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Results

Record Crowds, Big Win for Andy Jacques-Maynes

Andy Jacques Maynes (California Giant Strawberry)
Photo ©: Hyun Lee

Record crowds, record beer consumption and a surprise winner were the most talked about moments at the 2006 Clif Bar/Hagens Berman Starcrossed Cyclocross race this year. A total of about 2500 spectators packed into Redmond Washington’s Marymoor Park to see some great bicycle racing. The Women’s race was taken by Canadian National Champion Wendy Simms who overcame a three-way battle for the win.

The men’s main event was fast, painful, and exciting and it certainly did not disappoint the rowdy pumped up crowds who had been feasting on Pabst Blue Ribbon in the beer garden all day long. Just a few laps into the race a select group of men pulled away from the rest of the field to form the lead freight train that would never look back. This select group included Andy Jacques-Maynes, Carl Decker, Jonny Sundt, Chris Mcgovern, Dan Neyens, Morgan Schmitt, Geoff Kabush, and Russell Stevenson. Stevenson pinned it from the start with Kabush, Sundt, Decker, and Jacques-Maynes taking short lived attacks and flyers.

The surprising move of the day was by 21 year old Dan Neyens of the Hagens Berman Cyclocross Team who was able to get a significant gap quickly but a late race bobble ended this excellent move. With a few laps to go Decker moved up with an eye on a late charge but Jacques-Maynes had other ideas and was able to keep the wily Decker at bay and take the win. Kabush would finish third, Chris Mcgovern fourth, and the resurgent Sundt would finish 5th after spending three long days setting up for the event.

The Women's Elite race had plenty of fireworks and a surprise ending. As expected, two-time Canadian National Champion Wendy Simms (Kona) got off to a torrid start, pinning it from the gun. But by the first turn on the backside, Bridgette Stoick (River City Bicycles) took over the lead. A lead group formed – consisting of Stoick, Simms, and Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M) – and stuck together for next three laps. Midway through the race, newcomers Sue Butler and Wendy Williams (both of River City Bicycles) chased down the lead group, and Butler took the lead for over a lap.

With under two laps to go, Williams laid down an attack and, with Simms closely on her wheel, they passed Butler and moved into the one-two slots. As they sprinted to the finish line on the last lap, Williams had a ten-yard lead and appeared to have the win locked-up. But mistakenly thinking that the finish line was beyond the beer garden barriers, Williams made a sharp right turn, and Simms rode straight ahead for the win. Williams was eventually placed into the 2nd position because of the error by the officials.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Hyun Lee

• The crowds were back for the 2006 Cliff Bar/Hagens Berman Star Crossed Cyclocross race and so was Saturn for Seattle
• Dave Towles and Anthony Dickson getting ready for a long night of announcing
• The Sliderule Engineering Bridge adds a new challenge to the typical cross race
• Justin Morgan, Jonny Sundt and Dan Neyens representing the Hagens Berman Cyclocross Team
• And they’re off
• Geoff Kabush (Maxxis)chases down Russell Stevenson’s first lap attack
• Riders took full advantage of Marymoor’s 25 degree banking
• Jonny Sundt leads the field through the triple barriers
• Andy Jacques Maynes (California Giant Strawberry) putting the pressure on
• Geoff Kabush turning the screws through the triple barriers
• Dan Neyens (Hagens Berman) hanging tough with the leaders
• Carl Decker (Giant) looking for the 'three-peat' reels back Dan Neyens
• Adam McGrath (Maxxis) leads a chase to the leaders
• Andy Jacques-Maynes takes the lead ahead of Carl Decker and Geoff Kabush
• Jonny Sundt gets a special prize for 5th
• Andy Jacques-Maynes winner of the 2006 edition of Star Crossed
• The Elite Men’s Podium celebrating the night

Results

Elite Men

1 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Cal Giant)
2 Carl Decker (Giant Bicycles)
3 Geoff Kabush (Maxxis)
4 Chris Mcgovern
5 Jonny Sundt (Hagens Berman)
6 Russell Stevenson (Benaroyal Research)

Elite Women

1 Wendy Simms (Kona)
2 Wendy Williams (Team River City Bicycles)  
3 Sue Butler (Team River City Bicycles)  
4 Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M)  
5 Bridgette Stoick (Team River City Bicycles)