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Good evening everyone! Here we are at the Desert Breeze Soccer Complex. Sunset is just happening, and the wheelers and dealers are staging now.

How’s everyone out there?

We’ll do some live coverage of these industry folks…but really get it going for the women’s and men’s race.

We’ll have a bit of video as we can for the main races.

It’s surprisingly a cool evening here in Las Vegas.

We’re sitting here in jeans and a polo shirt and actually not sweating.

We’ve got some early staging for the industry folks. Jon Cariveau, from Moots, is #2, but the defending champion.

The race will start at 9:50p for you east coast folks – that’s coming quick!

The women are at 8pm and the men at 9pm, pacific.

Just a note, we won’t be able to get to all comments if everything goes as we hope – which means lots of you are tuning in! But we appreciate the comments.

The course is totally dry. It never rains here this time of year.

Lots of folks are asking about video. Friends at cycling dirt are doing video later, not for this race, and just via one camera. We’ll be getting you some video clips from different parts of the course as well, as best as we can.

The course is almost totally grass here, but they added a bit of sand.

Mark McCormack is in the mix tonight, he wasn’t a top pro all that long ago…

The wind’s dying down a bit, and it’s a downright comfortable night here. Getting ready to roll with the first race of the day – the “Wheelers & Dealers” for 30 minutes.

He’s an industry rep for Fuji bikes

It’s a good question skeet

Jon Cariveau, defending champ, took the holeshot.

Richard Fries just compared the start to Ben Hur– gotta love that

Cariveau is in the front as they move down below into the wind, McCormack third, Alan Coates is up there somewhere too.

Coates is a multi-time Masters national champ in recent history

Gun is off, Viva CrossVegas has started, folks.

They’re heading to the TRP brake zone barriers soon – a double barrier section 3/4 of the way thru the lap.

Greg Kellor has moved himself to the front, Kellor races for Boulder Cycle Sport, Colorado.

Cariveau from Moots is second, McCormack right there.

There;s a short grind climb before start finish, and the riders are slowly filing by the slightly off-camber section in front of us on the announcers stage

8 riders are separating off the front, and 2 of them are Cal Giants.

The wind down in the bowl of the course is swirling, and the pace is fast enough that there is definitely some drafting to be had.

We’re gonna try to get photos included, and some video clips, but some of the people taking them are currently racing them…so look for more during the Elite races to come.

That’d make things interesting for sure…

Cariveau is back on the front, Kellor chasing, McCormack just marking wheels and monitoring for now.

We’re over @ Desert Breeze Soccer, big open grass with some nice short hill features.

3 just piled up into the sand right before the barriers – one in the top 10, and 2 more who later stacked into him form behind.

we got a bunch of women racing this race – there’s nearly 180 racing this mass-start event.

That’s a good question about McC–I would suspect so. We got some photos of that new rig design and will have them on cxmagazine.com

Riders are strung all around the course, it’s fast and furious.

After the barriers, they head to the Focus steps, then come to the top of a short climb right in front of us where things slow down,.

There are about 10 riders off the front, then a chase of another ten. Then, it’s clumps of folks all over the course.

There are some riders featuring the new Gates Carbon Drive out on course, look for our upcoming article online about that – a pretty cool, interesting setup for singlespeed or internally geared setups.

We’ve got our own rider, Kenton Berg out there, on a one-gear bike, courtesy of the kind folks at Gates. We’re curious to see what he thinks about this bike. We’ll have video from his race later tonight.

Elite men are @9, women are @8

we’re working on pictures. and yes, cyclingdirt if it works, will be for the elites. we’re the ideal compliment to that if you want to know what’s going on. we’re glad for video attempts though. we’re working on some pics.

Nope, don’t think the Jacques-Maynes brothers are here for either industry or Elite races.

They added one extra run-up this year. It’s very tactical with some familiar faces up at the front. By no means is this a small amateur affair!

While it is a pretty fast, non-technical course tonight, it is still a physically demanding effort. It just takes relentless pedaling with force!

It’s not nearly as hot as it’s been in year’s passed though, we’ve had top racers shrivel up here in years passed.

I talked to Ned @ Dirt Demo yesterday, and didn’t sound like he’d be lining up tonight, unfortunately.

There are rumors of a new Specialized disc brake bike circulating, we’re going to try to get some spy images of that one.

It’s down to five riders on the front now, with McCormack, Kellor, Cariveau still in the mix.

About a lap and a half left to go.

Dan Ellmore of Schlamm just went through, he could make his way back to the top-10.

We’ve got a new face on the front – it’s Andrew Hammond from Speciailized.

Five riders on the front, with a little more than a lap remaining in the industry race.

Someone’s got a rear blinky light on his helmet on course, and it’s definitely dark enough on some sections of the course for that to be helpful. We’re into the final throes of twilight.

Moots is in the first and third position – Cariveau and Michael Robson. McCormack, in second, has barely stuck his nose in the wind yet.

McC likes to win, and I’m sure he’s maximizing his chances here tonight as they get ready for one to go

1 lap to go!~

Elvis is officially IN the building. He’s getting ready to sing the national anthem. CrossVegas, baby, Vegas

Thanks for the shout, Psychlo mom – she’s a regular contributor to CXMagazine.com, look for her columns combining a mom’s perspective and hosting one of the top crossers in the house.,

McCormack has a brief lap and is bringing the gas, he’s holding the gap up the stairs.

They’re winding around on the grass and going full speed!

Front group is McCormack, Cariveau, and Cannondale’s Pascal Wehr of Cannondale

It’s down to 3, and the 2 Moots riders have dropped back, but are still holding top ten positions.

Big attack launched by Cariveau as he went over the top. He has 6 bike lenghts with a half lap to go!

McCormack has slipped back to third, maybe working the booths @ Interbike all day has caught up with him afterall!

Cariveau is all alone coming in, he gets through with tos of daylight in front of Wehr. McC is on his way to battle for second

Cariveau of Steamboat Srpings is bringing home the spoils for Moots, he should be a repeat victor here…

He’s done it, two in a row!

Wehr for second, McC unofficially in 3rd, Robson in 4th–but it was close for that final podium spot.

It’s officially dark out here, suddenly lots more festive, and the fans have really continued to file in.

Unofficial singlespeed winner was on a Moots too! Goldurn it, they’re representing well. Good thing we already talked to them about their new bikes here in Vegas, we’ll be showing some photos and providing info on those online in the next couple of days.

There are definitely riders still sprinting for the glory as the hordes continue to stream across the line.

Ahhh…the ubiquitous battle cry…

Katie Compton has started riding again after her recent crash, but looks like she’s still not toeing the line tonight.

The women will be starting in about a half hour, and they have a stacked field tonight.

We just spoke with Cariveau, the repeat winner. He said McCormack put in a huge attack, but he clawed back on, and in the same spot as last year, was able to get a winning gap. We’ve got a few pics coming. His gap was big by the end – plent of time to celebrate.

Katerina Nash will look to continue to build on her 2 wins in Seattle last weekend, and we’ll get our first look at Amy Dombroski for this new season.

We’ve got 30 minutes before the women. We’ll give you some background on the women and get you some photos from the venue.

Meredith Miller will be representing Cal Giant, Georgia Gould will be strutting her stuff.

Natasha Elliot, last year’s NACT winner who hung up her bike early due to a bout of illness, is on the comeback trail. She scored a top-5 @ Rad Racing in Seattle, and was happy just to be on the (extended, mountain bike style) podium.

Sue Butler is here from Portland, flying her new Hudz-Subaru colors…

and Mo Bruno-Roy and Mary McConneloug are showing how it’s done back in the Norteast

As you guys probably have read here: http://www.cxmagazine.com/injured-katie-compton-withdraws-from-crossvegas-and-planet-bike-cup Compton is defending champ but out due to injury. Husband Mark told us today that she’s finally back on her bike.

NortHeast, that is…

Drinking? In Vegas??? Um, yeah. I think they’re serving Sierra’s new fall seasonal brown ale…which is delicious. According to rumors, of course.

If you guys haven’t seen it yet, we have one place for all Vegas-related content – racing or product: http://bit.ly/cxm-vegas-2010

Laura van Gilder will be representing the Mid-Atlantic region, she’s fresh off of 2 wins in the MAC series. Cool to see several of the regional winners from last weekend going head to head now.

CXM Contributor and Canadian Vicki Thomas is in the house. She wrote about her expectations here: http://www.cxmagazine.com/rider-diary-vicki-thomas-september-2010

(just in case you have a few minutes to kill before the next race starts, or our photos are up)

In case you missed any of last weekend’s hot racing action, catch up now while we’re waiting for this event to blast off… Here’s a recap of Day 2 in Seattle @ the Rad Racing GP – a fabulous day of racing: http://www.cxmagazine.com/mourey-and-nash-race-to-2010-rad-racing-gp-repeats

And here’s the recap of the Green Mountain race in Vermont: http://www.cxmagazine.com/andrew-smith-wins-verge-necccs-johnson-repeats

Matthew Pronovost finish 6th overall–on a singlespeed, taking that division by storm in the process.

Little idea what that means, but thanks for adding international flavor to a very American city…

Actually, there’s plenty of international flavor already. Several Dutch riders, a couple of Italians, a French and Czech national champ, a few Canucks (that’s another country, right?)

the crowd here isn’t bad – it’s not quite as “going off” as it normally is during the elite races…but people are still making their way here. There is something to be said of the Lance effect – nothing will match that crowd two years ago though.

For all you Compton fans out there, she’s on the start list…so there’s a little hope she’s going to be out there. But we heard that she’s only back on the bike right now.

9 minutes to staging! Elvis is lining up NOW though for the national anthem.

True true.

But the way true fans are born – they get exposed to the sport somehow. And if Lance does that, we’re happy.

Logan, scroll up to see a link to our story on her injury.

Looks like crit superstar Kelly Benjamin, one of the “Roadies” we featured in Issue 10 (which is JUST OUT!!!) is here. She’s riding for KCCX/Challenge – guess she’s going for a full-on cyclocross season, her first! This grass course should favor her.

She’s on the list FPA. Wisconsin represents!

For those selecting “other” in the poll – gimme a name. I could only fit 5, and there are certainly other candidates.

Ha– that’s what Andrew thought. I convinced him it was Wisconsin…

No Wendy here, she was restricted by babysitter availability, according to her in Seattle. But HOOO-WHEEEE! She looked amazing in Seattle, especially on the wet, muddy super slick Rad Racing course. She had *almost* every answer to Nash, and a small bobble at the end was the only difference.

Seattle has spoken…

the winner:

That would create quite a stir…and, who knows, it *is* a fast course. If you’ve predicted that underdog win, well, kudos to you, you’ve won some sort of special, as yet undetermined, phenomenal nominal prize.

Tell that to Andrew – he’s about to have one within a few days.

We’ll get to see Wendy battle the rest of the top women in the USGPs in Madison, Wisconsin.

Love it Nikcee – got to keep folks down under busy. Party is just getting started here at Cross Vegas.

It’s so loud nobody can hear the call ups. Riders are still warming up on the course. Final call to staging – one minute to roll out!

How awesome is it that Belgium is tuning into Cross Vegas. That deserves and award. Hardcore award going to Geert…

Women are being called up right now, we’re moments away

Van Gilder up to the line…. Susan Butler to the line!

Mo’s been riding well, we expect her to be in the mix for sure.

Dorthy Wong – Queen of SoCal CX in the house!

NICE – Elvis is singing the National Anthem RIGHT behind us. I can’t turn around…

He’s gong in for the finale….

The King of Cross Vegas will be doing another number at 9 PM,. Elvis has left the stage.

Just to reiterate– Katie Compton is not here to defend her CrossVegas title, although she was on the prelim start list

Women set to start any second… they are off!

Mary gets the hole shot with Nash on he wheel.

Mary McConeloug and Nash are fighting for the lead with Sue Butler coming into third and challenging for the front.

Butler gets fed up of the waiting and moves into the lead.

Butler was on the Podium in Seattle, she’s racing fearlessly and on great form

It’s a long single-file line, def. some drafting going on here. Van Gilder is sitting in 4th, she’s right in the mix, just coming into the TRP Brakes barriers.

Mary M still on the front, cutting the wind. Nash now thrid wheel thru the barriers

Not sure if it is the grass or tactics but the women are keeping an eye on each other.

They’re coming up at us, they’re on the Focus steps, Gould attacking, Mary, Dombroski, Butler.

GOULD is hitting it hard, screamed up the stairs

Selection starting to take place – not going to be together long now.

Gould and Nash – 2 rteammates on the front.

5 riders starting to establish at the front. Meredith Miller is making the junction as well.

Gould, Mary 2nd, Nash 3rd, Butler 4th, Miller 5th, Kelli Emmet

Crowd is thick and deep up here on the top section looking over the bowl of the rest of the course, There are now 7 women in the front group.

The collegiate champ is definitely racing, but I haven’t picked her out of the crowd yet. She’s racing alongside Meredith Miller for Cal Giant this year

Nash looks great on the front, in her CZech champ skinsuit. Amy D is looking comfotrable in the group.

Nash is stamping on the pedals, starting to open a gap, We’re super-stoked that Nash has decided that she has unfinished business and is going after Worlds this year

3 of top 5 are Luna

Nash, Gould, Amy D, Mary McC, Meredith Miller are now the lead group, in order

Miller is going to have her work cut out for her. Her and Mary MC are going to need to get an alliance going to beat the Luna train.

Mary McConeloueug is launching an attack of her own– she’s not content to sit in with the 3 Luna teammates and is grabbing the race by the throat

They’re coming around towards us onto the Focus steps. Nash, Mary, Gould, Dombroski, Butler has come back up! Miller is now sitting 6th and leading a chase group about 10 seconds back

Now Amy D is attacking@

I think they are putting a huge cuppa wicked fast into those bars.

To answer a reader question, Mo is right around 10th or 11th right now, maybe 70 seconds behind the leaders.

How about Sue Butler’s tenacity!? Awesome to see.

This is the longest the women’s race has stayed together in my memory.

It’s 18 seconds from the lead 5 back to a chase group of three being led by Meredith Miller.

If that front group plays enough cat n’ mouse, the chase group could use Miller’s road fitness to reintegrate on this horsepower course.

There is smoke drifting across the course from some grills in the VIP area. Starting to get battlefield look with the people filing in.

Miller’s group is holding at about 18 seconds back, and the lead five looks like they’re chilling a bit before tearing one another to pieces. 3 outta 5 Luna teammates should be a decisive factor.

It’s nice to hear some vuvuzeela’s cranking up… missed that the last few months.

Especially with those teammates being 3 of the top women in the races–Nash, Amy D, Gould. Yikes!

McC, Nash, Gould, Amy D, Butler

Mary is not afraid to take to the front here against a crazy lineup of Lunas

Looks like the gap to Miller is now down to 14 secs, She aint quitting, and she’s staying on the front.

Mary M is taking on all challengers, she’s leading thru the TRP barriers! Sue Butler is turning herself inside out to stay with these top women!

The lead group is on the stairs, giving it a charge

we’re three laps into the race. it looks like we now have the equivalent of a cannondale / cyclocrossworld dominant team in the women’s field this year.

Mary McConeloueug on the front, then Dombroski, Gould, Nash, followed by Butler

Some of the riders further back are seeing stars, and we’re seeing some crashes on the barriers and the stairs.

Laura Van Gilder hits the front of the chase…Dombroski is attacking the front!

Sue Butler is holding on but this is classic team tactics here.

Amy D, Mary McConeloueug, Nash now the first three, then Gould and Butler

Amy D baring her teeth… then NASH ATTACKS off the front.

It’s Luna 1-2 punches, classic tactics.

That gap is stretching!

Nash now has 7 bike lenght lead, and Mary M is responding and doing her best to come across!

This is raw power and digging deep.

As much as we all complain about Vegas – how can we not miss this tight racing?

Alison Powers is putting in a great performance…she looks to be in the top ten.

Three to go!

Butler in 5th is off the back, then Gould is on her on in fourth. There are 2 riders off the front together…

A grenade has gone off in that quintet!

Those attacks are blowing it apart. They’re coming through the start/finish.

NASH hammering off the front, then it’s Mary M and AMy D together. Gould is solo in fourth, Butler in 5th thru the finish with 3 to go!

Chase trio has just gone thru with Miller continuing to plug away and give her all. She may catch Butler and Gould, depending on how hard they cracked themselves, but they still have some work to do.

Through the barriers and now onto the steps with about 2.5 laps to go. Nash has daylight and is storming away with a long lead

Mary M is 8 secs back, trying to drop Amy D, Gould has rejoined and is in 4th.

Butler is another 8 secs back in 5th

Meredith Miller in sixth, then Kelli Emmett and Allison Powers.

14 more seconds back to Meredith Miller in 6th

Right now, looks like the 3-way battle will be for the silver medal. Nash looks cool, calm and collected.

Nash is off the front, and Mary M has 2 Lunas sitting on her wheel

And there’s the attack, Amy D just went over the top looking to go up the road.

Linda Sone and Kelly Benjamin are chasing hard, just outside the top 10.

Mary McConeloueug just attacked the 2 Lunas, she is amazingly resilient and just not lying down under seemingly insurmountable odds.

We bet sponsor NoTubes.com is happy to see Mary M up there. She’s a sponsored athlete and likely riding Kenda tires tubeless.

Nash is just building and building her lead, she’s laying waste to a stacked women’s field

The chase trio is now gruppo compacto

Two laps to go, Nash thru the finish

17 secs back to chase trio of Gould, McC, Amy D. 2nd thru 4th

Butler hanging tough in 5th

Butler digging deep and still holding off the chase with what looks to be a growing gap to Miller and 2 others in 6th thru 8th

Mary M is attacking again, going after the silver spot.

Mary M, then Georgia, then Amy D with a slight gap in front of her, 2nd thru 4th

Butler is gritting her teeth and hanging super-tough. Awesome to see, she’s gonns have a great ride.

Linnea Koons and Kelli Emmet are the 2 riders in 7th and 8th. How about Linnea stepping it up on the big stage!?

Kari Studley then Stetson-Lee round out the top 10!!! They’re going big in VEGAS!!

There were lots of questions about Studley, and rightly so– she’s having a GREAT ride tonight, and how about the collegiate champ Stetson-Lee representing for her new team!?

well, we don’t have deep pockets and want to do it right. we know how to do text and some pics and vids though!

we hope someone can do video – it’s good for the sport for sure.

Mary M is doing a hundred women’s work to shed the Lunas, but it looks like a big ask. They’re doing their best to set up for team tactics to take second, and maybe try to sweep the podium,.

Let’s see what Mary can do in the underdog position with ONE LAP TO GO!

robbie, we give colt credit for trying.

it’s a nash show for sure. she’s drilling it.

she’s said she has unfinished business with worlds…clearly she’s motivated.

McConeloug is on the front again, and the other 2 riders are sitting behind the hard tempo. This could get fast n’ nasty momentarily.

Nash is clean thru the barriers, onto the stairs and up past us in the announcers stage

Mary M, Gould, Amy D now coming into the stairs

Here comes Gould! Mary is hanging on for dear life.

She’s bobbing her head, you can see her just visually latching on to Gould’s wheel.

Butler is rocking side to side, with metaphorical guts coming outta her teeth. What an impressive showing by Butler, absolute willpower,.

Amy D is looking great for the sprint – she’s a fast finisher.

Mary did her best to shake the two teammates, but it’s not looking good. Gould looks to be setting up Amy D for the sprint.

Amy is sitting comfortably, looking like a calm Cavendish. Wait, is Cav ever calm?

Nash is still pushing it. We bet she’s imagining Compton is chasing her.

Pardon us as we focus on the race for second at the expense of the race for later places.

Dombroski attacks! She slides through the corner, out of the saddle!

Nash is in the home stretch, but Mary M is giving it EVERYTHING to get there.

Nash raises her hands…huge smile, but behind…

Amy D pushes a huge gear. Towards the line, she’s mashing it through the power sucking grass…

Behind, Mary out of the saddle sprinting.

will she make it across?

Gould rounds the last corner.

Mary sits up…Amy D takes second!

Mary M in third. Gould fourth.

Butler behind in a great fifth… then Miller, Emmett, and then…

We think it’s Koons. The announcer says Powers…but, we’ll bet on us!

how’s that for fast video? Sorry not exactly live…but…it works…

(Multi-tasking typing, photo shooting, and watching the phone to make sure wife isn’t quite in labor yet.)

You guys having fun yet?

Why don’t we give away a prize while we try to figure out the final top ten and get ready for the men’s race.

the first person to tell us the name of the fuji carbon bike (and its meaning) and the new Challenge tire (and its meaning) will win a new Timbuk 2 messenger bag.

For more real-time action, we’ve got Elvis singing “viva las vegas” right now.

unofficial winner:

sorry jason, actually someone beat you!

chris, you won.! bug the hell out of us in a week or so… please!

The men are lining up! Here we go…

First, we have Gerben De Knegt…from rabobank.

Then, Mourey, from France.
Next, Christian Heule from Switzerland.

First American, Jonathan Page.

Then, Tim Johnson, followed by last year’s winner, James Driscoll.

Ryan Trebon follows, then Jeremy Powers.

Joachim Parbo, the Danish National Champion, follows.

Next, the first Canadian Geoff Kabush. He’s 12th. Following is Todd Wells.

They’re lined up…

They’re waiting…

They look anxious…

The gun is in the air.

Our fingers are ready!

And they’re off!

They do a parade lap up top, and at the front…

Is…

Oh wait, should we do a poll first?

Screw it, it’s the guy who says the holeshot is over-rated! Ryan Trebon

You can see the riders all smile. Who doesn’t want to draft Trebon?

OK…that poll was way too restrictive. There are way more than 5 people who can win this race, it’s gonna be a high-powered throw down!!

Here they come… Trebon, Johnson, Frattini, Wicks, Weighall.

It’s a familiar site with TJ locked onto Trebon’s wheel and clawing his way back. Man, I love watching those two guys beat the heck outta each other.

Obviously that poll was hard for Josh to do…it could be any number of 12 riders.

Francis Mourey is way off the back right now, about 15 back!

That’s reversal of Sunday in Seattle, where Trebon was about 15th early and Mourey was off the front and killing it.

They’re snaking around the entire infield. Trebon is out of the saddle. Johnson looks comfortable. De Knegt is now third. How quickly the cream rises.

Where’s Page? Powers? Let’s find out.

I’m sure the Euros will be throwing down tonight…but two of the top Americans are killing it right now!

They’re winding around the backside, through the dark section.

This pack is STRUNG OUT, too fast, too furious (sorry).

Trebon back on the front after someone had challenged early. There are 15-17 riders forming on the front at the end of the first lap

Trebon content to lead them around. Johnson sits on…does his Mourey impression.

There’s no lead pack yet…it’s one big snake.

Speaking of guys riding for jake the snake – the two twin towers, move to the front.

Are we going to see team tactics?

TJ and Trebon now sit about third as the front group swells, the front group of 12, a few sceonds gap, then another chase group about the same size.

Trebon takes a lead! And now we see a jumping italian!

Luca Damiani is hopping the barriers!

Tim Johnson in fourth.

The front 2 have separated off the front, and Damiani’s bunnyhops didn’t hurt