December 05, 2011 (Warwick, RI) – The final weekend of the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series presented by Verge is history. Both days featured incredibly exciting battles with huge crowds of fans swarming to Warwick’s Goddard Park to witness the intense action.

Day 1
The final weekend of the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series presented by Verge kicked off with a bang as two of the best races of the season were decided by a wheel’s width. Perfect weather, with light breezes and temperatures in the high-40s and clear skies were over Goddard Park in Warwick, Rhode Island for the NBX Gran Prix of Cross. Today’s racing was riveting and some of the biggest crowds in New England were on hand to see it.

The course offered its usual top-level challenge, with a steep ride up, long sections of deceivingly tricky woods, sand run on Narragansett Bay and an extremely fast, downhill finish. This racecourse has all the features that we think of when we want to define proper cyclocross, and the best names in the sport came out in force.

Elite Women
This season’s racing in New England has seen a battle pitted between Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom), Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) and the trio from LadiesFirst Racing, Andrea Smith, Crystal Anthony and Elle Anderson. Van Gilder has been dominant this season and holds a sizable lead in the Shimano Series coming into the final weekend. She picked up a pair of victories last week at Bay State Cross and hoped to do the same at NBX. Annis and the women of LadiesFirst had other plans. Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob’s Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) took the holeshot and was the first out of the sand, driving the initial group of eight women. The pace was taken over and lifted by Van Gilder and the selection was made quickly. At the front, it was Van Gilder, Annis, Anthony, Anderson and Smith. For the first time this season, the women of LadiesFirst worked coherently as a group to put Annis and Van Gilder under pressure. First, it was Anderson launching an attack, which was closed by Van Gilder, then Anthony went, putting the pressure on Annis. Smith was, all the time, sitting safely in the group, clearly biding her time. As the race went on, Anderson launched a final attack and, once reeled in, fell off the back of the group. With the group reduced to four, it was Anthony’s turn to take off. Her attack came very late in the game, with little more than half a lap to go, and put Van Gilder and Annis under pressure once again. When Anthony was reeled in, Van Gilder stayed on the front, hoping to undo her luck from last year by leading out the sprint. Van Gilder was the first to the pavement, but Smith came in hard and shot through, outfoxing Van Gilder and picking up a great victory. Van Gilder held off Annis for second with Anthony ahead of Anderson for fourth.

Elite Men
The Elite Men’s field was absolutely star-studded with six-time Swiss National Champion Christian Heule and his Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com teammate Jamey Driscoll joining the pinnacle of New England racing. The Series leader, Luke Keough (Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross) came back to defend his jersey following the World Cup in Koksijde, holding a slim lead over Justin Lindine (bikereg.com/Joe’s Garage).
The racing was furious from the gun, with Dylan McNicholas (cyclocrossworld.com) taking the holeshot and leading the field into the sand. For the first few laps, despite the intense pace, the front group contained twelve racers with leadership switching between McNicholas, Mike Garrigan (Lapierre Canada), Shawn Milne (ECV/Mazda) and the duo from Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com. Notably, Keough, while rarely on the front, was never behind third wheel and was quick to cover all moves.

The clip slowly began to shed racers as Driscoll turned on his big diesel engine. The group was eventually trimmed to seven with Driscoll at the front, followed by Heule, Keough, McNicholas, Lindine and SmartStop/MOB p/b Ridley teammates Jerome Townsend and Adam Myerson. While Myerson, McNicholas and Lindine each were put into difficulty, each demonstrated their grit and determination by coming back to the lead. A split came with four to go as Heule, Driscoll and Keough went off the front, forcing the group of four to chase. At two to go, thanks to some chess playing at the front, the gap had come down and it came back together. With seven racers evenly matched together, this looked likely to come to a sprint. On the final half of a lap, Heule attacked out of the sandpit and Keough dug incredibly deep to stay with him. McNicholas, slightly gapped, turned himself inside out and made contact with Driscoll behind him.

On the final 180-degree turn onto the pavement, Heule was at the front with Driscoll second and looked ready to pick up his second Shimano Series victory of the season. Keough, dug deep into his reserves and uncorked one of the finest sprints we’ve seen all season and came around Heule for the most prestigious victory of his young career. Heule held on for second ahead of Driscoll. McNicholas came across the line fourth. Townsend picked up fifth ahead of Lindine with Myerson seventh.

Day 2
For the last time this season, the throngs of New England cyclocross gathered for a race in the inaugural Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series presented by Verge. The season’s battles for the Shimano Series has been hard fought for both the men and women. Heading into the final day, Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom) and Luke Keough (Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross) had built up sizable leads, but both being the competitors they are, wanted to honor the jersey with victory in the final day.
Today’s second daty of racing at the NBX Gran Prix of Cross was a bit more technically demanding than Saturday’s, with tight and loose corners on the upper woods section and a second sand section, ending in a steep runup. The hurdles had been moved from a flat approach to an uphill and caused problems for racers throughout the day.

Elite Women
In a move uncharacteristic of Elite Women’s racing, the first half of the race saw an extremely large group on the front of thirteen riders. Yesterday’s victor, Andrea Smith (LadiesFirst Racing) was patrolling the front, joined by Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles), Laura Van Gilder and Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob’s Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles). The demands of the course, as usual, created a selection late in the race, reducing the front group to five with only a lap and a half remaining. Smith, Bruno Roy, Annis, Van Gilder and Smith’s teammate Crystal Anthony had made the lead, but unlike yesterday, it seemed like there were no team tactics to be found. The high pace kept all riders under pressure, continually creating small gaps which each burned matches to close. Bruno Roy began to stretch off the back on the final lap and, as the group entered the sand with little more than half a lap remaining, Anthony also started to lose the pace. On the exit from the sand, Smith was the first wheel and Van Gilder slipped on a tight, rooted corner and hit the ground. This was Smith’s opportunity and she seized it with both hands, building a lead of ten bike lengths in an instant. Van Gilder turned herself inside out to close the gap but was unable to make contact. Smith was able to raise her hands alone in victory. Behind, Van Gilder was unable to match an acceleration by Annis on the pavement and came across the line third.

Van Gilder’s third place today was enough to hold on for the Shimano Series victory. “I’m so happy to have won this,” said Van Gilder, who races on Dura-Ace. “Shimano has done so much and the Series is such a fantastic event. I wanted to support it and am so proud of winning.” By virtue of her great weekend of racing, Andrea Smith was able to pick up second overall in the Shimano Series, which boasts a $10,000 prize purse split evenly between the men and women. Sally Annis’s third overall was a fantastic result for the young crossresults.com team.

Elite Men
Coming off Luke Keough’s surprise victory yesterday, the Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com duo of Jamey Driscoll and Christian Heule came into the final day of the Shimano Series looking for revenge. Knowing that the crafty racer from Cape Cod packs a world-class sprint, coupled with his ability to maintain himself in difficulty, the two knew they would have to isolate Keough.

The early group was extremely large and, following Adam Myerson (SmartStop/MOB p/b Ridley) driving the pace into the sand pit, the pace was taken over by Texan Bryan Fawley (Orbea USA), who came to NBX looking for his first taste of cyclocross in New England. Last year’s winner, Nick Keough, followed by his teammate and brother Luke, then headed the group of fifteen. At six laps to go, Driscoll, Keough and Heule found themselves off the front, in a repeat of yesterday’s racing, ahead of a driving group led by Jerome Townsend (SmartStop/MOB p/b Ridley) and Dylan McNicholas (cyclocrossworld.com). McNicholas bridged up, only to attack immediately.

At five to go, with McNicholas back in, Heule attacked. Keough attempted to cover, but was left dangling and returned to the group. The next move came when Heule was up to ten seconds and Driscoll took a dig. Keough attempted to cover this move as well, but went down hard in a soft corner. Driscoll was then clear to reach his teammate at the front.

With Driscoll and Heule working at the front, the chase behind was left with McNicholas, Keough, Justin Lindine (bikereg.com/Joe’s Garage) and Mike Garrigan (Lapierre Canada). Garrigan, who is best known for his blisteringly fast first two laps, had remained within himself and launched an attack inside three to go. The Canadian’s attack didn’t amount to much and McNicholas began to pull the chase as the leaders got the bell. The high pace put Garrigan into difficulty and Lindine misjudged a corner, hit the ground and got up with a mechanical problem with his bike.

The leaders hit the pavement together with Heule able to hold off a charging Driscoll for his second Shimano Series victory of the season. Twenty seconds behind, elbows were wide in the battle for third between McNicholas and Keough, with Keough pulling off another impressive sprint, leaving McNicholas fourth, with Garrigan fifth and Lindine sixth.

Thanks to his impressive weekend of racing, Luke Keough was able to pull on the final Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series leader’s jersey and payout for both the Elite and the U23 competition. A great weekend’s racing for Heule meant the Swiss Champion moved into second overall with Justin Lindine, the one-time series leader third. On his win, Keough was quick to point out the advantage of racing regionally. “It’s a great series. I’ve grown up with the Verge Series and to see the new Shimano sponsorship means great things for New England racing.” Heule echoed Keough’s response, pointing to the quality of courses and ease of travel as reasons the Shimano Series should be a priority for elite racers.

The 2011 Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series presented by Verge has come to a close. We’ve been lucky to have some of the most generous sponsors, the finest courses, the most dedicated racers and the absolute best races of the year, right here in New England. Next year’s edition is sure to raise the bar once again. Stay tuned.

Results

Day 1
Elite Women
1. Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:37:05
2. Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Athletes Serving Athletes 0:00:01
3. Sally Annis (USA) Crossresults.com p/b JRA cycles
4. Crystal Anthony (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:00:06
5. Elle Anderson (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:00:24
6. Nicole Thiemann (USA) Team CF 0:00:28
7. Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob’s Red Mill pb Seven Cycles
8. Catherine Sterling (USA) Bikeman.com 0:00:54
9. Carolyn Popovic (USA) Team CF
10. Cassandra Maximenko (USA) silverbull centralwheel 0:00:55
11. Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:01:22
12. Rebecca Wellons (USA) Quad Cycles 0:01:49
13. Frances Morrison (USA) J.A.M. Fund/NCC 0:02:06
14. Julie Lafreniere (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery 0:02:10
15. Laura Ralston (GBR) MIT Cycling-FXDD 0:02:16
16. Kathleen Lysakowski (USA) Cycle Lodge 0:02:19
17. Christina Birch (USA) MIT 0:02:20
18. Elizabeth Lukowski (USA) Nycross.com 0:02:54
19. Molly Hurford (USA) Team Rockstar Games / Signature Cycles 0:02:57
20. Stacey Barbossa (USA) Elite Endurance Training Systems 0:03:02
21. Marian Jamison (USA) Ladies First Racing 0:03:32
22. Nancy Labbe-Giguere (Can) LadiesFirst Racing 0:03:49
23. Bryna Blanchard (USA) North American Velo 0:03:52
24. Brittlee Bowman (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA cycles 0:04:07
25. Kathleen Wulfkuhle (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes 0:06:32
DNF Arley Kemmerer (USA) Charm City Cycling LLC
DNF Jena Greaser (USA) NorEast Cycling
DNF Christina Tamilio (USA) LadiesFirst Racing

Elite Men
1. Luke Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross 1:01:49
2. Christian Heule (Sui) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 0:00:01
3. James Driscoll (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 0:00:02
4. Dylan McNicholas (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com 0:00:03
5. Jerome Townsend (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley 0:00:09
6. Justin Lindine (USA) Bikereg.com-Joe’s Garage 0:00:11
7. Adam Myerson (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley 0:00:18
8. Shawn Milne (USA) Kenda Pro Cycling p/b Geargrinder 0:00:50
9. Mike Garrigan (Can) Lapierre Canada 0:00:55
10. Jeffrey Bahnson (USA) Van Dessel Factory Team 0:00:56
11. Daniel Chabanov (USA) RGM Watches-Richard Sachs 0:01:39
12. Alec Donahue (USA) Joe’s Garage 0:01:40
13. Christian Favata (USA) RGM Watches – Richard Sachs
14. Andrew Wulfkuhle (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes
15. Synjen Marrocco (USA) Corner Cycle 0:01:42
16. Anthony Clark (USA) J.A.M. Fund – NCC 0:01:44
17. Nicholas Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross 0:02:58
18. David Wilcox (USA) Cycle-Smart 0:03:01
19. Patrick Bradley (USA) Philadelphia Cyclocross School
20. Thomas Sampson (USA) 0:03:02
21. Colin Reuter (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles 0:03:23
22. Bryan Fawley (USA) Orbea Factory-Dallas Bike Works 0:03:31
23. Michael Wissell (USA) B2C2 – Boloco
24. Joshua Thornton (USA) GG Events LLC 0:03:36
25. Evan Huff (USA) BikeReg.com – Joe’s Garage 0:04:11
26. Allan Rego (USA) Farm Team Elite 0:04:12
27. Stephen Pierce (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:04:21
28. Thierry Laliberté (Can) Xprezo – Borsao 0:04:33
29. Andrew Lysaght (USA) MIT 0:04:38
30. Donny Green (USA) Cycle-Smart 0:04:50
31. John Burns (USA) Burns Racing 0:04:58
32. Manny Goguen (USA) BikeReg.com – Joe’s Garage 0:05:55
33. Alex Cox (USA) 0:06:00
34. Adam Sullivan (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:07:22
35. Ben Coleman (USA) UVM Cycling -1 lap
36. Ian Schon (USA) -1 lap
37. Peter Hagerty (USA) Team Plan C p/b Stevens -2 laps
38. Pierre Vanden Borre (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal -2 laps
39. Jeff Moote (USA) -3 laps
DNF Jesse Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross
DNF Cary Fridrich (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal
DNF Shaun Adamson (Can) Cycle-Smart

Day 2
Elite Women
1. Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:37:59
2. Sally Annis (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles 0:00:02
3. Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Athletes Serving Athletes
4. Crystal Anthony (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:00:03
5. Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob’s Red Mill pb Seven Cycles 0:00:06
6. Arley Kemmerer (USA) C3 – Athletes Serving Athletes 0:00:40
7. Nicole Thiemann (USA) Team CF
8. Cassandra Maximenko (USA) Silverbull Centralwheel 0:00:41
9. Catherine Sterling (USA) Bikeman.com 0:00:43
10. Rebecca Wellons (USA) Quad Cycles
11. Carolyn Popovic (USA) Team CF 0:01:06
12. Elle Anderson (USA) LadiesFirst Racing 0:01:34
13. Frances Morrison (USA) J.A.M. Fund-NCC 0:01:37
14. Laura Ralston (GBR) MIT Cycling-FXDD 0:01:46
15. Kathleen Lysakowski (USA) Cycle Lodge 0:01:52
16. Liz Lukowski (USA) Nycross.com 0:02:11
17. Brittlee Bowman (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles 0:02:18
18. Stacey Barbossa (USA) Elite Endurance Training Systems 0:02:23
19. Christina Birch (USA) MIT 0:02:26
20. Christina Tamilio (USA) LadiesFirst Racing
21. Julie Lafrenière (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery 0:02:29
22. Molly Hurford (USA) Team Rockstar Games-Signature Cycles 0:02:31
23. Kathryn Roszko (USA) BikeReg.com Cycling Club 0:03:19
24. Bryna Blanchard (USA) North American Velo 0:03:29
25. Nancy Labbe-Giguere (Can) LadiesFirst Racing 0:03:56
26. Jocelyn Mauldin (USA) NEBC p/b Cycle Loft 0:04:50
27. Melissa Ross (USA) Team Kenda Tire p/b Geargrinder 0:05:49
28. Kathleen Wulfkuhle (USA) C3 – Athletes Serving Athletes 0:06:49
29. Christine Fort (USA) Crossresults.com/JRA Cycles 0:07:19
DNF Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal

Elite Men
1. Christian Heule (Sui) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 1:02:53
2. James Driscoll (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 0:00:01
3. Luke Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross 0:00:25
4. Dylan McNicholas (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com
5. Mike Garrigan (Can) Lapierre Canada 0:00:27
6. Justin Lindine (USA) Bikereg.com-Joe’s Garage 0:00:47
7. Jerome Townsend (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley 0:01:51
8. Bryan Fawley (USA) Orbea Factory-Dallas Bike Works 0:01:57
9. Adam Myerson (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley 0:02:03
10. Christian Favata (USA) RGM Watches – Richard Sachs 0:02:12
11. Andrew Wulfkuhle (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes 0:02:22
12. Jeffrey Bahnson (USA) Van Dessel Factory Team 0:02:34
13. Nicholas Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross 0:02:39
14. Anthony Clark (USA) J.A.M. Fund – NCC 0:02:40
15. Daniel Chabanov (USA) RGM Watches-Richard Sachs 0:03:23
16. Alec Donahue (USA) Joe’s Garage 0:03:28
17. Synjen Marrocco (USA) Corner Cycle 0:03:36
18. Shawn Milne (USA) Kenda Pro Cycling p/b Geargrinder 0:03:54
19. Jesse Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross 0:04:21
20. Amos Brumble (USA) 0:04:22
21. Donny Green (USA) Cycle-Smart 0:04:28
22. Stephen Pierce (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:04:29
23. Patrick Bradley (USA) Philadelphia Cyclocross School 0:05:33
24. Adam St. Germain (USA) NBX / Circle A Cycles 0:05:38
25. Colin Reuter (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles 0:05:46
26. John Burns (USA) Burns Racing 0:05:47
27. Chandler Delinks (USA) 0:05:53
28. Cary Fridrich (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:05:54
29. Allan Rego (USA) 0:05:57
30. Hunter Pronovost (USA) Cheshire Cycle Racing – CyclistsAreNotRockstars.com 0:06:43
31. Andrew Lysaght (USA) 0:06:50
32. Joshua Thornton (USA) GG Events LLC 0:07:11
33. Shaun Adamson (Can) Cycle-Smart 0:07:26
34. Adam Sullivan (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal 0:07:34
35. Michael Wissell (USA) B2C2 – Boloco 0:07:49
36. Ian Schon (USA) -1 lap
37. Joshua Friedman (USA) New Haven Bicycling Club/The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop -2 laps
38. Jeff Moote (USA) -2 laps
39. Peter Hagerty (USA) Team Plan C p/b Stevens -3 laps
DNF Evan Huff (USA) BikeReg.com – Joe’s Garage
DNF David Wilcox (USA) Cycle-Smart
DNF Manny Goguen (USA) BikeReg.com – Joe’s Garage
DNF Thierry Laliberté (Can) Xprezo – Borsao
DNF Ben Coleman (USA) UVM Cycling
DNF Alex Cox (USA)