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2003 US Cyclo-cross Nationals - CN
Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon, USA, December 12-14, 2003
December 14: Elite Men
Page makes it two for two
By Kristy Scrymgeour in Portland, Oregon
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Jonathan Page added his name to the history books today when he joined riders such as Jan Wiejack, Don Myrah and Clark Natwick in winning back to back US National Cyclocross titles. Page was very aware of this fact as he came across the line at the finish claiming that he is already "ready to do it again".
Page came to today's race off a very successful European season where he placed in the top 20 is almost all of his races. His style and speed today reflected this spectacular form. He led the race from the gun with Todd Wells and Andy Jaques-Maynes in tow. At the end of the first lap Page and Wells led by 10" from Ryan Trebon and Jaques-Maynes with the field strung out behind them.
Wells managed to stay with Page until lap three when he slowly slipped off the wheel a little. Not long after Wells was caught by Ryan Trebon who was having a great ride. The pair was still only ten seconds off Page. Page continued to power on taking time gradually on his pursuers. Behind him, Wells and Trebon were caught by Jaques-Maynes; and Marc Gullickson and Stewart Jackson had paired up behind them. The pace of the race was amazing with the guys flying around the tough, grinding course.
Finally with four laps to go, Trebon was able to edge away from Wells, a position which he held for almost three laps until he flatted allowing Wells to catch him again. As Page crossed the finish line for the bell lap, he had about 45" on Wells and was gradually increasing his lead. Wells led Trebon by another 15" who was followed by Gullickson, Jacques-Maynes, Brown and Barry Wicks(who was back again after winning the collegiate race yesterday).
The last lap flew by again without any change in the order of the top riders and Page was tackled on the line by his wife Cori and a plethora of supporters. Without being able to take the grin off his face, Page exclaimed his excitement. "It feels really good. There was a lot riding on this. More than anyone knows," he said. He then spoke of the threat of Trebon who had managed to stay with him for so long in the race. "I just knew I had to make no mistakes and hope for him to crack," he said. "It was very slippery so I made a couple of mistakes but we all did to it didn't matter that much."
Wells was thrilled with his second placing. "I got tangled in the tape and then I flatted and lost time, but everyone had problems today," he said, "so I can't complain."
One of the great rides of the day was from Trebon who was very pleased when Cyclingnews caught up with him after the race "I knew it would be tough today," he said. "I tried to go with Page for a couple of laps but he is just so fast and finally I had to take a lap to recover. Then I flatted and that's when Todd caught me, but I managed to hold on for third and it was a good end to my season and I'm happy with the result."
Taking the final two podium positions were Marc Gullickson and Stewart Jackson respectively, with Andy Jaques-Mayne, Barry Wicks, Ben Jaques-Maynes and Dale Knapp rounding off the top ten. The day ended with the excitement of good racing in the air, as everyone rushed home or back to their hotels to get dry and clean after a long weekend of rain and mud.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of Rob Karman images click here
Images by Rob Karman/ 
- Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) put his stamp on the race from the beginning
- An enthusiatsic spectator runs back up the hill after sliding down it on his stomach
- After 1 lap it was a 2 man battle between Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) and and Todd Wells (Mongoose-Hyundai)
- Todd Wells (Mongoose-Hyundai) digs deep to stay with Page in the early part of the race
- Ryan Trebon chasing hard right behind the leaders
- Marc Gullickson (Redline) had a bad start but powered his way to 4th at the finish
- USPro road champ Mark McCormack flies the Saturn colors for one last time
- A good spectator turnout had them lined 3 deep in some sections of the course
- Not following anyone's wheel helped Jonathan Page keep comparatively clean as he plowed through the mud bogs
- Jonathan Page wasn't even breathing hard as he continued to open the gap to Ryan Trebon (in background)
- Ryan Trebon kept Page in sight for the first half of the race before being passed by a surging Todd Wells and finishing 3rd
- Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar) made a bid for the podium but couldn't hold off Todd Wells (in background)
- Marc Gullickson (Redline) and Jackson Stewart (Clif Bar) spent much of the race together before finishing in 4th and 5th respectively
- Jonathan Page's Belgian-refined mud-handling skills were put to good use
- Ryan Trebon kept the pressure on in his best nationals finish ever
- Jonathan Page takes another soupy corner with ease
- Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) another repeat US Cyclo-Cross Champion
- Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) plows through another mud bog
- Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) celebrates his repeat win as US Cyclo-Cross Champion
- Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) finally allows himself a grin as he crosses the line
Images by Hyun Lee
- Dale Knapp arrives at US Nationals at PIR
- Ryan Trebon and Mark McCormick at the start line
- Defending US Champion Jonathan Page arrives at the start with Dale Knapp in the background
- The Elite Men get ready to start
- They're off!
- Fans find good spots wherever they can
- Jonathan Page and Todd Wells create an early gap
- Mark Gullickson and Barry Wicks chase
- Riders chase down one of the few non muddy sections
- Dale Knapp chases through the field
- Todd Wells follows Jonathan Page through the muddy flats
- Jackson Stewart forges on in third place followed by Mark Gullickson in the background
- Mark McCormack, Travis Brown and Mark Gullickson choose to run instead
- Barry Wicks and Eric Tonkin choose the running option as well
- Wells and Page show their hopping skills over the block
- Trebon and Stewart choose to dismount and remount over the concrete block
- Wells chases with Trebon and Stewart after Page makes his escape,
- Jonathan Page forges ahead solo
- Ryan Trebon chases in second place
- Todd Wells pursues in third place
- Jackson Stewart getting muddy in 4th place
- Gully follows in fifth
- It's Knapp time in Portland with Dale Knapp
- Tim Ellis remounts in the slop
- Adam Myerson getting dirty in Portland
- Rich McClung - dirty but still having a good time
- Jonathan Page still maintains his lead after three falls
- Ryan Trebon looking even taller from this angle
- Riders soon became unrecognizable after all the sloppy off camber turns
- Russell Stevenson forges on
- Tim Ellis slugging it out
- Jonathan Page pushes his bike through this slippery section
- Ryan Trebon decides to dismount and run it instead
- The course soon became akin to mud soup
- Todd Wells persistently chases Trebon
- Tonkin and McCormick duke it out until the finish
- East coast versus West coast
- With two laps to go, Ryan Trebon encounters some difficulty...
- Ryan Trebon but he recovers nicely
- Jonathan Page on his bell lap
- Jonathan Page wins his second consecutive US championship
Images by Sabine Dukes/www.velobella.org
- Todd Wells (Mongoose) follows Jonathan Page (Selle Italia) in the first few laps of the race
- Cyclocross fans at the top of the course's run up
- Marc Gullickson (Redline-Ritchey) and Jackson Stewart (Clif Bar) would finish 4th and 5th
- Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar) negotiates the tricky off camber section
- Justin Robinson (Family Cycling Center) just loves racing in these conditions
- Jonathan Page eventually pulled away to win by just over one minute
- Jonathan Page looks relieved as he rolls in for a 2nd championship in a row
- Todd Wells rounds the final turn as he holds on to 2nd place
Images by Mitchell Clinton/Clinton Photo
Elite men
- Jonathan Page & Todd Wells - stay at the front, you stay clean.
- Andy Jacques-Maynes chasing hard
- All lenses were on Jonathan Page
- Todd Wells looking poised
- Andy Jacques-Maynes negotiates yet another patch of mud soup
- Ryan Trebon focuses on his target
- Mark McCormack looks like he's wondering if one last 'cross season in Saturn colours was such a great idea
- A gallant attempt to ride the hill
- The pack hits the hill on the first lap
- Ryan Trebon is still intent
- Todd Wells - If I close my eyes, I won't get mucd in them
- Jonathan Page attacks the downhill as if it was paved
- Last minutes of the nationals and we see the sun for the first time
Results
Elite Men 1 Jonathan Page 58.49 2 Todd Wells (Mongoose) 1.09 3 Ryan Trebon (Easton/Kona) 1.31 4 Marc Gullickson (Redline/Ritchey) 1.54 5 Jackson Stewart (Clif Bar) 2.20 6 Travis Brown (Trek/Vw/Bike) 3.22 7 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar) 4.14 8 Barry Wicks (Kona) 4.16 9 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Family Cycling) 4.34 10 Dale Knapp (Kona) 4.51 11 Justin Robinson (Family Cycling) 5.32 12 Frank Mapel (Specialized) 6.13 13 Mark Mccormack (Saturn) 14 Charles Storm (Fuje Se/Btd) 6.14 15 Erik Tonkin (Kona) 16 Bart Gillespie (Team Biogen) 17 Bart Bowen (Kona) 7.10 18 Shannon Skerritt (Trek/Vw/Bike) 7.30 19 John Funke (Sycip) 8.11 20 Michael* Gallagher (Usa Armed) 8.23 21 Jed Schneider 8.24 22 Ben Turner (7Up/Maxxis) 8.28 23 Johannes Huseby (Somerville) 8.38 24 Brent Prenzlow (Celo) 8.51 25 Troy Heithecker (Seattle) 8.58 26 Brandon Dwight (7Up Maxxis) 8.59 27 Ryan Leech (Essm/Gpoa) 9.22 28 Russ Tiles (Slingshot) 29 Jonathan Baker (Pro Peloton) 30 Russell Stevenson (Bianchi/Clif Bar) 31 Troy Wells (Devo Balance) 32 Jason Moeschler (Giant/Cytomax) 33 Daniel Doub (Fuji Se/Btd) 34 Andy Applegate (Easton/Kona/Cc) 35 Matt Kraus (Independent) 36 Gunnar Shogren (Fort/Gpoa)
