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US Cyclocross Championships - CN
Providence, RI, USA, December 9-11, 2005
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Race 16 - December 11: Elite Women
Compton repeats at U.S. 'cross national champs
By Steve Medcroft
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Katie Compton (Redline) did it again. Just like at the 2004 Cyclocross Nationals in Portland, defending national champion Compton came from four rows back at the start and powered her way through a tough Elite women's field to win the Liberty Mutual U.S. Cyclocross National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island on Sunday. In just half the first lap, she cruised around pre-race favorites Barbara Howe (Velo Bella), Ann Knapp (Kona) and Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications) to solo to her second consecutive title.
And just like last year, Compton succeeded at the highest level in women's 'cross after a season of non-UCI men's and women's local races in and around her Colorado Spring home (Compton doesn't want to claim UCI points because it would disqualify her from her place as the sighted pilot of a tandem track racing team with blind stoker Karissa Whitsell).
"It's an off year for Paralympics so I've not done as much training as I did last year," Compton said afterwards. "But I have done the local races and I have worked with my colleagues at Carmichael Training System (where Compton herself is a coach) to get ready for this race." Although she had been preparing, Compton kept a deliberately low profile leading up the race. In fact, before Sunday, not one competitor mentioned having seen Compton in any race or had any hints as to her form. But when the gun fired, there was no doubt Compton was on form.
The race
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The skies above Providence had thrown everything it could think of to make racing at Roger Williams Park difficult. Blinding snowstorms and freezing rain on Friday combined with icy mornings and mild temperatures on Saturday left the course a difficult combination of sloppy mud layered over frozen ruts. With a balance of technical dirt, off-camber turns and tricky ups and downs, many women seemed unsure of where they would be strong.
2002 national champion Ann Knapp, who had not prepared for the 2005 championship race as thoroughly as she had for past events but who is notoriously good on courses that require running said, "I like the shape of the course, the flow of the course. It's well designed and has good ups and downs. There's some road, there's some running. But I don't think it favors anybody."
When the race started, Maureen Bruno-Roy, who had won the Master's 30-34 national championship on Saturday, pressed the pace. "I've really been working on my starts this year," she said. Her effort stretched the sixty-eight starters in the first five minutes.
By the halfway mark in the first lap, only Ann Knapp and Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bikes) were on Bruno-Roy's wheel.
Compton, who had not received an invitation to the front line (there's those pesky UCI points causing problems again), muscled her way through the pack of riders. "Katie and Ann Knapp came by me like a freight train," Bruno-Roy said. "Those two were battling it out. I tried to catch on to Ann but she was a lot stronger through the technical stuff." After blowing the race apart, Bruno-Roy settled into third on the course.
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Compton settled into a rhythm on the tough course that kept her out of danger from everyone; only Knapp could keep her in sight (mostly due to Knapp's ability to stay focused through the bumpy technical sections).
Compton spent the next four of the five total laps on her own and won without challenge. Knapp finished second, a minute back. Third place was settled only after a battle. "In the second to last lap, Bruno-Roy said, "Rhonda Mazza was closing in on me. She's a very technical rider and very consistent and came by me moving quickly."
Bruno-Roy and Mazza had faced each other in USGP and Verge Mid-Atlantic Series races. "I've never been able to catch her before," Bruno-Roy said. But an untimely stumble by Mazza gave Bruno-Roy an opportunity. "It was hard to know what was snow and what was ice out there; there was a lot of black ice under the mud. She bobbled a little in this off-camber technical section and I was able to pass her through the pits."
Bruno-Roy held off Mazza to finish third, her second podium in two days. Melissa Thomas finished fifth.
Although Compton says she will not represent the U.S. at Cyclocross Worlds in Zeddam (the Netherlands; a race which comes with Katie's kryptonite – UCI points) she enjoys 'cross and plans to take a shot at a third title next year. "I'll keep things like this until Beijing (Paralympics) in 2008 then I'll switch to 'cross full time;" a move that will allow her to put her own racing goals – to stand on top of the World Championship podium – back in the forefront.
Race notes
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Canadian Cyclocross National Champion and USGP Series winner Lyne Bessette got a chance to try the course at Providence on Sunday; as the only woman in the Liberty Cup Invitational. The hour-long race was open to every recently crowned male national champion and approximately 150 of America's best 'crossers. With bragging rights and a $2,000 purse, Todd Wells rode away from a field containing everyone from four-time NORBA and Master's 45-49 National Cyclocross Champion Steve Tilford, to fifteen-year old men's National Champion Alex Coehlo. Bessette made it through three laps before calling it a successful training session and pulling out of the race.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Keli Medcroft/www.keliskolor.com
- Kim Sawyer (Travelgirl) wasn't the only racer to have a tough time with this particluarily nasty off-camber section of the Elite Women's Nationals course.
- Even though she hit the ground Sawyer keeps her focus on the course ahead.
- Ann Knapp (Kona) - who says she didn't prepare as thoroughly for 2005 Nationals as she has for Nationals past - was the only woman to stay close to Katie Compton.
- Katie Compton (Redline) came from deep in the sarting pack and rocketed to the front of the race in only the first half lap. It was a lead she'd never give up on the way to her second consecutive national championship jersey.
- Knapp suffered on the technical and muddy course to hold on for second.
- Maureen Bruno-Roy was the breakout start of 2005 U.S. 'cross. Her bronze medal in the women's race will sit on the mantle next to her gold in the Master's 30-34 race (which she won Saturday).
- Melissa Thomas (Tokyo Joes/GoLite) battled Bruno-Roy for third but bobbled a technical section on the last lap to fall back to fourth.
- Ann Fitzsimmons (Velo Bella) was interviewed by Barbara Howe for her latest diary entry.
- Pauleen Frascone (Independent Fabrications/Kempner).
- Sara Kushman (Gear Works/Spinarts) runs the barriers.
- Sami Fournier (Velo Bella).
- Brigette Stoick (River City Bicycles) put on the race of her life to finish eighth.
- Katie Compton looked breathless and relieved as she crossed the finish line. In her one and only elite-level Women's race of the season, she won the national championship.
- After a moment to catch her breath (and before she had a chance to wipe a warm towell across her face), Compton allowed herself to smile at her victory.
- Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bikes)
- Maureen Bruno-Roy
- Kristi Berg (Bicycle Centers Racing) suffered a last-lap mechanical and had to run the bike over the finish line.
- The race was barely over and already Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) and Georgia Gould (Kona) had war stories to swap.
- The women's cyclcross national championship podium - Katie Compton, Ann Knapp, Maureen Bruno-Roy, Rhonda Mazza and Melissa Thomas.
Images by Trish Albert/www.southeasterncycling.com
- Oops! Sorry! I didn't realize you weren't supposed to trip over the barriers.
- Maureen Bruno-Roy (IF) chases back to the leaders in the Elite Women's National Championship
- Katie Compton (Redline) on her way to winning her second US National CX Championship
- Travelgirl's Kim Sawyer rode a great race in her first CX Nationals.
Images by Bill Hurley/www.fastshotsphoto.com
- Katie Compton atop one of the run ups early in the race
- Velo Bella rider Barbara Howe readies to remount after one of the steep run ups
- Katie Compton powers up a mid lap incline halfway through the race
Images by Russ and Nancy Wright/www.abbiorca.com
- Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) flies up the starting stretch in the Elite Women's event.
- Katie Compton (Redline) charging to her second consecutive National Championship.
- Ann Knapp (Kona) finished 2nd in the Women's Elite
- Linda Sone (Silver Cycling/Hollywood Racing) rides past a frozen lake.
Images by Ed Collier/Ed Collier Photography
- The Elite Women pass under a large tree near the start.
- Elite Women's winner Katie Compton looking cool on the run-up.
- Ann Knapp on the run-up.
- Third place finisher Maureen Bruno Roy on the run-up.
- The Elite Women race into the sunset on Sunday in Providence.
- Elite Women's winner Katie Compton looks like she's smiling a little bit on the last lap.
- Elite Women's winner Katie Compton finishing strong.
- Katie Compton (r) and Ann Knapp congratulate each other after the race.
Images by Paul McKenzie/Paul McKenzie
- Belles at the muddy ball. (l to r) Barb Howe, Georgia Gould and Christine Vardaros
- A focussed Ann Knapp (Kona) in the heat (or cold) of battle
- Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications) finished an excellent third
- Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) didn't get the win she would've loved
- Georgia Gould (Kona) puts in the effort
- Katie Compton (Redline) rode a controlled race
- Ann Knapp (Kona) took second on the day
- Barbara Howe does it tough
- Georgia Gould (Kona) gets her head down and works
Results
Top 10 1 Katie Compton (Redline) 39.55 2 Ann Knapp (KONA) 1.32 3 Maureen Bruno Roy (Independent Fabrication) 2.38 4 Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bicycles) 3.05 5 Melissa Thomas (Tokyo Joes/GoLite) 3.23 6 Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) 4.02 7 Georgia Gould (Kona) 4.24 8 Brigette Stoick (Rivercity Bicycles) 6.11 9 Amy Wallace (Verizon Wireless Wheelworks) 6.35 10 Josie Beggs (Starbucks-CA Giants-Specialized) 6.39 11 Anna Milkowski (Gearworks-SpinArts Cycling Team) 7.07 12 Ann Fitzsimmons (Velo Bella) 7.16 13 Pauline Frascone (Independent Fabrication/Kempner) 7.40 14 Kristi Berg (Bicycle Centers Racing) 7.43 15 Catherine Walberg (team kenda tire) 8.11 16 Wendy Williams (River City Bicycles) 8.20 17 Audrey Huffman (Mad River Riders) 8.27 18 Megan Monroe (Lemond/PCW) 19 Colleen Wanty (Missing Link/Bianchi) 8.39 20 Lauren Costantini (Sycip Racing) 8.44 21 Mandy Lozano (CCA/Kona) 9.01 22 Marianne Stover (Independent Fabrication) 9.24 23 Rebecca Wellons (Gearworks/Spin Arts Cycling) 9.30 24 Anne Schwartz (Flying Rhino Cycling Club) 9.35 25 Marci Titus Hall (Groton, Ma) 9.54 26 Stephanie White (Gearworks/Spin Arts) 27 Linda Sone (Silver Cycling/Hollywood Racing) 28 Mackenzie Dickey (Team Bicycle Alley) 10.10 29 Melanie Swartz (Squadra Coppi/Van Dessel) 10.29 30 Cristina Begy (Spot /Gofast) 10.32 31 Catherine Johnson (Pro Peloton) 10.47 32 Hollie Mcgovern (sierra express) 10.52 33 Sara Cushman (Gear Works/Spin Arts) 11.02 34 Daniele Staskal (Kona/CCA) 11.40 35 Kami Tremblay (Gear Works/ Spin Arts Cycling Team) 12.16 36 Jennifer Tilley (Lawrence, Ks) 12.26 37 Eszter Horanyi (Boulder, Co) 12.32 38 Erin Kassoy (Velo Bella) 12.33 39 Lauren Trull (Kona/CCA) 40 Celeste Drumm (HUP United) 12.48 41 Dorothy Wong (Kelly Bike Company) 12.54 42 Cris Rothfuss (NEBC/Cycle Loft) 13.00 43 Alicia Hamblen (RGM Watches-Richard Sachs-Hudson Valley) 13.11 44 Melodie Metzger (Velo Bella) 1 lap 45 Cara Mccauley (CCA/Kona) 46 Kristine Church (Human Zoom) 47 Natalie Dumont (Gearworks Cyclery) 48 Kim Sawyer (travelgirl) 49 Joanne Stevens (Sunnyside Sports) 50 Janet Olney (Alan Mid-Atlantic) 51 Betsy Schauer (FORT- GPOA !) 52 Heidi Von Teitenberg (Alan Mid-Atlantic) 53 Sami Fournier (Velo Bella) DNF Jennifer Magur (Team Biovail) DNF Christine Vardaros (Velo Bella) DNF Lisa Most (Wissahickon) DNF Kerry Litka (Dansko Wheelworks) DNF Martha Wilson (Gear Works/Spin Arts Cycling Team) DNF Perri Mertens (harriscyclery.com) DNF Brenda Bahnson (Independent Fabrication) DNF Kathy Sarvary (Gearworks/Spin Arts Cycling Team) DNF Beth Mason (NCVC/Edge Technologies) DNF Tiffany Pezzulo (Team Biogen-Idec)
