Kinetic Systems UCI Cyclo-Cross Race Report
by Jay Jones
October 5, 2005
It was a perfect day for cyclo-cross racing, that’s if you’re a fan. If you liked sunshine, nice temps and easy-to-view course all the while working on your I-just-jetted-off-to-the-tropics-for-the-weekend tan, then this was your ticket. If you are a true cyclo-cross race addict and long for the mud, rain, snow, sleet and cold temps, then you might not have been so enthusiastic. Either way, it was a great two days of racing.
The Kinetic Systems Bicycles/Tailwind Waterford Hills UCI Cyclo-cross race officially kicked off the North American UCI race schedule. Course designer Joe Brown seems like a nice enough guy, but his sadistic approach to course design leaves us wondering. Not that this is a bad thing, but there was absolutely no rest on this course save one grassy down hill filled with bumps. You were working the whole time through each lap.
While there were plenty of C-Men and Women, B-Men and a lot of Masters 35+ and 45+ racing, the main attraction was the Elite Men’s and Women’s races.
On Saturday the Elite Womens race started promptly at 11:00AM with a field of six women. The first lap Anne Swartz (Flying Rhino Cycling Club) hit the gas and never looked back, well maybe a few times to see where the competition was, but she controlled the race the whole six laps. Tara Ross (Victory Brewing) finish 2nd and Lisa Most (Wissahickon) finished 3rd. Rounding out the podium in 4th and 5th respectively was Anne Grofvert (AAVC/SalonXL) and Leslie Chown (St. Catherine’s CC)
The Elite Mens race went a little different. After the start gun sounded a group of 12 broke off and systematically dropped all the local boys save one, last years Elite winner Jeff Weinert (Cane Creek). Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly) led the group and worked it down to 8 riders including Ben Turner and Zak Grabowski (both TIAA Kref/Clif Bar), Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Salsa) and Jonothan Baker (Primus Mootry Racing) included. This group would dismantle the rest of the field by dropping one racer at a time until there was only four left. With one lap remaining Jerermy Powers turned in his fastest lap of the day and dropped the entire field to take first place! Ben Turner took 2nd, Brent Prenzlow 3rd, Jonathan Baker 4th and Zak Grabowski 5th.
Sunday the weather was a little more cross cooperating but we had to wait for the end of the Men’s Elite race for it to happen. But like Saturday the Elite Women started at 11:00AM and like Saturday Anne Swartz took off, but this time she had company, Tara Ross. This lasted for the first lap and then hometown girl Anne took charge and coasted in for first place, besting 2nd place Ross by almost 2 minutes. Leslie Chown came in 3rd, Lisa Most 4th and Anne Grofvert (AAVC/SalonXL) in 5th.
The Mens race was pretty much the same, a large group breaks off consisting of all the top guns and then they systematically spit out all the pretenders of the day. Jeremy Powers using his last name to the fullest extent, takes charge again with help from Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW/Michelin) and all the usual suspects like Baker, Penzlow, Grabowski and former (not to mention the only North American) World Champion Matt Kelly (Alan Factory Team). Sunday’s outcome was a bit closer then Saturday’s but just as exciting. In the last 15 minutes of this one hour of pain was a weather front that kicked in the rain and the wind as if to say you guys need a little cross weather to make this interesting. The rain came in sideways with wind gusts up to 40 mph. But in the end the result was the same, Jeremy Powers came in first, Jonathan Baker 2nd, Tristan Schouten 3rd, Brent Prenzlow 4th and Zak Grabowski on the final podium spot. Matt Kelly came in a respectable 6th place.
All in all it was a great course, great racing and some decent cross weather, even for the fans!
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