43	233	ROMAN	Rolando	Cyclocross Project 2015
44	204	FITZPATRICK	Kirt
45	255	VEITCH	Robert
46	200	DELINKS	Chandler	Cyclocrossworld
47	240	SERVAITES	James	Boulder Cycle Sport
48	218	JONES	Eric	Rally Sport Cycling Team
49	186	AIKEN	Brian	Boulder Cycle Sport
50	220	KELLEY	Scott
51	239	SCISLOWICZ	Jason	Revolution Cycle Sports
52	235	ROWLEY	Keagan	Boulder Cycle Sport
53	189	ARENSBERG	Charles	Equipe Vitesse
54	190	BOLLS	Rodney	USC Cycling Team
55	196	CHEENEY	Chad	Durango Devo
56	222	LAIL	Zach	Mock Orange Bikes
57	213	HENNESSY	Matthew	Charm City Cycling LLC
58	232	ROMAGNA	Tony	Old School Racing
59	217	JAMES	Michael	Prima Tappa Cycling
60	244	SIEGLE	Jason	SDG Felt
61	214	HIGBY	Joseph
62	223	LEONARD	Matt
63	259	WEHR	Eric	Team Q7
64	254	VANDERKOOY	Zach	Boulder Cycle Sport
65	256	WALKER	David	USC Cycling Team
66	207	GEORGESON	Russell
67	209	HALL	Christopher	Team Small Batch
68	202	DRAKE	John	Local Velo
69	236	RYDHOLM	Eric	GS Boulder/Organic India
70	262	ZALEWSKI	Mark	Spidermonkey Cycling
71	252	THORNTON	Anthony
DNF	191	BROWN	Ariel
DNS	199	DELANEY	Ben	USC Cycling Team
DNS	225	MEREDITH	Shawn	Alpha Bicycle Co.- Vista Subaru
DNS	237	SCHEMPF	Weston	SEAVS/Haymarket
DNS	243	SHELDON	justin
DNS	249	STONE	Travis	RLW Cycling Team
DNS	261	WHITMORE	Joshua	Globalbike Racing

For all the best Cyclocross Nationals 2014 coverage, including bike profiles, race reports, results and video interviews, check out our 2014 Cyclocross National Championship Page here.