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And they're off! Nittany Lion ’Cross kicks off UCI season © Anthony Skorochod/CyclingCaptured.com

by Ken Getchell

September 13, 2010; Conshohocken, PA, USA:  Over 500 entries descended on the grounds surrounding the famous Trexlertown Velodrome at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center on September 11 for the Nittany Lion ‘Cross, the opening race for both the Champions System MAC Series and the worldwide UCI Cyclocross Calendar.

In a rare experimental format switch, the UCI Women and Men were moved up on the program, ahead of the 70-rider Elite Masters nightcap.  In the UCI Women’s race, two competitors who represent the past three MAC season championships, rode away from the field of nearly 30 women from the start.  Laura Van Gilder (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes) and Mo Bruno-Roy (Bob’s Red Mill presented by Seven Cycles) rode together for most of the race, most often with Van Gilder taking the pacing position.  Rather than relying on her powerful sprint, Van Gilder rode Bruno-Roy off her wheel with about half a lap remaining to finish solo, nine seconds ahead of Bruno-Roy.  As with all UCI races in the Champion System MAC this year, the top three women were paid equal to the top three men.  Philadelphia’s Kristin Gavin (Team CF), who continues to develop into one of the nation’s top riders, finished third to pull down the last of the increased paychecks.

The Men’s race had drama before the course was even set-up when Jeremy Powers emailed the organizers to tell them that he had to withdraw as the result of a broken finger suffered on his road bike.  Without medical clearance to race, one of the most dominant riders in North America was out, and the race suddenly became wide-open on a course that was hard and fast as a result of the hot, dry summer.  Luke Keough (Champion Systems), who finished third here last year, was a late addition to the field, but had to start in the back row because the start order had already been submitted.  It didn’t matter, though, because by the end of the first lap Keough was off the front of the bike race in a lead group that also contained Switzerland’s defending MAC champion Valentin Schertz (Cyfac-Champion System), veteran ‘cross promoter and road sprinter Adam Myerson (Team CycleSmart) and hard-luck rider of the day Ryan Knapp (BikeReg.com). 

Knapp, the 2008 Zipp OVCX presented by Papa John’s season champion, made the ten-and-a-half hour drive to get some early season UCI point.  He did, but he had to do it the hard way as various observers counted either three or four mechanicals that caused Knapp to drop off the lead group.  The Indiana strong man was able to rejoin the lead group following each incident and eventually finished fifth overall, just two seconds out of first place.

Only one rider was able to bridge the gap from the main chase group to the leaders.  Alec Donohue of the Northampton Cycling Club hit the front of the group as soon as he made contact and rode pace for most of the final three laps with Myerson on his wheel before fading somewhat in the last half lap to finish fourth.  The finish came down to sprint with Myerson leading out.  Keough found enough room on the inside of the final corner to sneak through and held on for the final 200 meters to take the win over Myerson with Schertz in third.  The top three finishers were separated by only 1.1 seconds.

In the final race of the day, Bill Elliston (Van Dessel Factory Team), won the Champion System MAC Elite Masters race in his first Masters cyclocross race.  There were 73 entries for the Elite Masters.  In the concurrent Elite Junior race, multiple national champion Jeff Bahnson (Van Dessel Factory Team) took another commanding win.

The next races on the Champion System MAC Series are this weekend, September 18 and 19 in Baltimore for the two-day UCI Charm City Cyclocross.  That will be followed on September 26 by MAC’s first non-UCI race of the year at the WhirlyBird ‘Cross at Pennsylvania’s Bryn Athyn College, which will feature fully equal prize lists for the Elite Men and Women.  All Champion System MAC races can be entered through BikeReg.com.  For more information on the Champion System MAC Series, see www.MidAtlanticCross.com.

Full results below.

Photo Gallery:

Results:

Elite Men:

Place Time Bib # Last Name First Name Team City ST
1 1:00:30.8 35 KEOUGH LUKE CHAMPION SYSTEMS
2 1:00:31.1 4 MYERSON ADAM TEAM: CYCLE-SMART BOSTON MA
3 1:00:31.9 3 SCHERZ VALENTIN CYFAC-CHAMPION SYSTEM RACING TEAM
4 1:00:32.8 33 DONAHUE ALEC NORTHAMPTON CC
5 1:00:32.9 5 KNAPP RYAN BIKEREG.COM COLUMBUS IN
6 1:00:42.7 7 SCHEMPF WESTON C3-ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES BETHESDA MD
7 1:00:46.3 8 WULFKUHLE ANDREW C3-ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES LANCASTER PA
8 1:00:54.0 12 BRADSHAW PETER EMBROCATION CYCLING JOURNAL BOSTON MA
9 1:01:13.1 11 NELESSEN GUILLAUME VAN DESSEL FACTORY TEAM LAMBERTVILLE NJ
10 1:01:18.8 6 DEWALD RYAN HAYMARKET / SEAVS
11 1:01:28.1 27 DURRIN JEREMY WHEELHOUSE / NCC AMHERST MA
12 1:01:40.8 14 CUMMINGS STEPHEN HAYMARKET BICYCLES  / SEAVS PITTSBURGH PA
13 1:01:49.9 21 MUEHL ERIC INDUSTRY NINE FACTORY ASHEVILLE NC
14 1:02:01.5 17 DOMBROWSKI JOSEPH HAYMARKET / SEAVS
15 1:02:12.0 2 GRAND ANTHONY CYFAC-CHAMPION SYSTEM RACING TEAM
16 1:03:01.8 10 WITTWER GREG ALAN NORTH AMERICA CYCLING TEAM RICHMOND VA
17 1:03:14.4 23 WEAVER DAVE ALAN N. AMERICA CYCLING TEAM TOWSON MD
18 1:03:23.6 31 FELDMAN MUKUNDA WHEELHOUSE / NCC EASTHAMPTON MA
19 1:03:30.6 15 ADAMS ZACH C3-ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES CARLISLE PA
20 1:03:37.3 19 SPOHN MATT CYFAC-CHAMPION SYSTEM RACING TEAM P/B REVOLUTION WHEELWORKS WEST CHESTER PA
21 1:03:48.3 30 BROADWATER MARK C3-ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES COCKEYSVILLE MD
22 1:04:16.3 36 KEOUGH JESSEE CHAMPION SYSTEMS
23 1:04:45.6 9 ADAMSON SHAUN TEAM: CYCLE-SMART EDMONTON AB
24 1:05:03.2 24 PIERCE STEPHEN CAMBRIDGE BICYCLE / IGLEHEART FRAMES SOMERVILLE MA
25 1:05:03.7 34 KEOUGH NICHOLAS CHAMPION SYSTEMS
26 1:06:11.8 16 CONSORTO CHRISTOPHER GUYS BIKES LANDENBERG PA
27 1:06:14.8 39 Semian Zachary Chester County Cycling Foundati
28 1 lap 13 NIETERS JARED HAYMARKET / SEAVS
29 1 lap 18 JENKS MICHAEL HIGHLAND PARK HERMES P/B KIM’S BIKE SHOP HIGHLAND PARK NJ
30 1 lap 28 PEPPO KYLE CYFAC-CHAMPION SYSTEM RACING TEAM P/B REVOLUTION WHEELWORKS NEW YORK NY
31 2 laps 20 FORD BRADLEY CLASSIC CYCLING ESSENTIALS CCE ZIONSVILLE PA
32 2 laps 37 HANLON CHARLES GUYS RACING CLUB
33 3 laps 26 POSHARD DEAN ROCKLOBSTER SANTA CRUZ CA
34 4 laps 25 SOMMERVILLE DAVID CYFAC-CHAMPION SYSTEM P/B REVOLUTION WHEELWORKS BROOKLYN NY
DNS 1 POWERS JEREMY JELLY BELLY P/B KENDA EASTHAMPTON MA
DNS 22 YOZELL MICHAEL PAVALLEYS.COM EMMAUS PA
DNF 29 CHABANOV DANIEL NYCROSS.COM / CBRC BROOKLYN NY
DNF 32 TISZA ZOLTAN UNATTACHED
DNF 38 BALL RICHARD WATCHUNG WHEELMEN

Elite Women:

Place Time Bib # Last Name First Name Team City ST
1 37:47.1 52 VAN GILDER LAURA C3 — ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES CRESCO PA
2 37:56.4 51 BRUNO ROY MAUREEN BOB’S RED MILL P/B SEVEN CYCLES ARLINGTON MA
3 38:34.5 54 GAVIN KRISTIN TEAM CF PHILADELPHIPA PA
4 38:35.5 56 KEMMERER ARLEY C3 – ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES SILVER SPRING MD
5 38:38.4 60 BLATT REBECCA SILVER BULL/CENTRAL WHEEL WEST HARTFORD CT
6 38:49.0 57 POPOVIC CAROLYN PAVALLEYS.COM EAST NORRITON PA
7 38:51.3 58 YOZELL ERICA PAVALLEYS.COM EMMAUS PA
8 38:53.1 69 DOWIDCHUK KATRINA TEAM TBB/DEEP BLUE WILMINGTON DE
9 39:01.1 55 THIEMANN NIKKI TEAM CF PHILADELPHIA PA
10 39:01.6 66 KULIECZA JULIE ALAN NORTH AMERICA CYCLING RICHMOND VA
11 39:02.2 62 WEBBER LAURI SECRET HENRY’S TEAM NEWARK DE
12 39:20.1 59 MAXWELL JENNIFER VAN DESSEL FACTORY TEAM WASHINGTON DC
13 39:20.7 77 SILLIMAN ERIN FRUIT66/ARTEMIS WASHINGTON DC
14 40:01.0 63 PIPES LENORE THE WISTAR INSTITUTE PHILADELPHIA PA
15 40:04.3 78 MALDONADO LYNDA CANNONDALE/CADENCE
16 40:12.8 61 CHURCH KRISTINE HUMAN ZOOM/ PABST BLUE RIBBON PHILADELPHIA PA
17 40:23.1 70 FENNESSY CHRISTINE SOUTH MOUNTAIN CYCLES EMMAUS PA
18 40:37.1 71 HILLESHEIM LINDSEY SQUADRA COPPI ARLINGTON VA
19 40:46.1 53 THOMAS VICKI DISASTERRECOVERY.COM OTTAWA ON
20 40:47.6 68 HARLOW ELIZABETH C3 – ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES BALTIMORE MD
21 41:25.5 74 CUTLER AMY TEAM EPS/CSS P/B BRIELLE CYCLERY MANVILLE NJ
22 42:07.2 64 BUERKLE PATTY HAYMARKET BICYCLES / SEAVS PITTSBURGH PA
23 42:16.7 76 YEAGER SELENE TEAM CF EMMAUS PA
24 42:19.8 75 HAYES CONROY JESSICA NORTH AMERICAN VELO PROVIDENCE RI
25 42:26.2 79 SCHUMACHER KATHRIN GUYS RACING CLUB
26 42:53.3 65 MOST LISA WISSAHICKON/ENGIN CYCLES PHILADELPHIA PA
DNS 72 MARTINEZ VERONICA ALLENTOWN PA
DNS 73 DUBECK KIM C3 ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES WEST CHESTER PA
DNF 67 BREYLA AMY C3 – ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES NEW CASTLE DE

Check back soon for more details, results and photos.