Jonathan Baker Takes Foothills Cross #1

(Littleton, CO October 15, 2005) :: While the northeast is drying out from almost a foot of rain; Colorado is in the hunt for just a little moisture. The high peaks are snow covered, but down on the plains of Denver and Boulder it is nothing but dry and fast conditions for cyclocross racing. Today was the start of the TIAA-CREF sponsored Foothills Cyclocross Series held in Littleton, Colorado. The race course was a true cyclocross course with fast grass sections and a long dirt road climb up the finishing stretch. The Pro Men's race started out fast with a 40 man field of local favorites Jonathan Baker (Pro-Peloton), Brandon Dwight (TIAA-CREF), Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF), Chuck Coyle (Vitamin-Cottage), and Taylor Kneuven (Broadmark). Kneuven of Portland, Oregon and sophomore at CU-Boulder has been towards the front of nearly every Colorado cyclocross race this season, but an early pinch flat left him sidelined for this sufferfest. Jonathan Baker of the MOB Cyclery team took the early lead and never looked back with Brandon Dwight of the TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar team nearly a minute behind when the bell was rung. The top three was rounded out by Massachusetts native Ben Turner.