November 08, 2015 (Northampton, Massachusetts) – This weekend’s racing marked the 25th edition of the Cycle-Smart Northampton International, and today’s races were a fitting finale to such a historic event. Also the 4th round of the 2015 Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series presented by Stan’s NoTubes and Cycle-Smart, today’s battles, spanning fifteen categories of racing, were the stuff of legend.
The duel between Pan-American U23 Cyclo-cross Champion Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) and Emma White (Cyclocrossworld) has been going on since they were kids, and this weekend was an epic continuation of the saga. Noble’s decisive win yesterday moved her into the Verge NECXS overall leader’s jersey, and today White was hungry for a win of her own. From the start, the two took firm control of the race, Jena Greaser (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) on their wheels.
Kate Lysakowski (Joe’s Garage) and Cassie Maximenko (Van Dessel) chased, but it was no use: White and Noble had gone clear. Greaser chased, Maximenko behind her, and Lysakowski back further yet. With one to go, after working together all race to open a huge gap, Noble and White sat up, eyeing each other.
Neither wanted to face the wind, neither wanted to give the other a chance to attack. Noble launched, but couldn’t shake a determined White; White responded with an attack Noble just couldn’t match. Just like that, White was set free — and she kept charging. White took the win, and Noble claimed second. Third was decided in a tight sprint. Greaser and Maximenko hit the finishing straight together, but in the end the last podium spot was won by Maximenko. Lysakowski rounded out the top five.
Noble’s second-place finish was enough for her to retain both the U23 and the overall women’s lead in the Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series. Natasha Elliot moves into the 35+ Elite women’s lead after two very solid rides this weekend.
Elite Men Gagne in Charge
Next up, Scott Smith jumped from the whistle in the Elite Men’s race, leading the charge into the first turns of the race. It was Raphael Gagne (Red Truck/Garneau p/b Easton), though, intent on claiming the Series lead, who launched an early attack. Gagne, the Canadian National Cyclo-cross Champion, was untouchable today, despite the efforts of a very capable band of seven chasing him.
In that group were local favorites Anthony Clark (Squid Bikes) and Smith, along with Gagne’s teammate and yesterday’s winner Michael van den Ham. Mark McConnell (Hot Sauce Cycling Club), Dylan McNicholas (Polartec), and Cameron Dodge rounded out the chasers. Gagne’s lead grew past twenty seconds; meanwhile, no moves from the chase stuck.
The battle came down to a final sprint, one that even Gagne turned to watch after posting up for a well-deserved victory salute. Charging down the finishing stretch, Dylan McNicholas powered his way to second place over Dodge in a forceful sprint. McConnell claimed fourth, and van den Ham made fifth.
Gagne claimed the Series leader’s jersey in the overall competition, and Smith moves into the U23 lead. Both contests will be close heading into NBX Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross weekend on December 5th and 6th. The finale of the 2015 edition of the Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series presented by Stan’s NoTubes and Cycle-Smart promises fireworks in fifteen categories, many of which will be very close competitions for the overall Series lead.
Results
Elite Women
1. Emma White (Cyclocrossworld Devo Team ) 43:55
2. Ellen Noble (JAM/NCC/VIttoria ) 00:17
3. Cassandra Maximenko (Van Dessel/ISM/PowerBar/ChallengeTi ) 00:34
4. Jena Greaser 00:37
5. Kathleen Lysakowski (Joe’s Garage CX p/b BikeReg ) 00:43
6. Natasha Elliott (Red Truck – Garneau p/b Easton Cycl ) 01:23
7. Kathryn Cumming (Cyclocross Magazine Racing ) 01:39
8. Megan Chinburg 01:48
9. Brittlee Bowman (HOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMAN ) 01:48
10. Kate Northcott (West Hill Shop ) 01:55
11. Julie Wright (Team Averica ) 02:20
12. Catherine Sterling (Bikeman.com ) 02:34
13. Jenny Ives (Verge Test Pilot/Jamis ) 02:40
14. Carol jeane Sansome (Foundry Cycles ) 02:53
15. Erin Faccone (Team Averica ) 03:01
16. Joanne Grogan (NEXT-BMB ) 03:15
17. Regina Legge (GREEN LINE VELO driven by Zipcar ) 03:18
18. Anna Dingman (TRT Bicycles ) 03:44
19. Elizabeth White (HOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMAN ) 04:03
20. Leslie Timm (ladies first racing ) 04:12
21. Roni Vetter (State 9 Racing p/b Vittoria ) 04:31
22. Joelle Numainville (bigla pro cycling ) 04:50
23. Jessica Duppler (Colonial Bicycle Company ) 04:54
24. Clio Dinan (NCVC/UnitedHealthcare ) 04:57
25. Natalie Tapias (ThisTeamSavesLives ) 05:01
26. Katina Walker (Park Ave. Bike Shop ) 05:18
27. Melissa Seib (UVM Cycling ) 05:36
28. Frances Morrison (C3 Twenty20 Cycling ) 05:56
29. Melissa Lafleur (Stedman’s Bicycle Co. ) 06:08
30. Jen Nordhem 06:28
31. Julie Van der hoop (MIT Cycling Team ) 06:46
32. Michele Smith (HUP United ) 07:25
33. Stacy Beneke (dahanger ) -2 laps
DNF Hannah Rossi (Team Averica )
DNF Jane Sheridan rossi (Rhode Island School of Design )
DNF Natasja Brooijmans (GREEN LINE VELO Driven by ZipCar )
Elite Men
1. Raphael Gagne (Red Truck – Garneau p/b Easton Cycling) 1:03:29
2. Dylan Mcnicholas (POLARTEC ) 00:08
3. Cameron Dodge 00:08
4. Mark Mcconnell (Hot Sauce Cycling Club ) 00:10
5. Michael Van den ham (Red Truck — Garneau p/b Easton Cycling) 00:10
6. Scott Smith (Jam/NCC/Vittoria ) 00:13
7. Anthony Clark (Squid Bikes ) 00:21
8. Derrick St john (Silber Pro Cycling ) 00:54
9. Jeremy Martin (Louis Garneau Quebec ) 00:58
10. Jack Kisseberth (JAM/NCC/Vittoria ) 01:17
11. Joachim Parbo (Challenge Tires ) 01:48
12. Christian Favata (TRT BICYCLES ) 01:55
13. Daniel Chabanov (HOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMAN ) 02:22
14. Adam St. germain (NEXT-BMB ) 02:37
15. Patrick Collins (Minuteman Road Club ) 02:53
16. Evan Mcneely (Norco Factory Team ) 03:00
17. Adam Myerson (Cycle-Smart ) 03:07
18. Mathieu Bélanger-barrette (Opus/OGC ) 03:14
19. Evan Murphy (Hudson/Ludwig & Larsen Racing ) 03:30
20. Erik Box (Cycles Devinci ) 03:35
21. Charles Berhtram (Team Cuppow ) 03:46
22. Ford Murphy (Joe’s Garage CX p/b BikeReg ) 03:46
23. Greg Whitney (Arrow Racing ) 03:47
24. Jean-philippe Thibault-roberge (Trek Cyclocross Collective ) 04:00
25. Andrew Lints (RIT Cycling ) 04:00
26. Cory Small (UVM Cycling ) 04:02
27. Michael Landry (Yale University ) 04:23
28. Nicolas Catlin (Sherpa ) 04:41
29. Andrew Reardon (Sonic Cycling ) 04:43
30. Andrew Lysaght (Team CUPPOW ) 04:47
31. Michael Wissell (Team Cuppow ) 05:05
32. Trent Blackburn (Independent Fabrication ) 05:10
33. Austin Skomra (Cycle-Smart Grassroots Team ) 05:14
34. Eric Follen (Colonial Bicycle Company ) 05:23
35. Ryan Fisher (The 5th Floor NYC ) 05:29
36. Colin Reuter (crossresults.com ) 05:49
37. Jesse Stauffer (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV ) 06:03
38. Preston Buehrer (B2C2 p/b Boloco ) 06:04
39. David Berg (Dartmouth College ) 06:10
40. Benjamin Grenier (Rancourt & Co. Cycling ) 06:15
41. Ian Gielar (Rochester Institute of Technology ) 06:18
42. John Eckert (STAMPEDE ) 06:23
43. Brad Smith (The Drifters ) 06:24
44. Kurt Belhumeur 06:53
45. Ian Schon (Team Cuppow ) 07:22
46. Ian Keough (Keough Cyclocross ) 07:36
47. Nicholas Keough (Keough Cyclocross ) 07:41
48. Adam Sullivan (Grinta! p/b Best Buddies Challenge ) -2 Laps
49. Olivier Vrambout (waffle power ) -2 Laps
50. Matt Perreault (Colonial Bicycle Company ) -2 Laps
51. Peter Striegel (UVM Cycling ) -2 Laps
52. Kyle Murphy (Hudson/Ludwig & Larsen Racing ) -3 Laps
53. Pete Macleod (BARFLY ) -3 Laps
54. Nolan Garon (Wentworth Institute of Technology ) -3 Laps
55. Sylvain Jean (ICEBREAKER merino ) -4 Laps
DNF Keith Garrison (KING KOG )
DNF Doug Thorp (Colonial Bicycle Company #ShowUpOrB )
DNF Matthew Sousa (Team Cuppow )
DNF Chris Pino (The 5th Floor NYC )
DNF Jesse Keough (Keough Cyclocross )
DNF Andrew Reimann (Cyclocross Magazine Racing )
DNF Sam O’keefe (HOUSE IND/WITHINGS/SIMPLEHUMAN )
DNF Case Butler (JAM/NCC/Vittoria )