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Matt Schriver takes his first UCI 'cross win.  ©Shane Orr

Matt Schriver takes his first UCI 'cross win. ©Shane Orr

Hendersonville, NC- Matt Shriver (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory) took his first UCI Cyclocross victory last weekend in the North Carolina Grand Prix on Saturday with a brilliant solo effort, beating Italy’s Davide Frattini (Team Fuji) by 28 seconds.  Sunday’s race would be a different story though, with changing weather conditions, came a changing of the guard and Frattini turned the tables taking a decisive win.

The elite men raced on the same Jackson Park course on both days, but Mother Nature provided a striking contrast in conditions. Saturday’s event took place under brilliant blue skies and unseasonably warm temperatures, producing a fast and tactical battle. On Sunday, however, the weather turned and rain and mud made the course treacherously slick.

Saturday’s Elite Men’s race began with Brian Matter (Gear Grinder), making taking the hole-shot onto the grass after short run on asphalt. Matter kept his position at the front of the field for most of the opening lap.

By the time the field had crested the “wall” for the first time and made their way onto the paved start/finish straight, Frattini, Matter, and Shriver had announced their intentions at the front of the race along with Jake Wells (Mafia Racing), Eric Thompson (Lees-McRae College) and Ryan Knapp (BikeReg.com).

At the halfway point, Shriver, Frattini, Matter and Wells formed a lead quartet, which would remain intact until the race’s end.  On the final lap, pressure from Shriver’s fast pace would finally crack the Italian as he set off for a solo win. Behind, Matter and Wells did well to maintain a heated battle for the final podium spot but a bobble and untimely mechanical would see Wells drop from contention as he shouldered his bike for the final 300 meters, allowing Matter to cruise in for third and Travis Livermon (Champion System/Cannondale) and Thompson move up to fourth and fifth respectively.  Wells would hold on for sixth.

Davide Frattini solos to a win on Sunday.  ©Shane Orr

Davide Frattini solos to a win on Sunday. ©Shane Orr

Sunday’s race would feature the same players at the front but in the cold and muddy conditions, Frattini would shine.  Taking the hole-shot and setting a furious pace, the Italian asserted his control over the race early.

By the end of the first lap, Frattini held a slight advantage over the three chasers, Matter, Shriver and Wells.  Riding consistently and showing no weakness, Frattini’s lead would grew to more than 20 seconds as he began the bell lap.  Matter and Wells were behind, again fighting for the podium.  Matter’s smooth riding style made the difference this day, as he was able to distance himself in the slick off-camber sections.  Wells would hold on for third and Saturday’s winner, Schriver, had to settle for forth.

In the women’s race, Kristin Wentworth (Planet Bike) took her first major victory in the North Carolina Grand Prix on Saturday, out-pacing breakaway companion Deidre Winfield (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes) in the closing meters. Wentworth’s teammate Linda Sone soloed in for third place to round out the podium.

Once again, on Sunday, changing conditions would bring a change of fortune as Winfield soloed to her first win of the ‘cross season just ahead of the Planet Bike pair of Kaitlin Antonneau and Wentworth.

Photo Gallery:

Results:

Elite Men, Day 1:

Matt Shriver Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory 0:58:03
Davide Frattini Team Fuji 0:00:28
Brian Matter Gear Grinder 0:00:35
Travis Livermon Champion System/Cannondale 0:00:59
Eric Thompson Lees-McRae College 0:01:08
Jake Wells Mafia Racing 0:01:13
Sam Krieg 0:01:58
Grant Berry 0:02:06
Ryan Knapp 0:02:16
Brad Perley 0:02:22
Noah Niwinski 0:02:25
James Lalonde 0:02:53
Jonathan Hamblen 0:03:11
Ryan Leach 0:03:18
Eric Muehl 0:03:22
Andrew Messer 0:03:47
Eric Wondergem 0:03:56
Lucas Livermon 0:04:06
Doug Yeater 0:04:08
Alex Ryan 0:04:39
Andy Applegate 0:04:42
Damian Schmitt 0:05:00
Scott Frederick 0:05:05
Aaron Oakes 0:05:23
Christopher Consorto 0:05:26
Andrew Reardon 0:05:36
Josh Stevens 0:06:21
John Crow
Noah Metzler
Robert Jameson
Andy Baker
Aaron Bradford
Bryan Schoeffler

Elite Men, Day 2:

1 Davide Frattini Team Fuji 0:59:02
2 Brian Matter Gear Grinder 0:00:16
3 Jake Wells Mafia Racing 0:00:20
4 Matt Shriver Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory 0:00:56
5 Travis Livermon Champion System / Cannondale 0:01:58
6 James Lalonde Planet Bike 0:02:24
7 Davy Yeater River City Bicycles 0:02:27
8 Grant Berry Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory 0:02:51
9 Sam Krieg ICE Krieg Cycling 0:03:06
10 Ryan Knapp BikeReg.com 0:03:16
11 Nathanael Wyatt Carolina Fatz p/b Santa Cruz Bicycles 0:03:30
12 Eric Thompson Lees-McRae College 0:03:48
13 Bradford Perley 0:03:55
14 Andy Applegate Champion Systems / Cannondale 0:04:06
15 Andy Messer DRT Racing 0:04:25
16 Aaron Bradford OnSite Ultrasound/Enduro 0:04:53
17 Scott Frederick Inland Construction/Back to Dirt 0:04:54
18 Damian Schmitt Sunnyside Sports 0:05:08
19 Matt Willing ABRC/Mars Hill College
20 Aaron Oakes
21 Andy Reardon MOAB / Van Dessel 0:06:10
22 Jon Hamblen BTD – Inland Construction 0:07:00
23 Joshua Whitmore Globalbike 0:08:18
24 Robert Jameson 0:09:42
25 John Crow North Carolina State University
26 Alex Ryan Champion System/Cannondale 0:12:11
27 Eric Muehl Industry Nine
28 Bryan Schoeffler TEAM OSP
29 Noah Metzler Globalbike p/b Catoma
DNF Christopher Consorto Secret Henry’s
DNF Noah Niwinski Boone Velo
DNF Lucas Livermon Inland Construction/Back to Dirt

Elite Women, Day 1:

1 Kristin Wentworth Planet Bike 0:40:42
2 Deidre Winfield C3 Athletes Serving Athletes 0:00:08
3 Linda Sone Planet Bike 0:00:45
4 Kaitlin Antonneau Planet Bike 0:00:58
5 Kristin Gavin Human Zoom/Pabst Blue Ribbon 0:01:30
6 Elizabeth Frye Boone Velo 0:01:45
7 Nikki Thiemann 0:02:33
8 Kimberly Flynn 0:03:01
9 Kristine Church 0:03:51
10 Evie Boswell-Vil 0:04:32
11 Golden Moore 0:04:49
12 Deb Sweeney Whitmore BMW-Bianchi 0:05:11
13 Lauren Costantini 0:05:34
14 Therese Meek 0:05:55

Elite Women, Day 2:

1 Deidre Winfield C3 Athletes Serving Athletes 0:37:29
2 Kaitlin Antonneau Planet Bike 0:00:08
3 Kristin Wentworth Planet Bike 0:00:43
4 Linda Sone Planet Bike 0:01:26
5 Kimberly Flynn Vantaggio/ Specialized SCV 0:01:34
6 Kristin Gavin 0:01:48
7 Nikki Thiemann 0:01:57
8 Elizabeth Frye Boone Velo 0:02:48
9 Kristine Church Humanzoom/ Pabst Blue Ribbon 0:03:37
10 Deb Sweeney Whitmore BMW-Bianchi 0:03:43
11 Jo Markham Lees-McRae College 0:03:46
12 Golden Moore Fiets Maan Racing 0:04:02
13 Erica Zaveta Lees-McRae College 0:04:08
14 Teri Meek Bikeclicks/Team Louisville 0:04:33
15 Evie Boswell-Vilt Inland/Back to Dirt Racing 0:05:32
16 Jessica Singerman Wissahickon 0:05:34