Cycling photography for December - Part I

The Local East Coast Australian Time is plus 30 minutes

REI/Novara Seattle Cross Series Final
Melbourne Cup On Wheels
12 Hours of Oleta
Farmington cyclo-cross
Washington State Cyclo-cross Championships
Central American Games
Super Prestige Round 4
Juan Llaneras
Six Days of Zurich
MAC Regional Cup Hamilton

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REI/Novara Seattle Cross Series Final

Hyun Lee sent these pics of yet another Washington state mudfest.

• The start. Riders wisely disregarded the arrow painted on the tarmac
• Slip-slidin' away… Mud was a feature of the course much like water is a feature of the Pacific
• Anne Grande (Kona) tackles a run-up on her way to another win and overall honours in the series
• Dale Knapp (Kona) vaults a barrier
• Ingrid Spies (K2) carries her bike on her way to third place
• The masters prove that age doesn't bring the sense to stay warm and clean
• Jim Brown leads a group through the mud
• Jonny Sundt (K2) took out the day's win and landed second overall on the series
• Jonny Sundt (K2) jumps a barrier without bothering with all that dismount stuff
• Richard McClung (Broadmark Capital) concentrates as he jumps a barrier
• Ron Schmeer (AT&T Wireless) prepares to jump toward fourth place
• Loren Hanson (AT&T Wireless) finishes soggily to win the series
• Jonny Sundt (K2) celebrates as he crosses the line

Melbourne Cup On Wheels

Beau Galland was at the Vodafone Arena, Melbourne for the first of the Cyclists International series.

• Trackstanding - sprinters need two speeds: 'full on' and 'stop'
• Hanging on behind the derny in the early stages of the keirin
• More action from the keirin
• Watching and waiting in the sprint

Other images from track racing at the Vodafone Arena

• Inside the venue - the Vodafone Arena has seating for 20,000 around its 250m track
• Diners enjoy a meal and watch the racing from the infield restaurant area
• A game of cat and mouse in the sprint
• A super-tight sprint finish
• Sportsmanship prevails as one rider helps another up after a crash
• The high speeds of the derny racing are a highlight of the support races
• When you're a world champion, you know that the safest place to be in a bunch this size is near the front.
• Match sprint - a South Australian team rider battles with the Man in Black
• Close quarters racing in the keirin
• Sprinters watchful, high on the edge of the track

12 Hours of Oleta

Jay Hendrickson/WRS Racing Team took the following photos of the 12 Hours of Oleta, held in Miami, Florida.

• Your correspondent - E. Andra Whitworth, pictured before the race.
• Carlos Hernandez (WRS Racing) - pre-race
• Solo rider - Nixon
• Ticket transfer - Carlos Hernandez to Jeff Northrup, WRS Racing
• Robert O'Shields - at the scoring area and transfer table
• A trials rider
• Women's solo finisher
• Women's Solo podium - Andra Whitworth 4th, Kathy Gibbs 1st, Connie Karuch, 3rd
• Corporate Division podium

Farmington cyclo-cross

Paul Weiss took these pictures of last weekend's cross at Farminton Connecticut

• Mark McCormack (Saturn) - leads the pack
• Mark McCormack (Saturn) - runs through the sandpit
• Jodi Groesbeck - runs up to a barrier
• A Horst Engineering rider - takes a turn
• Heather Peck - makes her way through the dirt
• Alicia Genest - tackles the barriers
• Follow the Anthonies - as they lead up the hill
• Monica the stealth rider. - Where is she?
• The pack - funnels into the run-up climb

Washington State Cyclo-cross Championships

Hyun Lee was once again there to record the action in the mud of the Pacific Northwest

• Dale Knapp (Kona) - running after another Seattle victory
• Dale Knapp (Kona) - rides through the mud
• Jonny Sundt (K2) - picks up his bike for a running section
• Jonny Sundt (K2) - jumps a barrier
• Barry Wicks - worked hard for fourth place
• Loren Hanson (AT&T Wireless) - local hero on his way to fifth
• Ron Schmeer (AT&T Wireless) - could be smiling or snarling on his way to sixth
• Shannon Skerrit - looking surprisingly clean as he jumps a barrier on the way to seventh
• Toby Swanson - was eighth overall and first espoir
• Anne Grande (Kona) - took the women's honours

Central American Games

Pictures by AFP

• Evelyn Garcia of Salvador on her way to the gold medal in the 500m time trial
• The El Salvador 4000m pursuit team on their way to a silver medal

Super Prestige Round 4 cyclo-cross

These photos kindly supplied by Bert Geerts

Elite Womens Race

• The Netherlands Daphny Van Den Brand - putting the pressure on
• Daphny Van Den Brand - coming to grips with the sand and dirt
• The sand and mud added - to an already tough climb. Mind you, its a great view.
• Debby Mansveld (Ned) - worked hard all day to take third place
• Daphny Van Den Brand - talks to the press after her win
• The womens podium - with Nicole Leijten (Ned) Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) and Debby Mansveld (Ned)

Elite Mens

• Sven Nijs - prior to the start
• Erwin Vervecken - clean and ready to go
• Bart Wellens (Bel) Spaar Select - looking happy
• Mario De Clercq - giving his saddle a bit of a workout!
• World Champion - Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Spaar Select
• Sven Nijs (Bel) - Rabobank takes the win
• Richard Groenendaal - with his clean, race-face on.
• Cleaning up - with Peter Van Santvliet
• Belgium champion Mario de Clerq -with the classic post race cyclo-cross look
• Rabobank's Sven Nijs - has been almost unstoppable this season
• The Mens podium - with (L to R) Bart Wellens (Bel) Spaar Select, Sven Nijs (Bel) Rabobank and Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim

Juan Llaneras

Pictures by AFP

• Juan Llaneras speaks during a press conference in Madrid 26 November 2001. Llaneras is denanding justice after he was cleared of using EPO when his B sample tested negative.

Six Days of Zurich

Final day pics by Pascal Meisser

• Jimmi Madsen (Den) - about to be tagged by Andreas Beikirch (Ger)
• Scott McGrory (Aus) and Matthew Gilmore (Bel) - working together to keep the pressure on
• The Swiss pairing - of Bruno Risi and Kurt Betschart
• The winners, (on bikes) - Scott McGrory (Aus), Matthew Gilmore (Bel) and Dani Schnider (Swi)

Pictures by AFP

• Australia's Scott McGrory (L), and Belgium's Matthew Gilmore (R) vie in the 100 minute Madison
• Matthew Gilmore, Scott McGrory and Daniel Schnider - celebrate their victory at the Six Days of Zurich

MAC Regional Cup Hamilton

• The steep run-up section - sorted out the competitors
• Bit of a shame about those barriers - looks like a nice place for a ride!
• A chase group - approachs the hurdle
• You really have to feel sorry - for the guy behind don't you. Tough to compete with that.

Want some more?

For more cycling photography, with events such as Ontario Provincial Cyclo-cross Championships, Six Days of Gent, Duinencross Koksijde, Belgium, New Mexico Cyclocross Series - Los Alamos, Portland Oregon Cross Crusade cyclocross, Boulder Cross Series Rd 4, Giro presentation in Milan, AVPAC State Championship Warm-Up cyclo-cross, Cyclo-cross World Cup #1, SuperCup Round #2 cyclo-cross, 11th L'Open des Nations and Giro d'Italia prologue in Groningen please consult our monthly archives