Trebon and Nash Take Series Titles at Spooky Cross

(L to R) Wells, Trebon and Berden share the Spooky Cross podium

In the men's race it went down to the wire...a final sprint between Ryan Trebon and Ben Berden to decide the series winner.

The women's overall winner would be determined in the absence of series leader Katerina Nash and the formula was simple IF Gateway Cross Cup winner Teal Stetson-Lee won Spooky Cross she would take the overall series win.  Here's how it played out.

Elite Women

It was French national champion Caroline Mani who took the holeshot to lead the race in style, with her oversized optics that she claimed were perfect for the Spooky Cross event. Sue Butler (River City Bicycles/Ridley) was hard charging along with the rest of the field.

But as Mani soloed away from the start to take the win. Butler was close to Mani by the end and maintained her own gap to ride in for second. CalGiant/Specialized rider Teal Stetson-Lee put out a serious effort looking to get Butler in a sprint but she was just seconds off to take third. Devon Haskell (Rambuski Law) finished fourth and Chloe Forsman (Race Club 11) held on for fifth.

Elite Men

    The holeshot looked like Ryan Trebon (LTS/Felt) was going to take it but Brian Lopes (Oakley/Ibis) shot his way up and snuck on the inside of Trebon through the first corner. It was an impressive start with Lopes third row call-up and he remained on the front leading out the field through the first half of lap one. Then Trebon took over and a group of three instantly broke away up front. It was Ben Berden (Ops Ale-Stoemper) and Allen Krughoff (Boulder Cycle Sport). By lap two Todd Wells (Specialized) had worked his way to the front group and they all seemed to be exchanging the work up front.

    Krughoff dropped his chain and another mistake cost him his place in the front group as he slipped back. Chris Jones (Rapha Focus) never made it on the front group but he caught Krughoff and the two battled until there were three laps to go. Jones fell over on a tricky little climb that popped back into the wet grassy field and it was there that Krughoff made his move to open enough of a gap to hold of Jones and finish fourth, for his best race of the season, and Jones fifth.

    Up front the battle continued but Wells fell off the group to finish third and the race up front came down to a sprint between Berden and Trebon. It was an exciting finish as Trebon grabbed another win and wrapped up the Cross After Dark series championship and the Castelli Series Champion jersey.

(L to R) Forsman, Stetson-Lee, Mani, Butler and Haskell share the Podium

OVERALL STANDINGS

With the finale race of the Cross After Dark Series heading to Irvine's Hidden Valley on Saturday October 15 the series lead could be determined by who shows up.  Early series races were dominated by riders who are either based in Europe or will be traveling to the first World Cup in the Czech Republic so look for a possible change of leadership on race day.

On the Men's side look for Ben Berden of Belgium (Stoemper Bikes) to likely take the CxAD winner's jersey.  Known as Mr. Consistent, Berden has steadily improved and settled into the American style of cross during his first full season racing in the U.S.

The Women's side has Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) solidly on top of the standings with her domination at CrossVegas and Star Crossed with Gateway Cross Cup winner Teal Stetson-Lee (Cal Giant/Specialized) lying 2nd. Nash's trip to her native Czech Republic opens the door for Stetson-Lee or teammate Meredith Miller (Cal Giant/Specialized) to take the series overall title if one of the pair wins in Irvine.

Complete Spooky Cross Details HERE

Jeremy Powers Grabs Castelli Leaders Jersey

   On a crisp, fall evening in St. Louis, MO, a collection of top domestic and international cyclocross racers took to a twisting and technical course in Heman Park to contest the third round of the newly minted Cross After Dark series. With top class fields in both the men’s and women’s race, aggressive racing opened the accounts of two of the nation’s best racers as each field sought a collection of highly coveted early season UCI points.  In the end, astute tactical racing brought home a major win for Jeremy Powers in his first season with Rapha-Focus while Teal Stetson-Lee confirmed her status as an emerging powerhouse with a dominating display in the women’s race.

  From the start of the men’s race, it was clear that the course, which featured two run ups, a flyover, barriers and constant twists and turns, would favor technical attacking riders. The flat nature of the terrain also played to those with power in reserve. So it would prove as Belgian transplant Ben Berden lit up the race early on with a bold solo move, breaking the race apart for the rest of the field. Behind him, a chase group of Jonathan Page, Jamey Driscoll, Jeremy Powers and national champion Todd Wells formed, working seamlessly to reel Berden in two laps later. From there, the group showed remarkable cohesion and distanced the rest of the field, making it a five man race for the win. By far the most aggressive of the group was Berden, who tried numerous attacks, each one closely marked by Powers, as the group continued to put time into the chase. Forty minutes in to the hour long race, an attack by Page disrupted the group and momentarily gapped Driscoll, who dangled at the back. It wasn’t enough to break up the leaders and Powers put in a surge of his own with two to go, taking the ever present Berden with him. The cat and mouse continued as the fractured group looked as if it was about to regroup with 500m to go until a final push by Powers took him across the line solo with Berden following in second and Page rounding out the podium. Despite his apparent difficulty two thirds of the way through the race, Driscoll took home the fourth place spot while Todd Wells rolled his stars and stripes skinsuit in for fifth.

  With his 4th Place at CrossVegas and the victory at Gateway Cross Cup, Powers grabs the Castelli series leader jersey from Bart Wellens.

  The women’s race was virtually a one woman show with Teal Stetson-Lee attacking on the first lap and not looking back until she crossed the line. Behind her, a chase group tried valiantly to close the gap, but the presence of Stetson-Lee’s teammate, Meredith Miller, in the group disrupted a concerted chase. Once Stetson-Lee’s lead had reached insurmountable levels, Miller attacked and quickly carved out a position in second place, which she would hold easily hold to the line. As the remnants of the chase broke apart, Katherine Sherwin on Stan’s NoTubes took the sprint over Carrie Cash-Wooten for third with Kelsy Bingham of Roosters/Biker’s Edge filling out the top five.

Katerina Nash retains the Castelli series leader jersey despite her absence from the Gateway Cross Cup start line.

   Following the successful start to the season with CrossVegas, StarCrossed and now the Gateway Cross Cup, the inaugural Cross After Dark series concludes October 15^th and 16^th with Spooky Cross in Irvine, CA.