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2003 US Cyclo-cross Nationals - CN
Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon, USA, December 12-14, 2003
December 14: Elite Women
Dunlap takes back her title
By Kristy Scrymgeour in Portland, Oregon
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Alison Dunlap took back her National Cross title today from last year's winner Anne Grand. Dunlap won the title in 2001 and has put all her efforts into the cross season this year after sitting out the end of the MTB season with a broken collar bone. After recent success in the St. Wendel Cross World cup were she placed second, Dunlap was considered the favourite for today's race and she didn't disappoint, but was forced to work hard by seasoned cross racer Rachel Lloyd.
For the second last event of the weekend the crowds were out in force with their cowbells and horns; fighting for spectator positions in the thick, sticky mud that many call peanut butter, due to its similar viscosity. The threatening rain held off for the women's race which started very quickly and Gina Hall set the pace. Dunlap stuck to Hall's wheel and soon the pair was caught by Lloyd who took the lead with Hall falling off the pace.
Lloyd led for the next lap, really putting the pressure on the favourite, until midway through lap two, when Dunlap took the lead. From here Dunlap gradually edged away from Lloyd, gaining ground steadily and eventually winning by 19" to Lloyd who held on to second place in front of Hall. Having very strong rides to finish in fourth and fifth place were Carmen Delusio and defending champion, Grand.
Dunlap was all smiles as she came across the line to take her second cyclocross National Title, admitting to the crowd that Lloyd really made her work hard. "Rachel is a great rider. I knew she would be good in the mud because she's a good downhiller and she really went out hard and put the hurt on me today. I just had to hope that she'd tire and she did," she said. "When I got away I didn't really attack, I just went to the front and gradually got away."
Dunlap now goes home to Colorado Spring with six weeks to prepare for Cross Worlds. "I have a lot of work to do," she said. "There's going to about 13 girls over there on a very high level but I'm looking forward to it."
Cyclingnews also caught up with Lloyd after the race, who was happy with her result and was also eager to qualify for Worlds. "On the first lap I was sitting on Gina really and I was trying to be conservative. I didn't feel like I went out hard but then I took the lead and set the pace a little. Eventually, Alison was able to come past me and just ride away, because I was having trouble in the peanut putter. I was able to stay relaxed though and that's what helped me."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of Rob Karman images click here
Images by Rob Karman/ 
- Rachel Lloyd (Redline) was leading toward the end of lap 1
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) waited patiently to make her winning move
- Gina Hall (Clif Bar) had the leade early but could not hold the pace of either Dunlap or Lloyd and finished in 3rd
- Defending National champ Ann Knapp (formerly Grande) was not able to repeat her win but still put in a solid ride for 5th place
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) still found the Saturn Vue Hill unridable (as did everyone else), despite the removal of the barriers that were in place the day before
- Rachel Lloyd (Redline) digs deep to keep Dunlap in sight
- Alison Dunlap was cleary at ease as she put paid to the competition
- The soupy mud proved no problem for former MTB World Champ Alison Dunlap (Luna)
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) celebrates her 6th US National Cyclo-cross Championship
- Announcer extraordinaire Richard Fries shines the spotlight on Rachel Lloyd
Images by Hyun Lee
- The women's start
- Lloyd and Dunlap establish an early lead
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) on her way to another US championship
- Carmen D'alusio and Anne Knapp chase through the mud
- Alison Dunlap and Rachel Lloyd slog through the offcamber slimy turn
- Gina Hall chases in third place
- Carmen D'Alusio chases in fourth place
- Defending US Champ Anne Knapp chases in fifth place
- Rhonda Mazza - hometown favorite
- The mud got thicker and deeper as the race progressed,
- Small packs of riders worked together to get through the day
- Finding the right line played a big role in the race
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) runs away solo for the win
- Rachel Loyd (Redline) chases
- Gina Hall runs through the slippery turn
- Carmen D'Alusio (Clifbar)
- Kristy Berg (Bicycle Centers)
- Riders had to choose: either ride or run through the bog
- Anne Knapp rode through for fifth place
- Gina Hall for third place
- Josie Beggs (Redline)
- Eventually it became a matter of just pushing through the mud
- A memorable day for all
Images by Sabine Dukes/www.velobella.org
- A bike change each lap was crucial during Sunday's races
- Carmen D'Aluisio (Clif Bar) picks her line through the mud
- Alison Dunlap (Luna) eventually rode away from Rachel for the win
- Defending national champion Anne Knapp (Kona) hangs on to a podium position
- Anna Milkowski (Gearworks-Spin) has a solid ride and finishes in 8th place
- Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) creates a splash by finishing in the top ten in her first season of racing cyclocross
- Hillary Daniels (Hunter Cycles) appears to relish racing in these conditions
- An Alan Team rider and bike are barely visible through the mud
Results
Elite Women 1 Alison Dunlap (Luna) 42.28 2 Rachel Lloyd (Redline/Ritchey) 0.19 3 Gina Hall (Clif Bar) 1.15 4 Carmen D'aluisio (Clif Bar) 1.49 5 Ann Grande-Knapp (Kona) 2.31 6 Josie Beggs (Redline/Ritchey) 3.14 7 Rhonda Mazza (Team) 4.22 8 Anna Milkowski (Gearworks-Spin) 4.29 9 Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) 5.51 10 Heather Szabo (Tokyo Joes) 5.56 11 Marianne Stover 6.35 12 Maureen Bruno (Dansko) 6.46 13 Megan Monroe (Lemond Cycles) 6.50 14 Jennifer Gersbach 6.52 15 Kristi Berg 7.03 16 Hollie Mcgovern 7.13 17 Lora Heckman (Laurel St) 8.21 18 Sarah Kerlin (Another Bike) 8.47 19 Dorthy Wong (Kelly) 9.01 20 Darcy Foley (Dansko) 9.05 21 Katrina Davis 9.10 22 Sinead Fitzgibbon (Crca/Eas) 9.20 23 Hillary Daniels (Hunter Cycles) 24 Rebecca Much 25 Melodie Metzger (Missing Link) 26 Elizabeth Schauer (Fort/Gpoa) 9.45 27 Lisa Randall 9.46 28 Alice Pennington (Team) 10.01 29 Eszter Horanyi (University Of Boulder) 10.05 30 Stella Carey 10.12 31 Julie Emmerman 10.13 32 Kerry Litka (Dansko) 10.45 33 Sally Warner (Team Biogen) 11.05 34 Megan Elliott (Saturn Cycling) 12.44 35 Mindi Martin (Los Velos/Mettis) 13.32 36 Sara Cushman 37 Lisa Peck 38 Susan Maclean (Gearworks Spin) 39 Sami Fournier (Velo Bella) 40 Mary Ann Martinez (Ccb/Volkswagen)
