Category Archives: cyclocross

Shimano New England Pro Cyclocross Series

The dates for the 2012 edition of the Shimano New England Pro Cyclocross Series have been announce. The official Shimano NEPCX 2012 Dates:

  • September 29/30 – Gloucester, MA
  • October 6/7 – Providence, RI
  • November 3/4 – Northampton, MA
  • December 1/2 – Warwick, RI

2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross Nationals Championships: Men’s Elite

A Look at the Airborne Delta CX Cyclocross Bike

The Airborne Bicycles Delta CX  is one of the best cyclocross values that I have come across. It’s great spec features:

  • Airborne’s Disc-Specific Cyclocross frame/fork
  • Carbon fork
  • SRAM Apex 10-speed group
  • FSA Gossamer BB30 46/36 Cranks
  • Alex RACE 24 Wheelset
  • FSA bars, stem, and post
The Airborne Delta CX come in size: 50, 53, 55, 57, 59. The retail price is $999.95.
Airborne Delta CX

The word Delta means change,and that’s what the Delta cyclocross bike means to us at Airborne. On several levels.

First, it’s a change in product direction for us. It’s not a mountain bike. Several of us are mad about ‘cross racing here; having logged countless hours in cold fall/winter weather training for and racing CX. When the decision was made to finally do a ‘cross bike, we ran headlong at it…sort of a Le Mans-style start.

Second, it’s a change in the way ‘cross bikes are made. This is one of the first bikes to take advantage of the new UCI rules allowing disc brakes for ‘cross racing. No more crudded-up canti brakes; no more wheels that can’t move from all of the mud. We believe this ruling will change the entire sport of ‘cross; opening it up even more for the masses and folks on a budget. We believe in it so much that we ditched the canti mounts altogether.

Some may think its a bold move. We prefer to call it “vision”.

Third and finally, the Delta is our first bike with a BB30 bottom bracket. This is one of those things that most of us dismissed as “marketing-gimmick” until we spent a lot of time with it. BB30 is smooth. It’s stiff. It’s easy to service. And we think it’s here to stay.

For those of you who aren’t quite the ‘cross fanatics we are, but just want a great bike for commuting or riding in foul weather, we have you in mind too. The Delta has mounts for both fenders and a rack. While the geometry is great for ‘cross, its also just as well suited for a commuter or foul-weather bike.

We’ve grown quite fond of SRAM road groups here at the office, and the APEX group performs just as well as its more expensive Rival and Force brothers. The SRAM Double-Tap shifting system is probably one of the most intuitive systems to use as far as we are concerned.The 36/46 FSA Gossamer crank coupled with a wide 10-speed range in the rear means this bike is as equally at home off-road as it is climbing your own mini-Ventoux on the way to the office.

A custom EVO carbon fork with plenty of mud clearance rounds out what we feel is one of the best bangs for your buck on the market.

Airborne Bikes Flight Crew Application

2012 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Airborne is now accepting applications for the 2012 Flight Crew!

You: A rider with the personality, social media presence, and communication skills to represent Airborne as a member of the 2012 Airborne Flight Crew. Think of it as being a “Citizen Brand Ambassador-at-Large”. Airborne is not looking for racers specifically, but if you happen to race, that’s OK. If you are already on a team and have a commitment to ride their product in 2012, this gig isn’t for you.

Us: We build best-value-in-class bikes aimed at the entry level of the high-performance market. Our bikes appeal to two kinds of riders: folks on a budget who want to get serious about cycling, and/or established riders who want to try a new discipline but want to check it out before sinking thousands into a dream rig. Airborne is sold direct to riders online. See our website http://airbornebicycles.com for product info.

What: Complete and send us the 2012 Airborne Flight Crew Application form. The link is below. Note: You’ll need a copy of Acrobat Reader 8.0 or higher. If you don’t have the current version, it’s free and you can download it here (for PC) or here (for Mac, Linux or other OS).

How: The PDF form will allow you to check boxes and fill in blanks with your information. Once you’ve competed it, save the completed form, attach it to an email, and send it to us,  FlightCrew@airbornebicycles.com

Criteria for selecting new members will be based on social media presence, personal presentation, riding and community involvement. Entrants who do not already have a blog or some other online presence will not be considered. Entrants who make the semi-final cut will be contacted for a final phone interview with us before we make our final decisions.

Why: As an Airborne Flight Crew member, you agree to talk about Airborne via social, in-person, and other media. You will become part of the Airborne development & marketing processes, with confidential & first-peek info on new models and developments and the opportunity to add your insight and feedback. You may also be asked to test-ride new bike prototypes in development and even appear in photo or video shoots from time to time, with travel paid if required.

Please note that any Airborne-related ideas or content you produce while a member of the Flight Crew becomes ours to use on a nonexclusive basis.

In exchange for talking about us, you get:

An Airborne bike of your choice, with the chance to earn a second one based on performance.

Assorted gear, kit, and other schwag.

Your picture, bio, and social media feed posted for all to admire on the Airborne Bicycles website and Facebook page.

The chance to hang out with us and your fellow Crew members in the Airborne Flight Crew Top Secret World Headquarters & Clubhouse. We will also have some smaller regional gatherings that you will be invited to.

When: Right now. Entries close midnight, Sunday February 19th 2012. Finalists will be announced within a couple weeks of the closing date. If you are not already a fan of Airborne Bicycles on Facebook, we strongly encourage you to “Like” our page so that you can stay up-to-date on all of the developments.

Where: Just click the link for the 2012 Flight Crew Application/Entry Form (PDF). You can fill it out online, or save to your desktop and open in Acrobat Reader 8 or higher.

Thanks and good luck!

via - Airborne Bikes Flight Crew Application.

6 golds for U.S. riders on final day of Masters Cyclo-cross Worlds

Louisville, Ky. (January 15, 2012) —Racing concluded at the 2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships Sunday with six more Americans claiming the top step of the podium. Great Britain claimed two gold medals out of eight.

With conditions changing throughout the day, the women 50-54 took to the course while it was still covered in a coating of snow and frozen ruts. Karen Brems (Redwood City, Calif./Team Rambuski Law) claimed victory, followed by Kris Walker (Pocatello, Idaho/Contender Bicycles), and Ruth Sherman (Spencer, N.Y./ Corning/NoTubes Race Team/Swan Cycles) rounded out the podium.

As the temperatures rose, women 55-59 took to the course in a hard fought race that ultimately saw Kathy Sarvary (Manchester, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) claim the rainbow jersey ahead of Elizabeth Heller (St. Louis, Mo./Dressell’s Pub) and Diane Ostenso (Cottage Grove, Wis./Planet Bike).

Karen Wells-Hamilton (Fairborn, Ohio/ BioWheels/Reece-Campbell Racing) won gold in the women’s 60-64 division while multi-time national champion Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./ NEBC p/b Cycle Loft/NEMCA) claimed her rainbow jersey in the women’s 65+ race.

As the day progressed, the frozen ruts gave way to perfect muddy conditions under sunny skies. Glen Norton (Renton, Wash./Team Redline) claimed the first gold for the men today in the 60-64 division ahead of Fred Wittwer (Charlottesville, Va./Alan North America Cycling Team) and Gregory Pautsch (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Planet Bike).

The Americans’ lock on the top step of the podium was broken when Great Britain’s Victor Barnett (Welland Valley CC) stormed to victory in the 65-69 group ahead of John Elgart(Sacramento, Calif./ Webcor/Alto Velo) and James Wagner (Auburn, Wash./ Cycle Therapy/4-Corners Racing).

John Ginley (Condor Road Team) kept England’s streak alive in the 70-74 division ahead of countryman Michael Ives (Jewson/M.I. Racing).

Ronald Riley (Aptos, Calif./Bike Station Aptos) seized the gold medal in the men’s 75+ division.

Superstar and cycling legend Ned Overend (Durango, Colo./Specialized) added another rainbow Jersey to his storied palmares, dominating his race in the 55-59 division ahead of California Giant Strawberry/Specialized racers Norman Kreiss (Orinda, Calif./California Giant Strawberry) and Henry Kramer (Menlo Park, Calif./California Giant Strawberry), who raced to hard-fought second and third places respectively, knocking Planet Bike’s Robert Downs (Madison, Wis./Planet Bike) to fourth place.

The women had the marquis spot on the day’s schedule, racing the final two contests of the day in perfect ‘cross conditions. Katrina Dowidchuk (Wilmington, Del./ Team TBB/Deep Blue) stormed to victory ahead of Kimberly Flynn (Hixson, Tenn./US Stove-Trek p/b Vantaggio) and Margell Abel (Boulder, Colo./Tough Girls Cycling) in the 40-44 division.

The final race of the 2012 Masters Cyclo-cross Worlds was a battle for dominance in the 45-49 women’s division. Shannon Gibson(Durango, Colo./Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team) won ahead of Lori Cooke (Pembroke, Mass./Cycle Lodge) and Jennifer Maxwell(Washington, D.C./Van Dessel Factory Team p/b Sterke Meiden), who made up huge ground to go from sixth to claim the third step of the podium.

Full results are available here.

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships return to Louisville, Ky., in 2013 when Masters racing returns January 29-30 and the UCI Elite Cyclo-cross World Championships race February 2-3 in more history-making cyclo-cross racing.

For more information visit www.louisville2013.com.

2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships
January 15, 2012
Louisville, Kentucky

Women 40-44
1. Katrina Dowidchuk (Wilmington, Del./ Team TBB/Deep Blue) 36:57
2. Kimberly Flynn (Hixson, Tenn./US Stove-Trek p/b Vantaggio) 37:39
3. Margell Abel (Boulder, Colo./Tough Girls Cycling) 38:50
4. Catherine Moore (Waco, Tex./Bicycle Outback) 39:37
5. Sally Price (Cuyahago Falls, Ohio/Cleveland Clinic Sports) 40:14

Women 45-49
1. Shannon Gibson (Durango, Colo./Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team) 40:17
2. Lori Cooke (Pembroke, Mass./Cycle Lodge) 42:00
3. Jennifer Maxwell (Washington, D.C./Van Dessel Factory Team p/b Sterke Meiden) 42:12
4. Antonia Leal (Waukesha, Wis./Planet Bike) 42:58
5. Kirsten Begg-Swider (Danbury, Conn./Cycle-Smart Grassroots Team) 43:22

Women 50-54
1. Karen Brems (Redwood City, Calif./Team Rambuski Law) 38:37
2. Kris Walker (Pocatello, Idaho/Contender Bicycles) 40:21
3. Ruth Sherman (Spencer, N.Y./ Corning/NoTubes Race Team/Swan Cycles) 40:37
4. Christine Schryver (Rochester, N.Y./Full Moon Vista) 40:54
5. Karen Tripp (Deerfield, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) 40:57

Women 55-59
1. Kathy Sarvary (Manchester, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) 42:46
2. Elizabeth Heller (St. Louis, Mo./Dressell’s Pub) 43:38
3. Diane Ostenso (Cottage Grove, Wis./Planet Bike) 45:07
4. Lucia Colbert (Cordova, Tenn./Los Locos) 47:42
5. Linda Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./ Webcor/Alto Velo) 48:54

Women 60-64
1. Karen Wells-Hamilton (Fairborn, Ohio/ BioWheels/Reece-Campbell Racing) 48:22

Women 65+
1. Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./ NEBC p/b Cycle Loft/NEMCA) 45:22

Men 55-59
1. Ned Overend (Durango, Colo./Specialized) 40:32
2. Norman Kreiss (Orinda, Calif./California Giant Strawberry) 41:54
3. Henry Kramer (Menlo Park, Calif./California Giant Strawberry) 41:56
4. Robert Downs (Madison, Wis./Planet Bike) 41:57
5. Benny Andersson (Sweden/Trek Sweden Racing) 43:32

Men 60-64
1. Glen Norton (Renton, Wash./Team Redline) 40:14
2. Fred Wittwer (Charlottesville, Va./Alan North America Cycling Team) 40:50
3. Gregory Pautsch (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Planet Bike) 41:48
4. Harold Parker (Lenexa, Kan./360Racing) 43:50
5. Timothy Leonard (New Hartford, N.Y./Nycross.com) 44:12

Men 64-69
1. Victor Barnett (England/Welland Valley CC) 42:58
2. John Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./ Webcor/Alto Velo) 43:52
3. James Wagner (Auburn, Wash./ Cycle Therapy/4-Corners Racing) 44:21
4. Lewis Rollins (Salt Lake City, Utah/Contender Bicycle) 44:32
5. Rick Abbott (Boulder, Colo./Excelsports.com) 47:04

Men 70-74
1. John Ginley (England/Condor Road Club) 48:57
2. Michael Ives (England/ Jewson/M.I. Racing) 50:26
3. Erik Nordenson (Moab, Utah/Poison Spider Bicycles) 50:49
4. Robert Llamas (Montrose, Calif./Team Montrose Bike Shop) 51:06
5. Loren Hettinger (Littleton, Colo./Schwab Cycles RT)

Men 75+
1. Ronald Riley (Aptos, Calif./Bike Station Aptos) 47:15

via http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=7320

5 world titles earned by Americans on day 3 of Masters CX Worlds – USA Cycling

Louisville, Ky. (January 14, 2012) —Americans took five of six possible rainbow jerseys Saturday on the third day of racing at the 2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships.

The morning began with the women’s 30-34 race, where Rebecca Gross (Lakewood, Colo./Tough Girl) outrode Alyssa Severn (Madison, Wis./Cylocrossracing.com) for the gold. Andrea Wilson (Cordova, Tenn./Outdoors, Inc.) followed Severn to the line to score a bronze.

Canadian Lyne Bessette took victory in the women’s 35-39 race, beating Kristin Weber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) and Lisa Hudson (Golden, Colo./Feedback Sports), who finished second and third respectively.

Men’s Races

In the first men’s race of the day, Stephen Tilford (Topeka, Kansas / Tradewind Energy/Eriksen Cycles) earned victory in the men’s 50-54 contest while Kevin Hines (East Wareham, Minn./Corner Cycle) took silver, a repeat of the duo’s one/two podium finish at the recent USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships. Gunnar Shogren (Morgantown, W.Va./Team Pathfinder of WV) finished close behind Hines to claim third.

Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif./ Ibis/Buy-Cell.com), the current men’s 45-49 cyclo-cross national champion, added another jersey to his closet after he bested the rest of the 45-49 field by more than a minute and a half. Belgium’s Erik Teck rode to a second-place finish just ahead of Gannon Myall (Lafayette, Calif./ California Giant Strawberry/Specialized).

It was a thrilling finish to the men’s 40-44 race, where the top two steps of the Cyclo-cross Nationals podium traded spots when Peter Webber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) edged teammate and reigning national champ Brandon Dwight (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) for the rainbow jersey. Mark Savery (Omaha, Neb./ Trek Midwest CX/MWCC) earned the bronze.

The men’s 35-39 competition provided another close finish as Scott Frederick (Raleigh, N.C./Inland Construction) reached the line just three seconds ahead of runner-up Christopher Case (Golden, Colo./Feedback Sports). Craig Faulkner (Mendota Heights, Minn./Crossniacs) took the third step on the podium.

The final day of racing begins Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. with the women’s 50-54 age group final.

Admission to the races is free to the public with a $3 parking charge. For a complete race schedule and more information, visit www.louisville2013.com. You can also follow the event on Twitter at @Louisville2013 or by searching the hash tag #cxmasters2012.

2012 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships

January 13, 2012

Louisville, Kentucky

Women 30-34

1. Rebecca Gross (Lakewood, Colo./Tough Girl) 37:52

2. Alyssa Severn (Madison, Wis./Cylocrossracing.com) 38:59

3. Andrea Wilson (Cordova, Tenn./Outdoors, Inc.)

4. Cooper Ambjorn (Covington, Ky./Team CNC) @1 lap

5. Sarah FarverStaub (Ashley, Ind./Men of Steel Racing) @1 lap

Women 35-39

1. Lyne Bessette (Canada) 39:04

2. Kristin Weber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) 39:30

3. Lisa Hudson (Golden, Colo./Feedback Sports) 40:56

4. Elizabeth Shogren (Morgantown, W.Va./Team Pathfinder of WV) 42:56

5. Kristal Boni (Erie, Colo./Rapidracing) 43:15

Men 35-39

1. Scott Frederick (Raleigh, N.C./Inland Construction) 44:53

2. Christopher Case (Golden, Colo./Feedback Sports) 44:56

3. Craig Faulkner (Mendota Heights, Minn./Crossniacs) 45:39

4. Joshua Roeser (Montrose, Minn./ Crossniacs/Bicycle Fit Guru) 45:46

5. Andrew Messer (Bloomington, Ind./ DRT Racing p/b Revolution Bike & Bean) 45:51

Men 40-44

1. Peter Webber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) 43:09

2. Brandon Dwight (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) 43:09

3. Mark Savery (Omaha, Neb./ Trek Midwest CX/MWCC) 43:54

4. Todd Bowden (Canada/ Expo/Superior Energy) 44:30

5. Mark McCormack (Foxboro, Mass./ Clif Bar/Pactimo) 44:36

Men 45-49

1. Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif./ Ibis/Buy-Cell.com) 43:34

2. Erik Teck (Belgium/Vreda Cycling Team) 45:07

3. Gannon Myall (Lafayette, Calif./ California Giant Strawberry/Specialized) 45:31

4. Keith Lucas (Custer, Ky./ Scheller’s Racing Team) 45:42

5. James Coats (Campbell, Calif./ California Giant Strawberry/Specialized) 46:01

Men 50-54

1. Stephen Tilford (Topeka, Kansas / Tradewind Energy/Eriksen Cycles) 42:01

2. Kevin Hines (East Wareham, Minn./Corner Cycle) 43:00

3. Gunnar Shogren (Morgantown, W.Va./Team Pathfinder of WV) 43:17

4. Philip Roach (England/Rugby Velo) 45:46

5. Tim Hacker (Madison, Wis./Planet Bike) 46:44

Full results and lap time reports are available here.

via 5 world titles earned by Americans on day 3 of Masters CX Worlds – USA Cycling.

USA Cycling names cyclo-cross world championships team – USA Cycling

USA Cycling announced Friday the roster of elite, U23 and junior athletes that will represent the United States at the 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium on Jan. 28-29.

Elite Men

Due to a fifth-place ranking at the 2011 World Championships, the United States qualified six starters for the race. The 2012 national champion Jeremy Powers (Easthampton, Mass./Team Rapha-Focus) and Tim Johnson (Topsfield, Mass./ Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), who was the second-ranked American rider in the rankings (17th), were automatic qualifiers for the team. In addition to his 2012 national championship, Powers is the top-ranked rider (11th) in the UCI’s rankings with 984 points and has registered a pair of top-15 finishes at UCI World Cup races.

Joining Powers and Johnson as discretionary selections to the team are: Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore./LTS-Felt), Jamey Driscoll (Winooski, Vt./Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), Jonathan Page (Northfield, N.H./Planet Bike) and Christopher Jones (Auburn, Calif./Team Rapha-Focus). Trebon, who is one slot behind Johnson in the UCI rankings, has accumulated 365 points in 10 American UCI category-1 races while Driscoll has amassed 244 points and is 30th in the UCI rankings. Page finished 12th at the 2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships and has registered three top-25 finishes at World Cups this season. Jones has accrued 55 ranking points and is ranked 68th by the UCI.

Elite Women

Each of five women comprising the American elite women’s team are automatic qualifiers. Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rabobank-Giant) rides in on the heels of collecting the eighth national championship of her career. After placing second in the 2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, Compton has collected three top-five finishes at UCI World Cup events, including winning the first race in Plzen, Czech Republic on Oct. 16, 2011. Amy Dombroski (Boulder, Colo./Crankbrothers Race Club), who has a pair of top-15 finishes at World Cups, including a sixth-place result at Plzen, Czech Republic, is also an automatic qualifier. By virtue of finishing 10th at the UCI World Cup race in Namur, Belgium, Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wisc./Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale Cyclocrossworld) earned a spot. Meredith Miller (Boulder, Colo./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) and Nicole Duke (Boulder, Colo./Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale Cyclocrossworld) each registered a top-15 result at a UCI World Cup race with Miller’s coming in Tabor, Czech Republic and Duke’s coming in Plzen, Czech Republic to each qualify a spot. Miller also has amassed the most UCI ranking points from 10 American category-1 races with 327.

U23

Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Team Rapha-Focus) was the lone rider to earn an automatic spot on the team after winning the U23 race at the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships and registering a 10th-place finish at the UCI World Cup in Tabor, Czech Republic. Joining McDonald in the U23 race will be discretionary selection Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized). Kaiser placed second in the U23 race at nationals and was the second-best American U23 rider in three out of four domestic qualification events.

Junior Men

The winner of the junior men 17-18 race, Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Team Redline) and the highest-ranked riders in three of four domestic selection races, Andrew Dillman (Fairdale, Ky./Bob’s Red Mill) were two automatic qualifiers for the American team. While Dillman recorded 26 points in the domestic selection races, Owen was the second-ranked American rider with 21 points.

Also contesting the junior men’s race are discretionary selections Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./Whole Athlete-Specialized), Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) and Curtis White (Delanson, N.Y./Clif Bar Development Cyclo Cross Team). Ortenblad placed second, Gorry finished third and White was fifth in the junior men 17-18 race.

The 2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships begin Saturday, Jan. 28 with the juniors and U23 races before culminating with the elite races on Sunday, Jan. 29.

2012 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships

Koksijde, Belgium

January 28-29, 2012

U.S. team roster:

Elite Men

  • Tim Johnson* (Topsfield, Mass./ Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
  • Jeremy Powers* (Easthampton, Mass./Team Rapha-Focus)
  • Jamey Driscoll (Winooski, Vt./Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
  • Christopher Jones(Auburn, Calif./Team Rapha-Focus)
  • Jonathan Page (Northfield, N.H./Planet Bike)
  • Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore./LTS-Felt)

Elite Women

  • Kaitlin Antonneau* (Racine, Wisc./Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale Cyclocrossworld)
  • Katie Compton* (Colorado Springs, Colo./Rabobank-Giant)
  • Amy Dombroski* (Boulder, Colo./Crankbrothers Race Club)
  • Nicole Duke* (Boulder, Colo./Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale Cyclocrossworld)
  • Meredith Miller* (Boulder, Colo./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)

U23 Men

  • Zach McDonald* (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Team Rapha-Focus)
  • Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)

Junior Men

  • Andrew Dillman* (Fairdale, Ky./Bob’s Red Mill)
  • Logan Owen* (Bremerton, Wash./Team Redline)
  • Richard Cypress Gorry (Payson, Ariz./Whole Athlete-Specialized)
  • Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized)
  • Curtis White (Delanson, N.Y./Clif Bar Development Cyclo Cross Team)

* — Automatic qualifier

This Article Published January 13, 2012 For more information contact: dgaylinn@usacycling.org

via USA Cycling names cyclo-cross world championships team – USA Cycling.

NYCROSS.com: Kirkland Cyclocross

The NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series got underway over the weekend with the Kirkland Cyclocross Race. The race was held at Kirkland Town Park in the village of Clinton, NY. The day started out with the drive to Clinton, via the New York State Thruway. The parts of the Thruway that had been closed due to flooding from Hurricane Irene. The Thruway was open, but you could see along the way the water line showing how high the water had been. Water still receding from field and back yard and construction sites. I can’t imagine what it was like after the storms.
Once I made it to the race, all my cyclocross friends were there, and pulling into the parking area, I could tell that the race was going to be muddy. The ground was just soaked with water that made some sections of the ~2 mile course tough to pedal through…how often is the sand pit easier than an open field. It was a fun course, a challenging course and a sloppy course.
For my first ‘cross race of the season, I think I did pretty good…no crashes, the barriers come naturally now and the run-ups are faster than a walk. Results aren’t really that big of a deal anymore. Of course a descent result is nice, but the race is for the love of cycling. A good result is just a bonus for that day. I did finish 40th overall in the Masters 1/2/3 race. How it’s broken down to age, I don’t know.
Race #2 in the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series is on October 2 – CX @ Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY.

Shimano Launches Cyclocross Initiative with Series Sponsorship; New England Sponsorship Creates Nation’s Richest ‘Cross Series

Boston (July 12, 2011) – A pioneer in developing components for cyclocross, Shimano America announced today its sponsorship of the UCI sanctioned New England Professional Cyclocross Series.
“Shimano prides itself on the values of culture and history,” said Penina Bush, senior manager at Shimano America. Having long sponsored the UCI World Cup, the World Championships, and regional series in America, Shimano recognized the heritage of New England cyclocross.
“Shimano places great values on culture and history. We are honored to be aligned with the NEPCX to help strengthen the ’cross scene. New England’s culture, history and passionate followers are something we identify with as a company and as passionate cyclists. We look forward to our involvement for years to come.”
The Shimano New England Pro Cyclocross Series Presented by Verge will include eight races with considerable heritage in a region famous for cyclocross, the steeplechase of competitive cycling. Those venues will include Gloucester, Mass.; Providence, R.I.; Northampton, Mass.; and Warwick, R.I.
“Shimano recognized the power of the New England market in cyclocross,” said Richard Fries, marketing and communications director of the Shimano Series. “We are known for the quality of our riders, our venues, and our market. In looking to launch a cyclocross-specific component group, Shimano selected New England as the ultimate proving ground.”
The eight-race series is one of just three American cyclocross series sanctioned by the UCI. All events have UCI status with two, Gloucester and Providence, featuring Category 1 races. With Shimano’s backing, the series will offer more than $50,000 in prize money, including more than $10,000 for the overall series payout. Shimano has committed to the series for three years.
“We have thousands of ’cross racers within a few hours’ drive of these venues,” said Paul Boudreau, promoter of the series opener in Gloucester, one of the most fabled UCI events in America. “With gasoline around $4 a gallon, we’re happy to offer so many competitors – and spectators – a chance to see world class competition that does not break the bank.”
The Shimano Series sprung from the Verge New England Cyclocross Series, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious series. Verge will remain committed to the series as presenting sponsor.
“This is like watching your baby graduate,” said Michael Magur, president of Verge and long time supporter of cyclocross. “These races, these venues, these promoters are going to take American ’cross to new heights.”
About the Shimano New England Pro Cyclocross Series Presented by Verge:
The 2011 Shimano Series includes eight races in four venues:
  • The Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester, Oct. 1 & 2 at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Mass.
  • The Providence Cyclocross Festival Presented by Interbike, Oct. 8 & 9 at Roger Williams Park in Providence, R.I.
  • The Cycle-Smart International, Nov. 5 & 6 at Look Park in Northampton, Mass.
  • The NBX Grand Prix of Cyclocross Dec. 3 & 4 in Goddard Park in Warwick, R.I.
For more information visit www.NEPCX.com.

Make Your Own Barriers

This post is from last year, but I wanted to share it again…How to make your own barriers…and cheap too.