it is a wrap

The season is over, well at least for the US and its racers save Page and Trebon. The euro show continues for another week or so. So now we have to sit through another road season full of time trials, stage races, flat road races, hill climbs, crits, crits and more crits. Then finally summer will draw to a close and it will be time once again to get out the cx bike, dust it off, pump up the tires, lube the chain, and start practicing the drills again.

For those keeping track at home, here's a handy countdown calendar:

February _
March _
April _
May _
June _
July _
August _

Then September arrives, the Labor Day CX World Champs, a few weeks to dial in the fitness as the pre-season weeknight series get rolling...

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Enjoy the offseason, the spring, the summer and we'll see y'all back here in the fall. Get out on your favorite road bike or mountain bike and enjoy the warm weather, the sunshine, the lack of mud. Look for a first post maybe in late August with the first stab at the 2007 northwest cyclocross calendar.

Cheers!

the crew at Maddog202020

congrats to Team USA

From this weekend's World Championships:

Elite Men

2nd Place Jonathan Page (Morgan Blue)

Elite Women

2nd Place Katie Compton

Junior Men

2nd Place Danny Summerhill

A fine showing and probably the best showing ever considering the three 2nd places in three different categories.

video from beginners category at Cross Crusade?

Um, no...that would be last week's World Cup race at Hoogerheide. A little slippery....

World Cup Hoogerheide results

2 top 10's last weekend leading up to World's. This could be one of the best showings by the USA men in several years.

Results

Elite Men

1 Sven Nys (Ned) Rabobank 1.06.47
2 Petr Dlask (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team 1.37
3 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 1.56
4 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre Fondital 2.01
5 Christian Heule (Swi) Stevens Racing Team 2.18
6 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 2.36
7 Rene Birkenfeld (Ger) Harvestehuder RSV v. 1909 2.45
8 Simon Zahner (Swi) Bürgis Cycling Team 2.55
9 Jonathan Page (USA) Morgan Blue 3.07
10 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona 3.21
11 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank 3.33
12 David Willemsens (Bel) Sunweb-Projob 3.47
13 Johannes Sickmüller (Ger) Harvestehuder RSV v. 1909 3.55
14 Thijs Al (Ned) BeOne 4.25
15 Kamil Ausbuher (Cze) Style & Concept 4.34
16 Davy Commeyne (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop 4.47
17 Marek Cichosz (Pol) Lider Slubice 5.01
18 David Derepas (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 5.42
19 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) G.S. Selle Italia Guerciotti 6.08
20 Greg Reain (Can) Stevens Racing Team 6.21
21 Joachim Parbo (Den) CK Aarhus 6.33
22 Jean-Pierre Leijten (Ned) 6.49
23 Philip Dixon (GBr) Trek - SIS 8.29
24 Rob Jebb (GBr) Wheelbase - Ron Hill 8.42
25 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona 9.42
26 Kelichi Tsujiura (Jpn) 9.52
27 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) ZZPR.nl + 1 lap
29 Tristan Schouten (USA)
30 Mike Garrigan (Can) HB Cycling Club
DNF Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
DNF Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb-Projob
DNF Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
DNF Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabobank
DNF Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank
DNF Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
DNF Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber 93
DNF Maarten Nijland (Ned) Ruiter Dakkapellen
DNF Wilant van Gils (Ned) ZZPR.nl
DNF Camiel Van Den Bergh (Ned) Stevens Racing Team
DNF Marco Bianco (Ita) L Arcobaleno Carraro Team
DNF Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) G.S. Selle Italia Guerciotti
DNF Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Wine
DNF Barry Wicks (USA) Kona
DNF Malte Urban (Ger) Heinz von Heiden Team Hannover
DNF Dariusz Gil (Pol) LKS Pom Strzelce Krajenskie
DNF Andrzej Kaiser (Pol) DHL Author
DNF Gusty Bausch (Lux) VC Diekirch

worlds upcoming

This weekend is worlds. Best of luck to the US and Canadian contingents that will be putting their best foot (feet?) forward in the World CX Championships. Will Nys win? Cyclingnews.com will probably have the best coverage - live.

Rad Racing Euro blog

Rad Racing NW fast guys, Sean Worsech and Steve Fisher, are in Europe. Why does it seem everyone is in Europe right now? Anyway, they're fast juniors and they'll let us know how they are doing against the top Euro juniors.

All the gory details of their travels, races and exploits are chronicled here.

nasty gets swarmed

Barry Wicks (KONA) has a race report from his first race in Belgium. Turns out the whole key to Sven Nys' success is going to bed early. Who knew?

Check out Barry's blog here.

Molly's World

Molly Cameron (VANILLA), pdx 'cross racer and bike shop (VELOSHOP) owner is racing in Europe over the holidays. You can check out Molly's reports of racing and life in Europe at mollycameron.com. Apparently Molly and Sven are now good pals.

getting warmed up

The Christmas 'cross campers are getting warmed up and took on the best that Europe has to offer yesterday. Turns out, the Europeans do have quite a bit to offer.

Mr. Page (MORGAN BLUE/BSI) cracked the top 10 with a 9th place finish. Seems that his great showing at Nationals was no fluke. The man is back.

The rest (mostly U23's) of the US contingent (those that are 'visiting' and who do not live in Europe like Mr. Page) turned in solid performances and are looking to do better as the racing continues over the next few weeks.

For those keeping track at home, Sven Nys (RABOBANK) won.....again.

Results

Elite Men

1 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 1.00.45
2 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank 0.04
3 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Rabobank 0.59
4 Maxime Lefebvre (Fra) Josan 1.23
5 David Willemsens (Bel) Vos Sportief 1.29
6 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Wielergroep Beveren 2000
7 Roger Hammond (GBr) Discovery Channel 2.34
8 Cyrille Bonnand (Fra) Les Bleus de France 2.38
9 Jonathan Page (USA) Morgan Blue - BSI 3.10
10 Jan Verstraeten (Bel) SD Worx 3.28
11 Rob Peeters (Bel) Balen BC 3.49
12 Marco Bianco (Ita) l'Arcobaleno Carraro Team 3.58
13 Bjorn Rondelez (Bel) Lingier-Versluys 4.06
14 Jan Van Dael (Bel)
15 Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel) 4.25
16 Maxim Debusschere (Bel) Beveren 2000 4.34
17 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Palmans Collstrop 4.37
18 Geert Van Crombruggen (Bel) Royal Cureghem Sportif 4.44
19 Dries Dewit (Bel) Scott USA Cycling Team 4.55
20 Joachim Parbo (Den) Cycling Aarhus 5.05
21 Nico Clarysse (Bel) 5.11
22 Gianni Denolf (Bel) Brugse Velosport 5.24
23 Mike Thielemans (Bel) Cyling Team Thielemans-Reynaers 5.3124 Ian Bibby (GBr)

One lap down
25 Molly Cameron (USA) Vanilla
26 Jorn Van Der Veken (Bel) Profel-Ziegler Continental Team
27 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona
28 Steven Decaluwe (Bel)
29 Björn Selander (USA) Alan Factory
30 Morgan Schmitt (USA) Hagens Berman
31 Daniel Neyens (USA) Hagens Berman
32 Nicholas Weighall (USA) Alan Factory
33 Jamey Driscoll (USA) Fiordifrutta
34 Tony Heirbaut (Bel)


Juniors

1 Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) 42.00
2 Sven Verboven (Bel) 0.12
3 Bart Hermans (Bel) 0.17
4 Tim Debusschere (Bel) 0.30
5 Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) 1.10
6 Dries Ingels (Bel) 1.38
7 Kenneth Bultynck (Bel) 1.52
8 Michiel Dieleman (Bel) 2.07
9 Hans Antonissen (Bel) 2.16
10 Vincent Renaux (Fra) 2.27
11 Simon Geets (Bel) 2.32
12 Jochen Torfs (Bel) 2.45
13 Nick De Proost (Bel) 3.22
14 Kenneth Mariën (Bel)
15 Kristof Scheirs (Bel) 4.05
16 Kenny Maes (Bel) 4.20
17 Steve Fisher (USA) 4.28
18 Rudy Kowalski (Fra) 4.33
19 Jerome Townsend (USA) 4.55
20 Vincent Van Hooste (Bel) 6.06

profiled: The "wick-mobile"

Cyclingnews.com has a nice profile on the machine that powers Barry Wicks (KONA) to all those high-placed finishes.

Oversized everything

By Kirsten Robbins

"Kona is the title sponsor of a handful of the top cyclo-cross riders in the North America. Their most consistent rider has been Barry Wicks, winner of the 2005 US Grand Prix Series and member of the 2004-2005 U.S. cyclo-cross world championships team. Wicks gave Cyclingnews a short history on how he became one of North America's best cyclo-cross riders as well as a detailed breakdown of the machine he rides."

Check out the rest of the article and a bunch of very nice pics at cyclingnews.com.

Belgian Cross madness

Happy Holidays to you and yours!!!!

For all the 'cross fanatics that just can't get enough, make your way 'cross the pond and catch the Belgian equivalent of "NCAA march madness" in late December and early January. Almost a full 2 weeks of World Cup, Superprestige and top-level UCI racing taking place all over Belgium and the Netherlands.

Several northwest athletes are competing at many of these races as they participate in the Belgium Christmas Cross Camp (BCCC?).

We will be highlighting some of their efforts as they test their stuff against the best in the world.

December
23 Wachtebeke, Wachtebeke (Bel) C2
24 Int. Cyclo-cross Veghel-Eerde, Eerde (Veghel) (Ned) C2
26 UCI World Cup, Hofstade (Bel) CDM
27 Sylvester Cyclo-cross, Torhout (Bel) C2
28 Azencross / Cross des as, Loenhout (Bel) C1
29 Cyclo-cross Middelkerke, Middelkerke (Bel) C2
31 Superprestige, Diegem (Bel) C1

January
1 Grote Prijs Sven Nys, Baal (Bel) C1
2 Grote Prijs De Ster, Sint-Niklaas (Bel) C2
3 Centrumcross Surhuisterveen, Surhuisterveen (Ned) C2

nationals, Day 3, Elite Women

the elite women raced for their national championship today and the pacific northwest was very well represented as northwest athletes took many of the top spots in today's race. No one could match the pace of Katie Compton as she pulled away from the field from the gun and made the others race for the rest of the podium places.

Elite Women

1 Katie Compton (Spike Professional/Primus Mootry) 41.34
2 Georgia Gould (Luna Women's MTB Team) 0.02
3 Kerry Barnholt (Tokyo Joes / Maxxis) 1.22
4 Deidre Winfield (Velo Bella-Kona) 1.24
5 Ann Knapp (KONA) 1.58
6 Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bicycles) 2.01
7 Christine Vardaros (Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam) 2.28
8 Shelley Olds (HRS/Rock Lobster) 2.30
9 Mandy Lozano (Cheerwine Cycling) 2.31
10 Wendy Williams (River City Bicycles) 2.35
11 Melissa Thomas (Team Maxxis) 2.47
12 Sue Butler (River City Bicycles) 2.49
13 Rebecca Wellons (Gearworks/Spin Arts Cycling) 3.00
14 Maureen Bruno Roy (Independent Fabrication/Wheelworks) 3.09
15 Kristi Berg (Team Group Health) 3.17

Nationals, Day 2 Results

Congrats to Ryan Trebon (KONA) for capturing the elite title today in Providence, RI. Hats off to Jonathan Page (CERVELO/HOT TUBES) for coming back from a serious injury early in the season to capture second. Also, in the U23 race, Morgan Schmitt (HAGENS BERMAN) took second place to perennial national champion, Jesse Anthony (TEAM CLIFBAR).

Here are provisional results for the three big races today:

Results - Provisional

Elite Men
1. Ryan Trebon (Kona)
2. Jonathan Page (Cervelo/Hot Tubes)
3. Tim Johnson (Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com)
4. Todd Wells (GT/Hyundai)
5 Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly)
6. Barry Wicks (Kona)

Elite U23 Men
1. Jesse Anthony (Team Clifbar) (winning by 25 seconds)
2. Morgan Schmitt (Hagens-Berman Cycling)
3. Bjorn Selander (Alan Factory team)
4. Jamie Driscoll (FiordiFruitta)
5. Chance Noble (California Giant Strawberries/Specialized)

Elite Junior Men
1 Danny Summerhill (TIAA Cref/Clifbar) 40.32
2 Ethan Gilmore (K2 Bike/Okemo/Coyote Hill) 0.32
3 Taylor Phinney (TIAA Cref/Clifbar) 0.46
4 Nick Bax (Hot Tubes) 1.07
5 Nicholas Keough (CL Noonan/Coast to Coast) 1.18
6 Gerome Townsend (Alan Factory Team) 1.24
7 Oscar Clark (Landrover/Seiman's Home Appliances/FFCC) 1.26
8 Carson Miller (Fred Meyer/Lakeside)
9 Clayton Omer (Papa John's racing team) 1.29
10 Eric Thompson (Nature Valley/Penn Cycle) 1.42

Portland gets two USGP races for '07

New Venues Highlight 2007 US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Schedule
December 13, 2006

The management team of the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross has announced the dates and venues for the 2007 US Gran Prix – the Official National Cyclocross Series of USA Cycling. The 2007 schedule will again include six days of racing, four of which will take place in new venues. The schedule includes:

USGP Trenton - October 27-28 (Mercer County Park, West Windsor, NJ)*
USGP Louisville - November 17-18 (River Road Country Club, Louisville, KY)*
USGP Portland, Oregon - December 1-2 – (Hillsboro, OR)
* New venue for 2007

“In the last three years, the sport of cyclocross has grown exponentially and the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross has become the most popular and exciting race series in North America and the premier ‘cross series in the US,” said Bruce Fina, executive director, US Gran Prix of Cyclocross. “In 2007, we look forward to bringing the excitement that is the USGP to two new parts of the country -- New Jersey and Kentucky and returning to Portland, one of the true hotbeds of cyclocross.”

The series will kickoff on October 27 – 28 in West Windsor, NJ just outside the state capital of Trenton, in Mercer County Park. The second stop will be Louisville, Kentucky at River Road Country Club on November 17-18. The series will again return to Portland, Oregon December 1-2 for the fourth consecutive year.

Although some of the venues will be different, spectators can still expect the top ‘cross riders, great competition and racing action. "

One of the founding tenets of USGP is to bring together all of the best riders -- elite and espoir men, women and juniors -- so they can go head-to-head. It's crucial, both nationally and internationally, for USGP to serve as the premier series for this competition. With our new schedule and venues, the 2007 USGP will continue to fuel the growth we are seeing in American cyclocross," Geoff Proctor, USGP Technical Director.

More information will be released in the coming months regarding the 2007 USGP. For more information on the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross, visit usgpcyclocross.com

US Gran Prix of Cyclocross is owned and operated by ProG LLC. ProG is a joint venture promotions company combining the excellence of 16 years of Cross Worlds Championship experience and g4 Productions.

About the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross
Teaming with prominent promoters in strong cycling markets and working in conjunction with USA Cycling and the UCI, US Gran Prix of Cyclocross attracts the best riders in North America to the series. For more information, visit usgpcyclocross.com.

Kruger's Crossing footage

Some video from last weekend's race at Sauvie Island

"It's very slarky" - CrankMyChain

finishing touches

Several of the top men and women from the northwest are racing in New England this weekend in preparation for nationals next weekend.

Yesterday was the first race of the UCI Rhode Island weekend doubleheader. This weekend features races #6 and #7 in the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series.

Here are the results:

W.E. Stedman Grand Prix – UCI C2
South Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA,
Saturday, December 9, 2006

Elite Men

1 Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclo Cross World) 57.39
2 Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly ) 0.17
3 Todd Wells (GT/Shimano) 1.08
4 Matt White (FiordiFrutta) 1.21
5 Mark Mccormack (Team Cliff Bar) 1.42
6 Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW/Michelin) 2.08
7 Justin Spinelli (RGM WATCHES - RICHARD SACHS - REX CHIU)
8 Johannes Huseby (FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team) 2.09
9 Matt Kraus (Alan Factory Team) 2.41
10 Erik Tonkin (Kona) 2.42
11 Mathieu Toulouse (Team Maxxis Cyclocross) 2.52
12 Adam Myerson (Nerac-Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 3.19
13 Daniel Neyens (Hagens Berman Cycling LLP) 3.20
14 Molly Cameron (Vanilla bicycles!) 3.36
15 Michael Cody (FiordiFrutta Cycling Team) 4.09

Elite Women

1 Lyne Bessette (CycloCrossWorld.Com) 41.58
2 Deidre Winfield (Velo Bella-Kona) 0.22
3 Rhonda Mazza (Team S&M/Vanilla Bicycles) 1.21
4 Maureen Bruno Roy (Independent Fabrication/Wheelworks)
5 Christine Vardaros (Lotto-Belisol) 1.39

Kruger's Crossing Results

Oregon wrapped up its cross season with a fine showing at Sauvie Island with the inaugural Kruger's Crossing race.

Here are the results:

Women A
1 Wendy Williams -- River City Bicycles (4 Laps)
2 Brigette Stoick -- River City Bicycles
3 Michelle Savoie -- Veloshop
4 Marila Alvares -- Sorella Forte
5 Catherine Humblet -- none

Men A
1 Erik Tonkin -- Kona (5 Laps)
2 Shannon Skerritt -- Vanilla
3 Michael Sallashea -- River City Bicycles
4 Ian Brown -- River City Bicycles
5 Carson Miller -- Fred Meyer/Lakeside Velo
6 Kevin Hulick -- Vanilla
7 Bear Perrin-- Etna Brewing
8 John McCaffrey -- Bicycleattorney.com
9 Molly Cameron -- Vanilla
10 John Bravard – Half Fast Velo