If you or your many readers know of any good riders out of contract, please mail Kim - and he'll put them in contact with the new Danish team.
1. Mario De Clercq (Bel) Palmans 2. Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank 3. Adri Van der Poel (Ned) Rabobank 4. R. Simunek (Czech) 5. Paul Herijgers (Bel) Tonnissteiner
- New world espoirs road race champion KURT-ATLE ARVESEN has signed a pro contract with Scrigno, as has the no 1 in the world espoirs ranking, Italian ??? PANETTA.
Jan-Christiaan Bol from the NL has kindly provided the following answer:
The christian name of the rider with the surname Panetta is Stefano. His date of birth is 23 August, 1975.
Leading the way through this cacophony was defending national champion Frank McCormack (Saturn). Logging consistent lap times of 6:55, McCormack won the Gear Works-Wachusett Ale Super Cup in a time of 54:48, more than a minute and a half faster than a three-rider chase group.
"I thought I was going faster by the end," he said. "But I guess I was tired and just kept my pace."
McCormack drove the race from the starting lap of the cinder track. He immediately gapped a group of six chasers, including Dale Knapp (Redline), Johannes Huseby (Independent Fabrications), Jonathan Page (G.S. Mengoni), Adam Myerson (Breakaway Couriers) and Bart Bowen (Saturn). This group broke up after a lap, with Knapp, under-23 champ Page and collegiate champ Huseby at the front, and a changing dynamo of cycling’s top names behind. The chasing trio stayed together throughout the race, not one showing a definitive strength over the other.
"We each had our strong sections," Knapp commented later, explaining why he or Huseby on occasion gapped off at the same places around this slickened 3.3km course. The group never challenged McCormack’s lead, instead losing an average of five to 10 seconds each lap.
The last time around, the three were still together and the crowd scrambled down the bank anticipating a sprint finish. With half a mile to go, Knapp tried to jump away on a grassy section, but his wheel was soon enough tagged by Page. Carrying his momentum at the front, Knapp was first to the final uphill hurdle, 600m before the line, hoping to keep the lead position for the final two u-turns. But Page punched out of the barriers and back onto his bike faster, and already had a bike length’s lead before the first turn, and powered out another several lengths before diving down to the track to take second place by 10 seconds. Huseby, blocked by Knapp, was slow in the remount and shot on to the track two lengths behind the Seattle star. Huseby poured on the speed through the remaining 300-meter sprint, but a panicked bike toss by Knapp kept him half a wheel from third place.
McCormack now takes the early lead in the Super Cup overall standings. His Saturn teammate Bowen, last year’s Cup overall champion, was 11th in the opener.
The senior elite race was the highlight of the day, while other categories saw equal passion from fans and racers alike. The first contest of the day was the under-23 race. Alex Grabau (Schwinn) set off strongly, while hard crashes from expected challengers Chris McDonald (Cyclonauts) and Rob Dapice (Cannondale) in the first lap changed the face of the race. McDonald pulled himself together to catch Grabau by the end of the first lap. Then Grabau attacked through the pit zone, which followed a difficult steep uphill and three hurdles, to open the gap again. McDonald fought the move but couldn’t take back 10 seconds.
Near the end of the 45-minute event, Grabau could be seen sitting up on his bike, suffering from stiff stomach cramps. McDonald latched back onto Grabau’s wheel. Behind, cheers of encouragement went to Shawn McCormack (NECSA-Richard Sachs), the youngest brother of famous McCormack racing clan. Dangling at 10 seconds, he charged out of the saddle in pursuit as the leaders entered their final lap. He connected just after the difficult run-up and pit section, only to be attacked by Grabau, who wasn’t going to let discomfort ruin his day. McDonald couldn’t respond, and despite a strong rally, McCormack gave up his chase after another kilometer. Grabau finished in a time of 44:45, with McCormack in second at 1:09, and McDonald third another 19 seconds back.
The masters race started out with national champ Tim Rutledge (Redline) mixed into a group of four riders, led by Scott Wade (Putney-West Hill) with Ed Momm (Fat City Cycles) and Mike Barrett (Fat Dog Pro Bike). Barrett and Wade fell off the pace, leaving Rutledge to dissect the strengths of the muscular Momm, winner of the expert vet’s category of the New England NORBA championship series this summer. The pair rode together until a late run-up attack by Momm shot him clear; he beat Rutledge by three seconds. Tom Stevens (Fat Dog Pro Bike), organizer of the New England ‘Cross Series and Super Cup races, jumped ahead of a chasing group of four riders for third place, at 1:21 back.
In the women’s race, Kathi Stevens -- emerging from several years of retirement from bike racing -- jumped to a five-second lead halfway through the first lap, chased by Katie Blincoe (Redline), Audrey Augustin (Gary Fisher) and Ann Grande (Redline). By the end of the lap Blincoe had rolled ahead, not to be challenged again. Augustin and Grande waged a long battle for second, with Grande’s better cyclo-cross skills overcoming Augustin, saddled with the extra weight of a mountain bike which was definitely not favored on this grassy, open course. Grande finished 16 seconds behind an admittedly fading Blincoe, with Augustin in third another 26 seconds back, and Riggert yet another 40 seconds later for fourth.
Super Cup racing continues at Fort Devens Saturday, Nov. 1, with New England’s second national-level race. The seven-race Super Cup series concludes in Santa Clara, Calif., Jan. 11. -- Karen Haas, The Ride Magazine, for USA Cycling.
Results
Senior Men 1. FRANK MCCORMACK (SATURN), Leicester, Mass., 54 mins, 48 secs; 2. Jonathan Page (GS Mengoni), Leicester, Mass.; 3. Dale Knapp (Redline), Tacoma, Wash.; 4. Johannes Huseby (Independent Fabrications), Putney, Vt.; 5. Peter Wedge (Kona), Worcester, Mass.; 6. Adam Myerson (Breakaway Couriers), Northampton, Mass.; 7. Andy Bishop (Gary Fisher), Williston, Vt.; 8. Robert Hult (Fat City Cycles), Harvard, Mass.; 9. David Wiens (Kona), Gunnison, Colo.; 10. Kris Westwood (Canada), Canada. Cyclo-cross Super Cup standings (after 1 of 7 rounds) 1. F. McCormack, 20 pts; 2. Page, 18; 3. Knapp, 16; 4. Huseby, 14; 5. Wedge, 12. Senior Women 1. KATIE BLINCOE (REDLINE), Mercer Island, Wash., 41 mins, 23 secs; 2. Ann Grande (Redline), Seattle, Wash.; 3. Audrey Augustin (Gary Fisher), Williston, Vt.; 4. Kathi Riggert (unattached), Concord, Mass.; 5. Kathy Sarvary (Merlin-SmartFuel), Woburn, Mass.; 6. Emily Thorne (ECVC), S. Hamilton, Mass.; 7. Jennifer Dial (Spooky Cycles), Northampton, Mass.; 8. Cori Book (Freewheel Racing), Cambridge, Minn.; 9. Kristen Jeppeson-Wade (Putney-West Hill), Putney, Vt.; 10. Elizabeth Begosh (Ted Wojcik), Providence, R.I. Cyclo-cross Super Cup standings (after 1 of 7 rounds) 1. Blincoe, 20 pts; 2. Grande, 18; 3. Augustin, 16; 4. Riggert, 14; 5. Sarvary, 12. Under-23 Men 1. ALEX GRABAU (SCHWINN), Newton, Mass.; 44 mins, 45 secs; 2. Shawn McCormack (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Plymouth, Mass.; 3. Chris McDonald (unattached), Hampden, Mass.; 4. Noah Elbers (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Alstead, N.H.; 5. Jeff Dickey (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Gilmanton, N.H.; 6. Ryan LaRocque (BCA-Tosk), Hudson Falls, N.Y.; 7. Jonathan Fairbanks (MBRC), Scituate, Mass.; 8. Jack Diemar (Cycle Craft), Bedminster, N.J.; 9. Bryan Moriarty (Univ. of New Hampshire), Durham, N.H.; 10. Michael Cahill (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Concord, Mass. Cyclo-cross Super Cup standings (after 1 of 7 rounds) 1. Grabau, 20 pts; 2. S. McCormack, 18; 3. McDonald, 16; 4. Elbers, 14; 5. Dickey, 12. Junior Men 1. NARAYON MAHON (REDLINE), Port Towsend, Wash., 45 mins, 39 secs; 2. Justin Spinelli (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Nashua, N.H.; 3. Will Frischkorn (GS Mengoni), Charleston, W.Va.; 4. Peter Lawler (NECSA-Richard Sachs), New Ipswich, N.H.; 5. Elliot Lander (ECVC), Beverly, Mass.; 6. Joe Alachoyan (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Millbury, Mass.; 7. K.C. Kopper (unattached), Hingham, Mass.; 8. Steve Lawton (NECSA-Richard Sachs), Warwick, R.I.; 9. Jon Giftos (NECSA-Richad Sachs), Nashua, N.H.; 10. Craig Lipka (Putney-West Hill), Niantic, Conn. Cyclo-cross Super Cup standings (after 1 of 7 rounds) 1. Mahon, 20 pts; 2. Spinelli, 18; 3. Frischkorn, 16; 4. Lawler, 14; 5. Lander, 12. Masters Men 1. ED MOMM (FAT CITY CYCLES), Kittery, Maine, 43 mins, 45 secs; 2. Tim Rutledge (Redline), Seattle, Wash.; 3. Tom Stevens (Fat Dog Cycles), Concord, Mass.; 4. Paul Curley (World TEAM), Taunton, Mass.; 5. Michael Barrett (Fat Dog Cycles), North Easton, Mass.; 6. Scott Wade (Putney-West Hill), Putney, Vt.; 7. Robert Meighan (TCB-Steelman), Los Gatos, Calif.; 8. Stuart Thorne (ECVC), S. Hamilton, Mass.; 9. Glen Norton (Redline), Seattle, Wash.; 10. Kelvin Von Der Heyde (unattached), Weston, Mass. Cyclo-cross Super Cup standings (after 1 of 7 rounds) 1. Momm, 20 pts; 2. Rutledge, 18; 3. Stevens, 16; 4. Curley, 14; 5. Barrett, 12.