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Kabush and Trebon dab while cresting this climb at the USGP Deschutes Brewery Day 2. ©Cyclocross Magazine

Kabush and Trebon dab while cresting this climb at the USGP Deschutes Brewery Day 2. ©Cyclocross Magazine

BEND, OREGON – Day 2 of the Deschutes Brewery USGP in Bend saw similar weather conditions to the first day of racing, though the tactics in both races were notably different, as each race was won in a solo off the front that was started early and held.

Elite Women
Nicole Duke (Alchemy) snagged the holeshot, trying to redeem herself from a slower finish than she’d hoped for the day prior. She was followed by Rapha-Focus’s Julie Krasniak and Ladies First Elle Anderson. Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould (Luna) both were caught behind a few racers, but within a lap, Nash and Gould had again found their way to the front with Krasniak chasing hard and a string of racers led by Duke, Anderson and Crystal Anthony (CyclocrossWorld) not far behind.

The course offered up technical challenge after technical challenge, as well as a hefty amount of hecklers, including one holding a birthday cake for Nash.

After two laps, Nash had developed a 20 second gap, followed by Gould, who maintained a large gap on Anderson, Krasniak and Duke. The techincal nature of the course caused the women to string out all over the course as tiny mistakes cost valuable seconds not only for the racer making the mistake, but for the women immediately behind her.

However, at the halfway point, Nash had managed to ride a remarkably clean race, and though Gould’s mountain bike expertise was being put tot he test, she couldn’t close the gap. However, Caroline Mani (Raleigh-Clement) charged hard and slotted into third position, ahead of the other Frenchwoman, Krasniak. Behind them, two Optum riders worked with Anderson to keep the two Frenchwomen in their sights.

While Nash extended her lead and Gould held second, Mani powered away from Krasniak, who joined the three chasers as Mani began to work in earnest to reel in Gould. The Optum teammates worked with Anderson to close the gap, showing that the women on the team are taking cyclocross just as seriously as the team takes road. Around the course, intoxicated versions of bellowed “Happy Birthday” songs could be heard as the revelers celebrated Nash’s birthday and race dominance.

Nash led from early on and took her second win of the weekend. © Cyclocross Magazine

Nash led from early on and took her second win of the weekend. © Cyclocross Magazine

With one to go, Nash’s lead held, and Gould’s second place was nearly guaranteed. Mani held a large gap on fourth spot, the placing hers to lose. Meanwhile, Wilcoxson and Miller, the Optum riders, worked hard to shed Anderson, but Anderson hung on tight as Krasniak struggled to maintain contact.

Nash took the win, followed by Gould and Mani. Wilcoxson took fourth, followed by Miller and Anderson, and Krasniak took home seventh, narrowly beating out a hard charging Mical Dyck.

For the overall, without Compton racing the last weekend of the series, Gould was able to take the overall title, leaving Compton in second, followed by with Krasniak in third.

Elite Men
For the second day in a row, Danny Summerhill snagged the holeshot, but today he was followed by Ben Berden (Raleigh Clement) and Geoff Kabush (Scott). Heading into the barriers, Summerhill still led, followed by TIm Johnson (Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld), with Cal-Giant’s Yannick Eckmann  now in the lead group.

Behind them, Ryan Trebon (Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld), Adam Craig (Rabobank) and Zach McDonald (Rapha-Focus) led the chase. Within a lap, Trebon shut the gap down and brought his group up, with additions including Redline’s Justin Lindine, creating a large group off the front in a strung out field.

Johnson attacked 20 minutes in, and established a gap of three seconds heading into some of the courses more technical features. Behind him, Craig led the chase group, which has splintered into two factions, apart by mere seconds. As with the women’s race, the technical features allowed for no mistakes, with technically skilled seasoned riders like Johnson at an advantage.

Johnson maintained his gap, followed by a seven man group led by Summerhill. Behind them, Todd Wells (Specialized) led Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld’s Jamey Driscoll and Rapha-Focus’s Chris Jones.

The gap widened to 25 seconds, with Johnson charging hard. A clean climb by Summerhill up a tricky hill gave him a small separation from the chase group, while Trebon’s bobble cost the rest of the group some time as most were forced to dismount, allowing the group led by Wells to make contact.

The gap widened to a full 30 seconds, and Johnson looked comfortable as he rolled around the course, riding flawlessly. The chase group worked together to attempt to catch Johnson, not yet attacking each other, with 25 minutes left to go in the race. The sun going down and the wind picking up left racers and spectators alike starting to feel the chill settling on the course, but the spectators were undeterred with four laps to go in the last race of the 2012 USGP series.

McDonald dropped out midrace, leaving the lead group with seven men, trying frantically to stay together as the race wound down. However, his place in the lead group was taken by his teammate, Chris Jones. Meanwhile, Cody Kaiser (Cal-Giant) joined the Wells’ group behind the first chasers, and within the lead group, Trebon, Summerhill and Craig were battling it out in the front of the group chasing Johnson.

With a lap and a half to go, Trebon, Summerhill and Craig began to separate from the rest of the chase group, battling between themselves for the final podium spots. However, coming into the final corner of one lap to go, Summerhill’s rear derailleur was broken in a collision with Craig, forcing him off the bike and coasting into the pit, well behind the group he’d been leading for nearly the entire race.

In a move that surprised spectators and most likely, the racers as well, Jones attacked in the chase group, and started leading the charge. However, Trebon and Craig weren’t ready to allow Jones to take over, and Trebon and Craig forced him out of the spot and the two began fighting in earnest for the final two podium positions. Trebon attacked Craig with less than half a lap to go, holding Craig off for second. Craig picked up third, followed by Jones. Behind him, Eckmann nipped Berden in a sprint.

Missed Day 1? Check out our coverage here.

Elite Men:

PosBibNameTeam
12JOHNSON TimothyVolkswagen/peopleforbikes/Canno
21TREBON RyanCannondale/Clement
310CRAIG AdamGiant Rabobank Team
46JONES ChristopherRapha-FOCUS
515ECKMANN Yannick *California Giant/Specialized
64BERDEN BenRaleigh Clement
73DRISCOLL JamesUCI CT: Jamis/Sutter Home
830WELLS ToddSpecialized Factory Racing
917KAISER Cody *California Giant Berry Farms/Sp
1011KABUSH GeoffScott-3Rox Racing
119LINDINE JustinRedline
128SHEPPARD ChrisRocky Mountain Bicycles
137SUMMERHILL DanielUCI CT: Chipotle Development Te
1418WELLS TroyTeam CLIF BAR
1516SCHOUTEN TristanOptum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg
1627CANDELARIO AlexanderOptum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg
1728SHRIVER Matt
1813MATTER BrianRACC pb GG
1934BABCOCK SeanKona
2019KRUGHOFF AllenBOULDER CYCLE SPORT
2129PAXSON SpencerKona Factory Team
2212MILNE ShawnCyclocrossWorld.Com
2335NOILES Kevincyclocrossracing.com
2437KAPPIUS BradenClif Bar Development Cross Team
2526JACKSON ChrisCastex Racing p/b Felt
2624ORTENBLAD Tobin *303586
2733SONNTAG Benjamin
2814RICHEY CraigSponsorConnected.com p/b Ridley
2936WODTLI Brennan
3038WELLS JakeNoTubes Elite Cyclocross
3122SCHOOLER AaronNORCO BICYCLES - SRI Importing
3221SHERER MikeOptum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg
3323MCCONNELL MarkSynergy Racing
3432BRADFORD-PARISH KevinCyclocrossracing.com
3560THOMPSON EricPlan C p/b Challenge Tires
3643BRADFORD AaronBicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst
3725WICKS BarryKona
3846SNEDDON KrisKona
3957TONKIN ErikKona/Team S&M
4031VAN DEN HAM Michael *Cycle-Smart
4142SCHMITT DamianSilverado Gallery/Sunnyside Spo
4271COPLEA Tyler *
4366LACAVA PaulGiant Bicycles
4420HOKE MitchellTeam Clif Bar
4559KELLEY JoshBailey Bikes SPY
4661BRANDT ChrisHoney Stinger/Bontrager
4755GORMAN BrentVolkswagen Boise
4844WORK AlexBicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst
4949FOX Bjorn *Clif Bar Development Cross Team
5039CROSS Brandoncole sport
5169CHAPIN ScottBicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst
5247MEANS PatrickTeam S&M
5368PETERSON CodyHutchs Bicycles
5470LEADER SeanCycleWorks
5551PREBLE Kolby *CLIF BAR Development Cyclocross
5664WILLIAMS JamesAdventures Edge
5765GROVE PhilHammer Nutrition
DNF5MCDONALD Zach *Rapha-FOCUS
DNF40ELLISTON BillVan Dessel Factory Team
DNF45DALLE ANGELINI GiancarloDon Walker Cycles
DNF62GODBY Zane *Clif Bar junior development
DNF63THIBODEAU ChrisSHO-AIR/S.E.R.T./ T.O.N.C
DNS41ADAMSON ShaunVelocity Cycling Club
DNS48HAMILTON ErikTokyo Joes/Whole Foods
DNS50SIEGLE JasonSDG/Felt
DNS52RIENTS JesseTrek Cyclocross Collective/Penn
DNS53JOHNSON Kendal *California Polytechnic
DNS54DEMOE LukeEvviva/Stoemper
DNS56SELANDER BjornPlan C p/b Challenge Tires
DNS58REYES DavidSRAM Factory
DNS67HALEY Luke *Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross Team
DNS72BROWN NathanSuperfly Cycles

Elite Women:

PosNameTeam
1NASH KaterinaLuna Pro Cycling
2GOULD GeorgiaLuna Pro Cycling
3MANI CarolineRaleigh / Clement
4WILCOXSON JadeOptum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg
5MILLER AmandaOptum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg
6ANDERSON ElleLadiesFirst Racing
7KRASNIAK Julierapha-FOCUS
8DYCK MicalStan's NoTubes
9ANTONNEAU KaitlinExergy Twenty 12
10ANTHONY CrystalCYCLOCROSSWORLD.COM
11HARLTON PepperJuventus Cycling Club
12CAREY AmandaVolkswagen Boise
13MCFADDEN CourtenayPeterson Racing p/b Spokesowome
14SIMMS WendyKONA
15DUKE NicoleRaleigh / Clement
16GORDON SerenaSilverado p/b Sunnyside Sports
17PENNINGTON AliceKona
18CUTLER JessicaCyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue C
19GAERTNER JenniMotofish Racing
20BLATT RebeccaVan Dessel
21SMITH AndreaLadiesFirst Racing
22ORTON Beth AnnTeam S&M
23MCLAUGHLIN JayneZuster Cycling
24DONG EvelynWhite Pine Touring
25GUYNUP JoeleCondo Group
26KONCZ NatalieZuster Cycling
27MELENA Katie JBicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst
28REPULSKI JanaBroken Spoke Cycling
29GIBSON ShannonStan's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross
30KOENIG Shantelredbike
31BURTON AlexandraUpper Echelon Fitness
32FLETCHER SaraWest Coast Women's Cycling p/b
DNFMILLER MeredithCalifornia Giant Berry Farms