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Cyclo-cross news & racing roundup for November 12Edited by Laura Weislo Welcome to our regular roundup of what's happening in cyclo-cross. Feel free to send feedback, news and releases to mtb@cyclingnews.com. US World Cup a possibilityBy Peter Hymas
A North American cyclo-cross World Cup has been discussed for several years, but recent meetings of 'cross organisations in Europe seem to make the prospect of a 2009 round across the Atlantic a stronger possibility than ever. The topic has been part of the conversation for both AIOC-Cross (International Association of Cyclo-Cross Organizers) and UCI Cyclo-cross Commission members at their recent respective meetings in Belgium and the Czech Republic. Adam Myerson, an American professional cyclist and promoter, is a member of both AIOC-Cross, a private organization for cyclo-cross promoters, and the five-person UCI Cyclo-cross Commission. He attended the AIOC-Cross meeting held October 18 near the Kalmthout, Belgium World Cup venue and the UCI Cyclo-cross Commission meeting held October 27 in Prague following the Tabor World Cup. "The UCI pre-calendar [for 2009-2010] has been established and the UCI has made room to go forward with CrossVegas [as a World Cup round -ed.]. A Wednesday in September has been set aside and everyone knows what race that is," Myerson told Cyclingnews. "The UCI and AIOC-Cross want an American race. CrossVegas is a big success, but there are still many things to be done if it is to be run as a World Cup." Myerson emphasized that setting aside a date on the UCI pre-calendar only sets the groundwork for the establishment of the event as a World Cup, but by no means guarantees the event will take place in 2009 as the World Cup opener. Brook Watts, CrossVegas race promoter, refused to comment. US 'cross nationals: new course, survey, film premiereBy Mark Zalewski, North American Editor The 2008 site for the USA Cycling national championships of cyclo-cross is once again in Kansas City from December 11-14, though in a new location – Tiffany Springs Park on the Missouri side of the metro area, closer to the airport. The racing will kick-off with the Mud & Blood Ball on December 11 at the Mission Theatre in Mission, Kansas featuring the premiere of the film "Zero Traction", an inside look at the 2007 championships. The host KCCX is also looking for feedback from past and potential participants before the race. A successful pre-nationals race preview on the new course was held on November 1 which gave organizers additional feedback to refine the course. "It's about 90 percent there," said Bill Marshall. "We had some pro riders that gave us feedback as we initially laid out the course and then other riders gave us more after the race." Marshall said that a video preview of the course is posted on the race web site, though it will be slightly different after additional revisions. "Once the riders get to the barriers we are going to change it a bit there." In a more general feedback request, the organizers are looking for 'cross racers' thoughts on Kansas City as the location for nationals going into the future. "We want to bid on it again," said Marshall. "The whole intent is that we want to prove to USA Cycling that it is advantageous to have the event in the middle of the US. The demographic is mostly the northwest and northeast, so we want to show them that Kansas City is in the middle of that." Finally, the four days of racing begins with a decidedly un-black tie event, aptly named the Mud & Blood Ball. A documentary filmed at last year's event will be premiered. The log-line of the film says it, "immerses the viewer in the real feel of hard-core cyclo-cross racing in extreme weather conditions, including driving snow, mud, ice and frozen mud." Information about the event can be found at: www.kccrossnationals.com. Riders can participate in the survey at: www.klmmarketingsolutions.com/survey/fillsurvey.php?sid=7 World champion back on top
The reigning cyclo-cross world champion, Lars Boom, made his return to the top of the sport with two strong performances this past week. After a slow start to the 'cross season which saw the Dutchman barely inside the top ten in the first two World Cups, Boom stormed into November with two second places in Oudenaarde and Veghel-Eerde. He completed his climb to the top in the Pijnacker World Cup, where he took a dramatic duel with Niels Albert. In a similarly muddy affair, Boom returned to the top of the podium two days later, where he powered through the thick muck in the Jaarmarktcross Niel to distance Albert and Belgian champion, Sven Nys by more than half a minute. "This win was rather easy," Boom said. "I was riding smoothly and once I had fifteen seconds I knew that I could keep that gap without a problem. During the last three laps I rode a little harder on the road towards the finish line to extend my lead," Boom said. Compton comes close in PijnackerBy Brecht Decaluwé in Pijnacker, The Netherlands
Katie Compton returned to the Pijnacker World Cup after a leg injury that forced her to pull out of the World Cup in Kalmthout, and only a snafu during a last lap bike change kept her from contesting for the win. Despite lacking any points in the series, which earned her a start at the back of the bunch, Compton's characteristically strong start put her in the lead of the race within the first lap. Compton quickly amassed a lead of twenty seconds on the chase group where Hanka Kupfernagel had just recovered from a poor start. The World Champion plowed away from the main chase group in search of leader Compton. The American stoutly defended every metre of her lead, but on the last lap a determined Kupfernagel caught up. Halfway through the lap, Compton switched bikes in the pit, but the handlebars of the bike she was leaving behind got caught in the back wheel of her fresh bike. Kupfernagel exploited this misfortune, and the German rider powered away from her American rival in the mud of Pijnacker. Compton was delighted with her performance in the second World Cup race of the season. "I've been injured so I'm really happy today. I had a couple of mishaps in the last laps because I missed the endurance," Compton said before congratulating Katerina Nash, the day's third placed finisher. Nys takes sixth win in EernegemBy Brecht Decaluwé in Eernegem, Belgium
Belgian champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner) took his sixth victory of the season in the Houtlandcross in Eernegem in a sprint against local hero and last year's winner Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb Projob Cycling Team). A few seconds later Dutchman Thijs Al (AA Drink - BeOne) held off Dieter Vanthourenhout (Palmans - Cras ) for the remaining podium spot while American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) came in as last rider of this group, finishing fifth. World champion Lars Boom and World Cup leader Niels Albert preferred to skip the race in Eernegem in order to be fresh enough for tomorrow's World Cup race in Pijnacker, The Netherlands. Nys wasn't expected to start in Eernegem, but nevertheless the Belgian champion showed up and grabbed his sixth victory of the season. Elliott, Cyclocrossworld team double in Canada
The North American cyclo-cross heavies headed across the border into Canada for the double C1 weekend in Toronto this past weekend, and fittingly, Ottawa native Natasha Elliott took two commanding victories in her home province. On a cold and rainy weekend, Elliott soloed to victory by more than two minutes over her nearest competitors, Dawn Anderson (Oak bay Bikes) and Kristin Wentworth (Planet Bike) on Saturday. The following day, Elliott faced stronger competition from Kristin Wentworth (Planet Bike) and Rebecca Wellons (Ridley Factory Team). "I like the mud and I got a good taste of it racing in Belgium last year," said Elliott. "It was a very demanding and powerful course where I needed to keep a constant pressure on the pedals. It was so sloppy and wet but it was fun. The points are important for me because I want to go back to Europe for two months of racing." On the men's side, the Cyclocrossworld/Cannondale duo Jeremy Powers and Tim Johnson took turns on the podium's top step. Saturday's mud-fest went to Powers, who took the lead after Johnson crashed. The US champion rode a flawless race on Sunday to come home with his fourth win of the season. Van Gilder takes USA rankings lead
Notable road sprinter Laura Van Gilder took over the lead in the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar with a victory in the Highland Park Cyclo-cross race this past weekend. Van Gilder came into the weekend in third overall behind Natasha Elliott and Georgia Gould, but with Elliott choosing to race in her native Canada over the weekend and Gould taking the weekend off, Van Gilder was able to slide into the lead by ten points ahead of Elliott. Maureen Bruno-Roy moved up into fourth place ahead of Deidre Winfield thanks to her second place in Highland Park. Winfield is now tide for fifth with the Dam Cross winner, Rachel Lloyd. On the men's side, Jeremy Powers maintained his lead in the overall standings despite having raced in Canada over the weekend, where important C1 points were on the offer. None of the top men raced on US soil, so the top five standings remained the same, with Trebon in second, ten points behind, while US champion Tim Johnson is third ahead of Jamey Driscoll and Jonathan Page. USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Calendar standings after 25 races
Men's Standings
Women's Standings
Chicago Cyclo-cross Cup to host Collegiate RaceThe Chicago Cyclo-cross Cup is pleased to announce the addition of a collegiate race for both men and women. The race is scheduled for Sunday, November 16 in Lansing, Illinois. The Lan Oak Park Race #8 allows collegiate riders to earn points toward the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference (MWCCC) Cyclo-cross Series. This is the first time the series has incorporated a collegiate race as part of the race offerings. Individual series winners of the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference (MWCCC) Cyclo-cross Series earn front row privileges in the upcoming 2008 USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships scheduled for December 11-14, 2008. Further information about the race and the series be found by visiting www.chicrosscup.com Recent Cyclo-cross results
Upcoming UCI races
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