Advertisement

McFadden has been contesting the top five all season, and took a great win on Sunday. © Andrew Reimann

McFadden, shown here in kinder weather, has been contesting the top five all season, and took a great win on Sunday. © Andrew Reimann

(Iowa City, IO) – For the few years, Courtenay McFadden (GE Capital/American Classic) has periodically been a major contender at the largest events in American cyclocross. Those who watch her race know that she is a furious starter, usually dictating the pace for the first three or four laps even against some of the best names in the sport.

Yesterday, she held on to an all-around dominating performance, and won her first UCI race, not an easy task considering the wide array of talent that the Jingle Cross is able to attract. The biggest hurdle was overcoming Katerina Nash (Luna Pro), who was on a winning streak of six in a row, which included the first two days of Jingle Cross. On the third day, Nash found herself alone in the lead for a short while as McFadden was able to pull forward a late dig to bridge up to her. McFadden still had enough left in the tank to make a few moves on Nash, resulting in a win by a margin of six seconds.

You can also find McFadden’s deeply personal account of the weekend and the events leading up to it in her Rider Diary.

The Gazette posted a picture of Day Three with what the riders had to contend with:

Sunny Gilbert (Michelob Ultra-Big Shark), who is also crafting together an impressive season with a UCI win only weeks before, was able to capture third place over powerhouses like Meredith Miller (Noosa), Caroline Mani (Raleigh-Clement) and Crystal Anthony (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies).

Later, in the Men’s Elite Race, Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh-Clement) captured another C2 win. Driscoll could be the antithesis of McFadden’s riding style, as he is known as the late-breaker who builds his tempo over the last sixty minutes of racing, usually taking come-from-behind wins in American cyclocross.

Drsicoll had an impressive ride on the day, crossing the finish line solo with a gap of nearly twenty seconds. The real drama came from the battle for second place, as rising Canadian star Michael Van Den Ham (Trek Red Truck) and Kerry Werner (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) took their races to the line, with Van Den Ham able to nudge Werner for second.

This is the second UCI podium that Van Den Ham has been awarded, with his first taking place at the Manitoba Grand Prix in Winnipeg. This is what the young rider had to say after:

Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement), winner of the First Day at Jingle Cross, pulled in for fourth place.

Jingle Cross Day Three, Women's Elite Race

RankNameNat.Age*Result
1Courtenay MCFADDENUSA2948:31:00
2Katerina NASHCZE3748:37:00
3Sunny GILBERTUSA3549:12:00
4Meredith MILLERUSA4149:27:00
5Caroline MANIFRA2749:54:00
6Laurel RATHBUNUSA1850:14:00
7Amanda NAUMANUSA2550:18:00
8Erica ZAVETAUSA2550:19:00
9Crystal ANTHONYUSA3451:15:00
10Maghalie ROCHETTECAN2151:33:00
11Amanda MILLERUSA2851:58:00
12Amanda RILEY-CAREYUSA3652:17:00
13Mical DYCKCAN3252:37:00
14Carolina G?MEZARG2253:15:00
15Samantha SCHNEIDERUSA2453:30:00
16Corey COOGAN CISEKUSA3753:38:00
17Kelly CATLINUSA1953:59:00
18Danielle SMITHUSA2454:03:00
19Rebecca GROSSUSA3454:32:00
20Abby STRIGELUSA3154:59:00
21Carol Jeane SANSOMEUSA3955:47:00
22Laura WINBERRYUSA3056:06:00
23Caroline DEZENDORFUSA2556:07:00
24Brittany MCCONNELLUSA3256:08:00
25Katherine SHIELDSUSA2157:01:00
26Ksenia LEPIKHINAUSA1758:35:00
27Jennifer NOWLINUSA39
28Tina BRUBAKERUSA46
29Ellen SHERRILLUSA35
30Stacy KALEMKIARIANUSA29

Jingle Cross Day Three, Men's Elite Race

RankNameNat.Age*Result
1James DRISCOLLUSA281:06:07
2Michael VAN DEN HAMCAN221:06:25
3Kerry WERNERUSA231:06:26
4Ben BERDENBEL391:06:58
5Yannick ECKMANNUSA211:07:09
6Adam CRAIGUSA331:07:10
7Andrew DILLMANUSA201:07:10
8Troy WELLSUSA301:07:46
9Benjamin SONNTAGGER341:07:47
10Eric THOMPSONUSA251:08:00
11Justin LINDINEUSA301:08:28
12Cody KAISERUSA221:08:37
13Kevin BRADFORD-PARISHUSA321:08:38
14Joshua JOHNSONUSA221:08:39
15Tobin ORTENBLADUSA201:09:11
16Robert MARIONUSA321:09:12
17Carl DECKERUSA391:09:13
18Jake WELLSUSA361:09:15
19Jacob LASLEYUSA371:09:41
20Isaac NEFFUSA281:10:24
21Braden KAPPIUSUSA271:10:38
22Kevin MCCONNELLUSA331:10:45
23Dominic TALERICOUSA311:11:26
24Nicholas LEMKEUSA311:11:36
25Steven STEFKOUSA381:11:47
26Nate KULLBOMUSA321:12:24
27Kyle RUSSUSA281:12:24
28Alexander MARTINUSA241:13:30
29Mathew ALLENUSA331:13:42
30Dallas FOWLERUSA271:14:25
31Vance FLETCHERUSA21
32Lewis GAFFNEYUSA22
33Ryan TRAVELSTEADUSA31
34Travis MONROEUSA20
35Max JUDELSONUSA27
36Jay STROTHMANUSA28
37Gerald DRUMMONDUSA21
38Joseph MALONEYUSA24
39JP BROCKETUSA41
40Jason SIEGLEUSA35
41Kailin WATERMANUSA35
42Zachary CARLSONUSA19
43Craig WOHLSCHLAEGERUSA41
44Dillen MAURERUSA20
45Jim GENTESUSA57