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Boulder Cyclo-cross - C2
Boulder, Colorado, USA, October 29, 2006
Wells and Compton take dominant victories
By Kimberly Baldwin
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Katie Compton solidly won the UCI women's Boulder Cyclo-cross race, beating second place Georgia Gould of Luna Chix by 36 seconds and Ann Trombley of Excel by nearly two minutes. Todd Wells pounded his opponents in a similar style in the professional men's race, pulling away from a three-man breakaway about half way through the race to take the win over Joachim Parbo of Denmark and Jonathan Baker of Vitamin Cottage.
Crowds like never before came out to Boulder Reservoir today to watch and participate in the all-day cyclo-cross event. It was a picture-perfect Colorado day with clear skies, warm temperatures, and no wind. With over 400 total participants, it was by far the biggest 'cross event ever held in the Boulder area and the terrain itself made the course a tough one. "We really wanted to try and use what was available out here to design the course, make it like the original 'cross courses in Europe," explained race organiser and promoter Brian Hludzinski. "We didn't have any man-made barriers. We only used what was out there…..lots of sand, an old dock. The course turned out well."
It seems the dock was what made the difference for Todd Wells. The men's race had over 40 starters, including junior national time trial champion Tejay Van Garderen, and Nat Ross - fresh off a win at 24 Hours of Moab. But within the first 15 minutes, a three-man break had formed off the front and was going strong. The break consisted of Danish national cyclo-cross champion, Joachim Parbo, local favorite Jon Baker of Vitamin Cottage, and Durango-based Todd Wells. It looked like Wells kept attacking the pair each time they approached the sandy hill but Baker and Parbo stayed close behind. Finally, about half way through the race, Wells made his decisive move. "There was a loose gravel corner where I was able to get a small gap. Then I built it after the dock," explained Wells. Wells and his brother Troy were the only ones all day able to stay on their bikes and bunny-hop the dock, which made all the difference. As Wells' lead continued to grow, he lapped the majority of the field to taking the win.
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Behind him the race for second was on between Baker and Parbo. "I got a gap on Parbo for a few laps. I figured out a bit faster than him how to best take the line in the sand. But once he figured it out, he was able to catch me again," said Baker. Parbo out-sprinted Baker at the finish to take second, doing a little jig after crossing the line. "I really didn't feel very good today," said Baker. "I'm very sensitive with my eating and I forgot about turning the clocks back, so my timing was a little off."
In the women's race, it was Katie Compton all the way. After almost winning the category three men's race, Katie went straight into the women's race and never looked back. With competitors like Georgia Gould, Ann Trombley, Kerry Barnholt, and Melissa Thomas, nothing was going to be easy. But Compton took the early lead over Gould and never relinquished it. Gould fought valiantly behind her and was slowly making up ground in the final laps, but it was Compton taking the win by 36 seconds over Gould. "I'm gearing towards the Portland USGP and Nationals," said Compton after the race. "Next weekend's races will be a great test for me, having Lynn Bessette and Katrina Nash here."
A battle for the final podium spot was being fought another minute and a half back between Kerry Barnholt and Ann Trombley, as they kept attacking each other vying for a slim lead. On the final lap, Trombley finally pulled away to take third overall almost two minutes back. Barnholt finished fourth and Rhonda Mazza in fifth.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Kimberly Wagner
- Jon Baker (Harshman Wealth/Primus Mootry) takes the hole shot in a furious start.
- Less than 2 laps in, US Champ Todd Wells (GT), Danish National Champ Joachim Paribo, and Jon Baker (HW/PM) had rocketed off the front of the race.
- Boulder's own Eric Zabel. Chuck Coyle (Vitamin Cottage) is a new addition to pro team Successful Living for 2007.
- Espoir national champ Troy Wells (TIAA-CREF) doesn't have his hands quite as full as his older brother.
- Dwight 'Whitey' DeBroux (HW/PM) hides the pain well.
- Christian McCarthy (Vitamin Cottage) gets airborne.
- Brandon Dwight (Boulder Cycle Sport) was one of the few that took the faster line through the water.
- Jon Baker (HW/PM) focused in the front group of 3.
- Erik Tonkin (Kona) and Matt Shriver (Sonic) get jiggy with it.
- Troy Wells (TIAA-CREF) rails the downhill corner towards the water.
- Junior National Champ Danny Summerhill (TIAA-CREF) praying it will all be over soon.
- Brady Kappius (TIAA-CREF) is another rider keeping the average age of the team very low.
- Jon Tarkington (Vitamin Cottage) is more than familiar with the pain of cyclo-cross.
- Matt Shriver (Sonic) gives it some gas to see how Erik Tonkin (Kona) is feeling.
- Dwight Debroux (HW/PM) tries to keep his form tight as the race wears on.
- Todd Wells (GT) finally let's loose and easily drops the Danish Champ and Jon Baker for a authoritative win.
- Danish Champ Joachim Paribo could only watch as the stars and stripes jersey of Todd Wells grew smaller and smaller.
- Jon Baker (HW/PM) but in a desperate attack with two to go and gapped Paribo only to be caught shortly after and then beat in the sprint for 2nd.
Images by Allen Krughoff/www.krughphoto.com
- Wells leads the break
- Men's podium
- The trio keep close
- The men racing over the beach
- The gap opens up during the closing stages
- Pete Webber rounds the bend
- Joachim outsprints Baker to the finish
Images by Mark Legg/Mark Legg Images
- National Cyclocross Champion Katie Compton starts mid pack in the men’s category three
- Cyclocross racing gets a little argy bargy
- The men’s category three field was one of the largest fields of the season
- Katie Compton chases down the leaders
- Racing with the category three men provides Compton great training for taking on the Elite women
- Katie Compton 'girls' the men’s field
- The sandy courses provided challenging conditions for the riders
- The men’s category three field in full flight with Compton in the mix
- Katie loves her Cane Creek Aros 58 wheels with Dugast Rhino tires
- Compton leads the men’s category three field through the sand
- Katie’s Cane Creek Aros 58 wheels rail the tight road corners
- The long sand run was not decisive in the race but it proved to be a challenge
- The two race leaders working well to break from the field
- Step for step the leaders matched each other's pace
- Sand, Sun and Cyclocross in Boulder, Colorado
- US National Champion Katie Compton
- The women’s field takes off
Results
Mens Pro 1 Todd Wells (GT) 2 Joachim Parbo (CK Aarhus/www.joachimparbo.dk) 3 Jonathan Baker (Harshman Wealth/Primus Mootry) 4 Erik Tonkin (Kona) 5 Matt Shriver (TargeTraining Cycling Team) 6 Peter Webber (Boulder Cycle Sport) 7 Dwight DeBroux (Harshman Wealth/Primus Mootry) 8 Colby Pearce (TIAA-CREF/5280 Magazine) 9 Troy Wells (TIAA-CREF/CLIF BAR) 10 Brandon Dwight (Boulder Cycle Sport) Womens Pro 1 Katie Compton (Spike Professional/Primus Mootry) 2 Georgia Gould (Luna Chix) 3 Ann Trombley (Excel Sports) 4 Kerry Barnholt (Tokyo Joes) 5 Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bicycles) 6 Melissa Thomas (Tokyo Joe's Cycling Team) 7 Dellys Starr (Sports Garage) 8 Megan Monroe (Sports Garage - BMC) 9 Jennifer Gersbach (Tokyo Joe's Cycling Team) 10 Catherine Johnson (Pro Peloton Racing)
