Van Gilder and Frattini Take Nittany Lion Cyclocross

Bahnson and Keough Impress at Nittany Lion Cross

by Ken Getchell

September 19, 2009; Trexlertown, PA, USA:  Davide Frattini and Laura Van Gilder won Elite races at the UCI C2 Nittany Lion Cross at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center (a.k.a. T-Town Velodrome).  But the biggest stories from the opening round of the MAC Powered by SRAM series may have been stolen by two teenagers with big potentials.  But while the late Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers football team, may have once commented that “potential means you’re not worth a damn yet!”, Luke Keough (Corner Cycle Cycling Team) and Jeff Bahnson (Van Dessel Factory Team) put their seemingly unlimited potential on display and showed that they have what it takes to win now.  Luke Keough (Corner Cycle Cycling Team) finished third in his debut Elite UCI race, beating many of the nation’s best ‘cross and road racers in the process.  The 18 year old started on the last row because he only just turned old enough to compete in UCI senior races, let alone score points.  Keough started well, but had to bridge up to first the chase group and then the 6-rider lead group, before being outsprinted by ‘cross veteran and top road sprinter Adam Myerson.  Earlier, Jeff Bahnson put on a show enroute to victory in the new Elite Junior Class.  Starting with the rest of the Elite Juniors at the back of the 80 rider strong Elite Masters Field, Bahnson ripped ferociously through the older class.  Like Keough, Bahnson bridged across first to the main chase group and then the large lead group.  But, with a class win in hand, and no overall victory on offer, Bahnson was content to sit on the back of the older field and not interfere with their race.

The UCI Men’s race played out like a road race, and road veteran Tyler Wren (Colavita-Sutter Home) commented after the race that he had never seen a cyclocross so affected by drafting and road race tactics.  A lead group formed early and changed frequently as riders dropped off or bridged up, but the core group was driven continuously by CycleSmart’s Adam Myerson and Davide Frattini in his first race under the banner of Team Fuji.  Eventually, the lead group would stabilize with Frattini, Myerson, Wren, Luke Keough, Candadian Mike Garrigan (La Biciciletta/Jetpower), Ryan Dewald (Battley Harley-Davidson) and Zipp OVCX Tour Champion Ryan Knapp (BikeReg.com).  Keough would find Myerson’s wheel and stick to it like glue.  “It was a good wheel to follow,” he would say later, “there’s so much to learn from following Adam.”  With about half the race to go, Frattini, who only just finished the Tour of Missouri with Team Colavita-Sutter Home on the road, and who only received his new Fuji bike two days before the race, put in an acceleration in the hopes of trimming the lead group of a couple of riders.  Frattini, the 2007 MAC Powered by SRAM series champ, unexpectedly found himself with a substantial gap over the field.  Riding alone in front of the field and, as was learned after the race, fully expecting to be caught, Frattini rode away from the leaders by a gap that eventually exceeded 30 seconds.  Behind him, the chase group splintered by the final sprint due to riders either dropping off or falling.  The pace eventually left only Myerson and Keough, who was no match for Myerson’s better track positioning and well-known sprint.

On the Women’s side, Mo Bruno-Roy (MM Racing Seven Bikes)took the early lead as she and new C3 Athletes Serving Athletes teammates Laura Van Gilder and Dee Dee Winfield made up the lead group.  Winfield fell, and though she made a quick recovery, was never able to rejoin the lead group.  Van Gilder, working on her assessment that the course favored her road skill set, was content to let Mo lead the race before taking the final sprint.  “This course favored my skills,” said Van Gilder afterward.  “But Mo is an awesome athlete and later in the year when the ground is heavy and there’s a lot of running, the courses will favor her strengths.  Today I used the things I’m strong at.  I can only try to try to improve on the things that aren’t my strengths.  I don’t expect any favors (from Mo Bruno-Roy) after following her wheel for the whole race today.”

Next up for the MAC Powered by SRAM Series is tomorrow’s (September 20) UCI C2 Charm City Cross, followed by MAC’s “Queen Weekend” of the Granogue Cyclocross and Wissahickon Cyclocross on October 17-18.  For more information, see BikeReg.com.

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