Weather hampers first day of cyclo-cross nationals
By Susan Bickelhaupt, Globe Staff :: Snowy, windy, and cold weather is usually considered ideal for cyclo-cross racers, whose season ends this weekend with the national championships.But it became too much by yesterday afternoon. So after holding several races starting at 9 a.m., the organizers of the US National Cyclo-cross Championships at Roger Williams Park in Providence threw in the towel. The postponed races -- collegiate and men's 30-34 -- will take place this morning; several other races are scheduled for today, including juniors and under-23 events. The day culminates with the elite men's race. The elite women ride tomorrow.
''It was just snow in the morning, then all of a sudden the weather changed to a mixture of rain and sleet and these gusts of wind," said Richard Fries, the race announcer and communications director. ''The tents were blowing around, and the fencing was falling down, and we thought, 'This is dangerous to everybody.' "
New England has a posse of riders favored today -- no surprise, since this weather comes more naturally to them than racers from Colorado or California, even though yesterday was particularly harsh.
Jonathan Page of Tilton, N.H., is the three-time defending national champion. Tim Johnson of Middleton won the Verge New England Cyclocross Championship Series this season and finished second in the Crank Brothers Gran Prix Cyclo-cross Series. Mark McCormack of Foxborough won the nationals in 1997. These men are all elite racers. Jesse Anthony of Beverly is a six-time junior and under-23 national champion. Maureen Bruno Roy of Topsfield also took the Verge series.
''I love to ride in the snow, I think it's pretty cool," said Johnson.
But yesterday was ''exceptionally bad," he said from Providence. ''It started out just normal snow and it got worse and worse; then there was hail and sleet . . . it was just chaos."
It had taken Johnson's mother more than three hours to drive to Logan Airport to pick up his wife, Lyne Bessette, who rode a World Cup race in Italy, finishing 11th. Bessette, who won the Gran Prix Series, won't be riding in today's national since she is Canadian, but she will participate in the Liberty Cup race tomorrow for all past and present national champs.
The sport of cyclo-cross sends bike riders on a fast, often sloppy circuit that is generally off-road and includes obstacles like short hurdles that riders can either try bunny-hopping over or dismounting their bikes and running past.
Fans often have cowbells to clang and cheer on the racers.
The riders wear everything from hats to gloves to leggings -- ''everything you have in your bag of tricks," said Johnson.
Also favored are Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks, both from Oregon. Wicks won the Gran Prix Series just ahead of Johnson.
''We all have to be able to take whatever conditions are thrown at us," Johnson said. ''So I think we're all equal going in."
Johnson, who only returned to cyclo-cross this season after taking three years off to focus on road racing, said he's glad he came to the fall/winter sport. In addition to his win in the New England series, his wife won the Gran Prix and she had won 14 straight cyclo-cross races.
''I think this weekend is the end of a very good season," he said.
Of the races run yesterday, seven national champions were crowned: Shannon Skerritt, men's 35-39; Dale Knapp, men's 40-44; Steve Tilford, men's 45-49; Audrey Huffman, women's 40-44; Patti Kaufmann, women's 45-49; Tove Shere, women's 50-54; and Betty Jordan, women's 55-59.
''It was just snow in the morning, then all of a sudden the weather changed to a mixture of rain and sleet and these gusts of wind," said Richard Fries, the race announcer and communications director. ''The tents were blowing around, and the fencing was falling down, and we thought, 'This is dangerous to everybody.' "
New England has a posse of riders favored today -- no surprise, since this weather comes more naturally to them than racers from Colorado or California, even though yesterday was particularly harsh.
Jonathan Page of Tilton, N.H., is the three-time defending national champion. Tim Johnson of Middleton won the Verge New England Cyclocross Championship Series this season and finished second in the Crank Brothers Gran Prix Cyclo-cross Series. Mark McCormack of Foxborough won the nationals in 1997. These men are all elite racers. Jesse Anthony of Beverly is a six-time junior and under-23 national champion. Maureen Bruno Roy of Topsfield also took the Verge series.
''I love to ride in the snow, I think it's pretty cool," said Johnson.
But yesterday was ''exceptionally bad," he said from Providence. ''It started out just normal snow and it got worse and worse; then there was hail and sleet . . . it was just chaos."
It had taken Johnson's mother more than three hours to drive to Logan Airport to pick up his wife, Lyne Bessette, who rode a World Cup race in Italy, finishing 11th. Bessette, who won the Gran Prix Series, won't be riding in today's national since she is Canadian, but she will participate in the Liberty Cup race tomorrow for all past and present national champs.
The sport of cyclo-cross sends bike riders on a fast, often sloppy circuit that is generally off-road and includes obstacles like short hurdles that riders can either try bunny-hopping over or dismounting their bikes and running past.
Fans often have cowbells to clang and cheer on the racers.
The riders wear everything from hats to gloves to leggings -- ''everything you have in your bag of tricks," said Johnson.
Also favored are Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks, both from Oregon. Wicks won the Gran Prix Series just ahead of Johnson.
''We all have to be able to take whatever conditions are thrown at us," Johnson said. ''So I think we're all equal going in."
Johnson, who only returned to cyclo-cross this season after taking three years off to focus on road racing, said he's glad he came to the fall/winter sport. In addition to his win in the New England series, his wife won the Gran Prix and she had won 14 straight cyclo-cross races.
''I think this weekend is the end of a very good season," he said.
Of the races run yesterday, seven national champions were crowned: Shannon Skerritt, men's 35-39; Dale Knapp, men's 40-44; Steve Tilford, men's 45-49; Audrey Huffman, women's 40-44; Patti Kaufmann, women's 45-49; Tove Shere, women's 50-54; and Betty Jordan, women's 55-59.
posted by Ryan Amirault at Saturday, December 10, 2005
