by Peloton Sports
Compton at Home at Thompson Speedway
The Elite Women’s racers were greeted to drizzle and a cold New England fall day for the first day of racing at the KMC Cross Fest in Thompson, Conn. With temperatures in the mid 50s, light rain and a stiff breeze, 33 women took the line for the C1 affair.
Emma White led out the women's field at the 2016 KMC Cross Fest UCI C1 on Day 1. photo: Wil Mathews
After 44 minutes and 45 seconds in the five lap-race, 12-time American Cyclocross National Champion Katie Compton (KFC Racing pb Trek/Panache) of Colorado Springs crossed the line for the victory.
Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC) of Kennebunkport, Maine, who is currently second in the individual points standings of the USA Cycling Professional Cyclo-cross Calendar (Pro CX), finished on the second step of the podium, with time of 45:29. The top three was rounded out by Rebecca Fahringer (Amy D. Foundation) of Concord, N.H. 1:12 behind Compton.
Overnight rain soaked the new 2.1-mile course at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. On Friday night, part of the course was used for high school races and the Madison of Cyclo-cross. Compton rode Friday night for 25 minutes in the rain and cold in the Madison, but did not feel the effects for her win on Saturday.
“I rode the Madison just to do some openers and do the course at race pace. It’s just a fun event to do. My husband did the majority of it, so I didn’t do too much for today,” Compton said about arriving early in Thompson, Conn. “Last night the course was faster. The grassy, mud sections were much thicker today. I used the same (tire) pressure today as last night. I think the difference today were the sandy drops. Last night we had some of the off camber, but we didn’t have the sandy drops and steep run ups, but I think they were good additions."
“She (Ellen) was riding really strong. She and I got a gap early, I think it was the first or second lap. I knew I just had to keep the gas on, and make it a hard race. I pushed the pace and made her chase,” commented Compton, a 12-time USA Cycling Elite Cyclocross national champion who last won at KMC Cross Fest in 2014 when the event was held in Providence, R.I.
Compton in control after dropping Ellen Noble. 2016 KMC Cross Fest UCI C1 on Day 1. photo: Wil Mathews
“I have been doing the KMC Cross Fest enough times," said Compton. "I really enjoy the race and it’s fun. I think (the new course) it’s awesome. I love racing at race car tracks. They have all the facilities here, they’ve got the garage, the bathrooms. It’s easy to wash the bikes, it’s easy to set up the tents, parking is easy. So all of it makes a cross race, especially in the rain, kind of easier.”
Compton is known to have taken a few turns behind the wheel at car tracks, and is quite familiar with them from both driving and racing in Europe.
Emma White, who took the holeshot, but could not handle a slippery descent later on first lap. She took a spill after the final off-camber section with a descent back to the track of the speedway, giving Compton and Noble the opportunity to pass. She recovered later to get into the chase group with two laps to go.
"I love racing at race car tracks. They have all the facilities here, they’ve got the garage, the bathrooms. It’s easy to wash the bikes, it’s easy to set up the tents, parking is easy. So all of it makes a cross race, especially in the rain, kind of easier." -Compton
On those final two laps, the field was all strung out along the mix of spongy grass and race course pavement. Compton and Noble traded blows at the front, chased by Rebecca Fahringer, Emma White, Courtenay McFadden, Crystal Anthony, and Caroline Mani. McFadden finished fourth and White fifth.
At 21 years of age, Noble was the top U-23 finisher for the Elite women. White was second on the U23 podium, and Ruby West was third. “I came in for second (overall). I am really pleased. This season has been a lot of learning very quickly. It’s kind of hard to process all at once. I’m super happy with second, and be on another UCI podium, especially at a C1 is exciting,” said Noble about her overall finish in the Elite race. She does not plan to compete on Sunday in the C2 Elite Women’s race, taking a page out of teammate Jeremy Powers playbook.
“Today I tried to start a little bit more conservatively. I was still second wheel, towards the front, which is my strategy on these more slippery, technical races. I was trying to stay far up. Even if a small gap opened through a turn, I tried to remain calm, so that when Katie did go, because I knew she would really be a contender today, I’d be able to go with her,” added Noble. “So I really tried to ride within myself and ride my own pace. Eventually she got away from me. I tried to keep the pressure on and go absolutely as fast as I can.”
See video interviews in the photo/video gallery below the results.
Hyde Turns 2015 Silver into 2016 Gold
New Englander Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) eclipsed last year’s runner-up finish to win the Elite Men’s C1 race at the 2016 KMC Cross Fest. The Easthampton, Mass. native finished the eight-lap race under darkening skies in a time of 1 hour, five minutes and 25 seconds, keeping control of his Pro CX individual points lead.
Curtis White (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) controlled the front early, with Hyde and Danny Summerhill (Maxxis-Shimano) taking early spills. The cold, windy conditions never let up, and the mist turned to a light rain, making the course slippery on the off camber sections on the backside of the 2.1-mile course.
Curtis White rode with the strength of six men to take an early lead before teammate Hyde eventually took over. 2016 KMC Cross Fest Day 1, UCI C1 © Nin Lei
Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh/Clement) of Jericho, Vt. remained upright and fought his way to second, 19 seconds behind Hyde. Kerry Werner (Kona) edged out White at the line for third, just five more seconds off Driscoll. White claimed the top spot in the U23 category. Summerhill finished 12th.
Hyde rode with authority, riding across the run-up steps and over off camber sections while his competitors dismounted and ran, and many could not stay upright in the wet conditions. It was on the third lap that he made a move to pass Driscoll.
Hyde took advantage of Powers absence to take a commanding win at the 2016 KMC Cross Fest Day 1, UCI C1 © Nin Lei
“I’m having fun racing this year," said Hyde. "My teammates are riding really well. I wish Jeremy (Powers) was here to race today, he would have really liked this course. It would have been a really fun duel,” said Hyde, who finished second last year to Powers. “I guess from the first lap, everyone running down the big drop-in made this giant hole, where everybody was taking their first two steps. I put my front wheel right in it and flipped over. It was scary.
https://twitter.com/CdaleSportsNE/status/782336314960150528
“I was going a little faster than he (Driscoll) wanted to go. I probably could have sat with him a little while, but we still have some racing tomorrow, and I wanted to get a really good practice in on this course. I wanted to go at a faster tempo, and that’s how it played out."
https://twitter.com/kmccrossfest/status/782345649417097216
This was Driscoll’s second Pro CX race on the podium, the last coming with a second place finish at Rochester Cyclocross. “Tonight I missed the opportunity to get on Hyde’s wheel when he took off. I just had a good, consistent race and didn’t really fade, and was able to move through people who did and hold the gap to the end.
“This course is a course of extremes. There’s just a lot of pedaling on pavement and then you were thrown into that super technical stuff, off camber and running up. And it may have been faster to run down one section, but I decided to loose a second or two to save the legs. It was cool to have that high-consequence, Euro-style features in the race. It was rare for the U.S.”
https://twitter.com/kmccrossfest/status/782333069571284993
A flat tire took Werner out of the lead group halfway through the race. He worked his way back to the leaders on a new bike. “I had a good start," said Werner. "Curtis went away early. I kind of figured he would bait a little bit, especially when Hyde turned it on. Hyde attacked. Then Jamie and I were riding together for third. I flatted and I went back to a group for fifth. I got a new bike, and turned it on. Curtis was fading, and I managed to get by him on the last half of the last lap. I am happy. My tire pressure choice was not the best, I ran it a little too low. Had I had a few more PSI’s, I may been able to avoid that flat and gone for second.”
"I wish Jeremy (Powers) was here to race today, he would have really liked this course. It would have been a really fun duel" -Stephen Hyde
The forecast for Sunday calls for improved conditions of overcast skies and highs in the 60s. This will be welcome for hundreds of recreational cyclists taking part in four courses of the Major Taylor Century and Gran Fondo New England. The UCI Elite Junior Men (17-18) will race for 40 minutes at 4 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the C2 race for UCI Elite Women at 5:15 p.m. and the C2 race for UCI Elite Men at 6:30 p.m. The men will race under the lights at Thompson Speedway.
"It was cool to have that high-consequence, Euro-style features in the race. It was rare for the U.S." -Jamey Driscoll
See video interviews in the photo/video gallery below the results.
Junior Men Shine Under the Lights
After the Elite Women and Men raced, the Junior Men, in one of the few UCI Junior races in the country, raced under the lights at the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.
The race was a tight, suspenseful affair, with eight racers at the front of the race finishing within a minute of each other, with Boulder Junior Cycling's Denzel Stephenson taking the win over Gunnar Holmgren (Louis Garneau Easton).
The pace was high, with some of the top Juniors turning in times similar to the Pro Men during their 42-minute race.
Photo and video gallery below the results.
The KMC Cross Fest is the fourth of eight Pro CX events in the U.S. for 2016-17. For detailed information, visit the official KMC Cross Fest web site. KMC Cross Fest organizers will produce video clips throughout the three-day event, with comprehensive race recap vidoes of the elite men and women Pro CX events and the UCI elite junior race. Follow the race on Facebook (KMCcrossfest) and on Twitter (@KMCcrossfest). Follow the Pro Cyclocross Calendar on Twitter at @USACProCX.
2016 KMC Cross Fest Full Results - Elite Women
| Rank | Bib | Name | Affiliation | Time | Split Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Katherine COMPTON | KFC Racing p/b Trek/Panache | 44:45:00 | 9:12 | 5 |
| 2 | 3 | Ellen NOBLE | Aspire | 45:29:00 | 9:17 | 5 |
| 3 | 8 | Rebecca FAHRINGER | Amy D. Foundation | 45:57:00 | 9:22 | 5 |
| 4 | 7 | Courtenay MCFADDEN | American Classic | 46:13:00 | 9:20 | 5 |
| 5 | 6 | Emma WHITE | Cannondale Cyclocrossworld | 46:23:00 | 9:19 | 5 |
| 6 | 5 | Crystal ANTHONY | Boulder Cycle Sport/ YogaGlo | 47:07:00 | 9:33 | 5 |
| 7 | 2 | Caroline MANI | Raleigh Clement | 47:20:00 | 9:29 | 5 |
| 8 | 4 | Amanda MILLER | Boulder Cycle Sport/ YogaGlo | 47:29:00 | 9:19 | 5 |
| 9 | 10 | Arley KEMMERER | Fearless Femme | 47:33:00 | 9:25 | 5 |
| 10 | 13 | Ruby WEST | Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld. | 48:37:00 | 9:38 | 5 |
| 11 | 34 | Melinda MCCUTCHEON | DNA Cycling - Cotton Sox | 48:45:00 | 9:28 | 5 |
| 12 | 12 | Jena GREASER | Womens Project Pedal p/b VO2 | 48:56:00 | 9:54 | 5 |
| 13 | 19 | Julie WRIGHT | 49:31:00 | 10:09 | 5 | |
| 14 | 11 | Cassandra MAXIMENKO | Van Dessel Factory Team | 49:42:00 | 10:15 | 5 |
| 15 | 20 | Katherine NORTHCOTT | 49:48:00 | 9:59 | 5 | |
| 16 | 14 | Kathleen LYSAKOWSKI | Joes Garage CX p/b BikeReg | 50:07:00 | 10:19 | 5 |
| 17 | 16 | Natasha ELLIOTT | Garneau - Easton Cycling | 50:32:00 | 10:57 | 5 |
| 18 | 9 | Kathryn CUMMING | Jalapeno Cycling | 50:41:00 | 10:09 | 5 |
| 19 | 21 | Nicole MERTZ | NoCoast Racing powered by Intel | 51:02:00 | 10:14 | 5 |
| 20 | 18 | Rebecca GROSS | KHS | 51:28:00 | 10:14 | 5 |
| 21 | 24 | Jennifer MALIK | Womens CX Project | 51:34:00 | 10:06 | 5 |
| 22 | 39 | Turner RAMSAY | KMS Cycling-Killington Mountain | 51:51:00 | 10:29 | 5 |
| 23 | 30 | Erica LEONARD | Centurion Nextwave | 52:35:00 | 10:29 | 5 |
| 24 | 23 | Joanne GROGAN | NEXT-BMB | 53:02:00 | 10:48 | 5 |
| 25 | 17 | Stacey BARBOSSA | Colavita Midatlantic Womens Te | 53:15:00 | 10:43 | 5 |
| 26 | 26 | Clio DINAN | 53:24:00 | 10:17 | 5 | |
| 27 | 27 | Erin FACCONE | Back Bay Cycling Club | 53:44:00 | 10:48 | 5 |
| 28 | 32 | Elizabeth LUKOWSKI | 54:11:00 | 11:12 | 5 | |
| 29 | 15 | Brittlee BOWMAN | HOUSE INDUSTRIES - WITHINGS - S | 32:21:00 | 10:58 | 3 |
| 30 | 47 | Jauron VETTER | State 9 Racing | 32:45:00 | 10:52 | 3 |
| 31 | 48 | Elizabeth WHITE | University of Vermont | 33:17:00 | 11:26 | 3 |
| 32 | 31 | Rebecca LEWANDOWSKI | Rare Disease Cycling | 34:27:00 | 11:17 | 3 |
| 33 | 35 | Sara MELIKIAN | Pedal Power Team-MA | 24:40:00 | 12:31 | 2 |
2016 KMC Cross Fest Full Results - Elite Men
| Rank | Bib | Name | Affiliation | Time | Split Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Stephen HYDE | Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld | 1:05:25 | 8:29 | 8 |
| 2 | 3 | James DRISCOLL | Raleigh/Clement | 1:05:44 | 8:16 | 8 |
| 3 | 72 | Kerry WERNER | Kona | 1:05:49 | 8:05 | 8 |
| 4 | 4 | Curtis WHITE | Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld | 1:05:49 | 8:11 | 8 |
| 5 | 5 | Travis LIVERMON | Maxxis/Shimano | 1:06:35 | 8:36 | 8 |
| 6 | 9 | Dan TIMMERMAN | Stans NoTubes Elite CX | 1:06:44 | 8:27 | 8 |
| 7 | 22 | Jack KISSEBERTH | JAM Fund / NCC | 1:06:55 | 8:24 | 8 |
| 8 | 29 | Spencer PETROV | Cyclocross Alliance | 1:07:00 | 8:17 | 8 |
| 9 | 11 | Justin LINDINE | NBX/Narragansett Beer/Apex | 1:07:02 | 8:19 | 8 |
| 10 | 7 | Anthony CLARK | Squid Bikes | 1:07:06 | 8:24 | 8 |
| 11 | 16 | Cody KAISER | LangeTwins/Specialized Title | 1:07:18 | 8:28 | 8 |
| 12 | 6 | Daniel SUMMERHILL | Maxxis/Shimano | 1:07:22 | 8:14 | 8 |
| 13 | 12 | Yannick ECKMANN | Boulder Cycle Sport/ YogaGlo | 1:07:27 | 8:19 | 8 |
| 14 | 10 | Jeremy MARTIN | Focus CX Team Canada | 1:07:28 | 8:18 | 8 |
| 15 | 21 | Antonin MARECAILLE | Avc Aix en Provence | 1:07:30 | 8:19 | 8 |
| 16 | 13 | Mark MCCONNELL | 1:07:42 | 8:50 | 8 | |
| 17 | 24 | Cooper WILLSEY | Cannondale Cyclocrossworld | 1:07:47 | 9:04 | 8 |
| 18 | 8 | Jeremy DURRIN | Neon Velo | 1:08:00 | 8:42 | 8 |
| 19 | 50 | Peter GOGUEN | RACE CF | 1:08:01 | 8:34 | 8 |
| 20 | 15 | Lance HAIDET | UCI CT: Team Illuminate | 1:08:12 | 8:54 | 8 |
| 21 | 25 | Andrew JUILIANO | ROCK LOBSTER | 1:09:03 | 8:38 | 8 |
| 22 | 17 | Dylan MCNICHOLAS | POLARTEC | 1:09:09 | 8:47 | 8 |
| 23 | 27 | Derrick ST JOHN | Van Dessel p/b Hyperthreads | 1:10:11 | 9:16 | 8 |
| 24 | 30 | Daniel CHABANOV | HOUSE INDUSTRIES - WITHINGS - S | 1:10:51 | 9:31 | 8 |
| 25 | 28 | Cole OBERMAN | Ridebiker Alliance | 1:11:14 | 9:23 | 8 |
| 26 | 18 | Robert MARION | Carpediem Racing | 1:11:19 | 8:53 | 8 |
| 27 | 33 | Mathieu BELANGER-BARRETTE | Pivot Cycles/On The Edge | 1:11:19 | 8:53 | 8 |
| 28 | 41 | Patrick COLLINS | Minuteman Road Club | 1:11:44 | 9:19 | 8 |
| 29 | 35 | Andrew BORDEN | Squadra Flying Tigers | 1:11:59 | 9:22 | 8 |
| 30 | 62 | Michael OWENS | Cyclocrossworld | 1:12:25 | 9:20 | 8 |
| @1Lap | 26 | Samuel OKEEFE | HOUSE INDUSTRIES - WITHINGS - S | 9:35 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 49 | Jules GOGUELY | 9:11 | 6 | ||
| @2Lap | 58 | Michael LANDRY | 9:09 | 6 | ||
| @2Lap | 57 | Nick KEOUGH | Champion System p/b Keough Cycl | 9:19 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 31 | Niklas PODHRASKI | Sankt Ruprecht an Grub 47 | 9:15 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 68 | Adam ST. GERMAIN | NEXT-BMB | 9:05 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 32 | Noah BARROW | Carriberra CC | 9:28 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 59 | Brendan MCCORMACK | CCB Racing | 10:00 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 46 | Daniel FITZGIBBONS | Green Line Velo | 9:21 | 6 | |
| @2Lap | 44 | Samuel DRIES | No. 22 CX TEAM | 9:30 | 6 | |
| @3Lap | 47 | Eneas FREYRE | TTEndurance | 12:25 | 5 | |
| @3Lap | 60 | Andrew MCGOWAN | Charm City Cycling LLC | 9:51 | 5 | |
| @3Lap | 63 | Matt PERREAULT | 9:32 | 5 | ||
| @3Lap | 40 | Ian CLARKE | NEXT-BMB | 9:49 | 5 | |
| @4Lap | 55 | Ian KEOUGH | UCI CT: Astellas Cycling Team | 9:56 | 4 | |
| @4Lap | 51 | Abe GOORSKEY | Carpediem Racing | 9:51 | 4 | |
| @4Lap | 69 | Jerod STONER | 9:30 | 4 | ||
| @5Lap | 61 | Arthur MORAN | Green Line Velo | 10:50 | 3 | |
| DNF | 19 | Grant ELLWOOD | Boulder Cycle Sport/ YogaGlo | 8:33 | 4 | |
| DNF | 38 | Nicolas CATLIN | Sherpa Cycling | 9:55 | 4 | |
| DNF | 56 | Jesse KEOUGH | 9:56 | 2 |
2016 KMC Cross Fest Full Results - UCI Junior Men
| Rank | Bib | Name | Affiliation | Time | Split Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Denzel STEPHENSON | Boulder Junior Cycling | 42:45:00 | 8:33 | 5 |
| 2 | 15 | Gunnar HOLMGREN | Garneau Easton | 42:52:00 | 8:30 | 5 |
| 3 | 8 | Tyler CLARK | KMS Cycling - Killington Mounta | 42:53:00 | 8:36 | 5 |
| 4 | 23 | Lane MAHER | Hands-On Cycling p/b GIANT | 43:07:00 | 8:33 | 5 |
| 5 | 11 | Kevin GOGUEN | RACE CF | 43:07:00 | 8:33 | 5 |
| 6 | 9 | Ross ELLWOOD | Boulder Junior Cycling | 43:16:00 | 8:39 | 5 |
| 7 | 30 | Brody SANDERSON | Centurion Nextwave | 43:28:00 | 8:32 | 5 |
| 8 | 37 | Calder WOOD | Rad Racing NW | 43:47:00 | 8:50 | 5 |
| 9 | 25 | Sam NOEL | Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld | 44:16:00 | 9:09 | 5 |
| 10 | 12 | Benjamin GOMEZVILLAFANE | 44:45:00 | 9:20 | 5 | |
| 11 | 35 | Caleb SWARTZ | Trek Cyclocross Collective | 45:12:00 | 9:17 | 5 |
| 12 | 10 | Scott FUNSTON | Rad Racing NW | 45:32:00 | 9:10 | 5 |
| 13 | 4 | Camden BROOKS | AP Junior Development | 45:38:00 | 9:11 | 5 |
| 14 | 22 | Clyde LOGUE | Colonial Bicycle Company | 45:39:00 | 9:18 | 5 |
| 15 | 13 | Gregory GUNSALUS | AP Junior Development p/b Corne | 46:21:00 | 9:23 | 5 |
| 16 | 28 | Vivien RINDISBACHER | KMS Cycling - Killington Mounta | 46:29:00 | 9:25 | 5 |
| 17 | 31 | George SCHULZ | VAN DESSEL FACTORY TEAM | 46:34:00 | 9:20 | 5 |
| 18 | 3 | Nicholas BEIRNE | Better Cycling/ Papa Johns | 46:37:00 | 9:12 | 5 |
| 19 | 2 | Ryan AITTANIEMI | Corner Cycle Cycling Club/AP Ju | 47:40:00 | 9:36 | 5 |
| 20 | 17 | Gentry JEFFERSON | Antietam Velo Club | 47:50:00 | 5 | |
| 21 | 36 | Daniel VAUGHN | Northampton Cycling Club | 47:55:00 | 5 | |
| 22 | 24 | Alex MCCORMACK | Hot Tubes Development Cycling T | 48:00:00 | 5 | |
| 23 | 7 | Alexander CHRYSTALL | Cannondale Sports Lingo Jingo | 48:01:00 | 5 | |
| 24 | 38 | Zachary YOUNG | BoltzStrong | 48:44:00 | 9:25 | 5 |
| 25 | 32 | Donald SEIB | NEXT-BMB | 48:46:00 | 9:34 | 5 |
| 26 | 6 | Alexander CHRISTIAN | Team Handmade | 49:43:00 | 9:57 | 5 |
| 27 | 21 | Scott LEONARD | Angry Johnnys Cycling | 49:52:00 | 9:41 | 5 |
| 28 | 34 | Philippe ST.LAURENT | Pivot Cycles-OTE | 49:58:00 | 9:57 | 5 |
| 29 | 27 | Finnegan OCONNOR | Competitive Edge Ski & Bike | 51:10:00 | 11:00 | 5 |
| 30 | 29 | Dylan ROCKWOOD | Lionheart Junior Racing | 52:05:00 | 10:10 | 5 |
| 31 | 5 | Owen BUSCH | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 52:05:00 | 10:11 | 5 |
| 32 | 16 | Thomas HULTON | AWI Racing | 52:49:00 | 11:00 | 5 |
| @1Lap | 19 | Matthew JOHNSON | Ladies First Racing | 11:02 | 4 | |
| @1Lap | 20 | Leo KIRKPATRICK BAIRD | KMS: Killington Mountain School | 11:28 | 4 | |
| @2Lap | 18 | Matthew JOGODNIK | Montclair Bikery Development Te | 11:19 | 3 |
