September 19, 2013 (Las Vegas, NV) – Cyclocross World Champion Sven Nys put on a clinic to claim the win at the CLIF Bar Cross Vegas to the delight of the cheering crowd lining the course at the Desert Breeze Complex. Katerina easily won the elite women’s race to become the only race to win the even three times.
“For me, it’s something special because the World Champion winning over here after I won the Worlds in the States, that’s amazing.” Nys (Crelan-Euphony) said of his first victory of the season. “They’ve done a hell of a job at Cross Vegas creating something special and I’m really happy with this victory.”
Solo at the end of the first lap, Nys was caught by American Ryan Trebon (Cannondale p/b cyclocrossworld.com) after a protracted chase that lasted two laps. The pair rode together, taking turns at the front to push the pace. Behind, Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) jumped away from the shattered field to give chase and slowly closed the gap. Halfway through the 60-minute race, with Powers only five seconds behind, Nys made another massive attack to power away to take his first victory of the cyclocross season.
“I felt myself really strong in the beginning and I thought the group was a little bit too big and sometimes that’s a problem when you’re sitting in fifth or sixth position and there is a crash so I tried something. I saw that Trebon was coming back but that’s not a big problem so then you can go with two guys halfway but I felt that I was the strongest and I made a gap.” Nys added.
Powers dropped Trebon to second. Canadian Cyclocross Champion Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing) caught and passed Trebon to take third.
“Not a bad guy to lose to, he is the World Champ. He timed it perfectly, he’s smart.” Powers commented. “When I got about five or six seconds, Sven attacked and immediately opened a big gap and there was zero chance of closing that today.”
Nash Makes It Three
With about half to go, Nash (Luna Pro Team) accelerated ahead of Lea Davison (Specialized Racing) Catharine Pendrel, (Luna Pro Team) and Meredith Miller (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) and rode solo to victory.
“I didn’t really attack,” stated Nash. “I somehow got a gap. I just wanted to keep the pace really high. I wanted the front group to get smaller. The pace was not super high. Meredith (Miller) was really active and was helping out but no one else was interested in helping.”
The gap between Nash and the Davison/Pendrel duo grew steadily from 5 to 10 to 20 seconds. Miller was chasing behind Davison and Pendrel with Caroline Mani (Raleigh-Clement), Gabby Day (Rapha-Focus) and Elle Anderson (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized).
“Once you commit to getting away you have to stick with it. I have done it before,” said Nash. “People have a hard time bringing it back. Luckily I was able to split up the group. The high pace really worked out to my advantage. Once I got away I wanted to keep the gap. That’s when the race really started to hurt.”
“Katerina was inching away from me and I was trying to claw my way back,” stated Davison. “At first it was seven seconds and I thought I was still in there. Then it went to 10 and 20 seconds and I was then thinking okay, we are now racing for second. I never gave up because you never know what’s going to happen. She was simply the stronger rider tonight. Hat’s off to Katerina. It was very cool today because it was three mountain bikers battling.”
Davison sprinted ahead of Pendrel for second. “I missed racing Cross Vegas last year because I was injured,” said Nash. “I was standing here drinking a beer. I thought that this was kind of fun, but racing is a lot better. It feels great to be back.”
Results
Elite Women
1. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team 0:41:50
2. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing 0:18
3. Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team 0:19
4. Meredith Miller (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms-Specialized 0:36
5. Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Bicycles 0:37
6. Chloe Woodruff (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club
7. Gabriella Day (GBr) Rapha-Focus 0:38
8. Elle Anderson (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms-Specialized 0:46
9. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 1:00
10. Maghalie Rochette (Can) Cyclocrossworld.com 1:04
11. Courtenay McFadden (USA) Bicycle Blue Book-HRS-Rock Lobster 1:16
12. Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh-Clement 1:24
13. Jessica Cutler (USA) Bikesport NW-Jamis 1:48
14. Crystal Anthony (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:58
15. Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team 2:12
16. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Mellow Mushroom 2:22
17. Mical Dyck (Can) Stan’s NoTubes
18. Emily Kachorek (USA) #Ghetomoto 2:24
19. Amanda Nauman (USA) SDG-Felt 2:27
20. Heather Jackson (USA) Cannondale Herbalife Wattie Ink. Zoot 2:39
21. Lauren Stephens (USA) Fcs|Zngine P/B Mr. Restore 2:59
22. Beth Ann Orton (USA) Team S&M 3:13
23. Ally Stacher (USA) Specialized-lululemon 3:25
24. Jennifer Gaertner (USA) Motofish Racing 3:26
25. Nina Baum (USA) Stan’s NoTubes Elite Women’s MTB Team 3:30
26. Katherine Shields (USA) Mock Orange Pro CX Team 3:35
27. Christina Gokey-Smith (USA) Colonel’s/Sho-Air 3:38
28. Andrianna Zolton (USA) Jlvelo Ambassadors 3:39
29. Emily Shields (USA) Mock Orange Pro CX Team 3:40
30. Rebecca Gross (USA) Raleigh-Clement
31. Kristin Weber (USA) Boulder Cycle Sport 3:42
32. Andrea Wilson (USA) Brickhouse Racing p/b Nimblewear USA 3:47
33. Amanda Carey (USA) Stan’s NoTubes Elite 3:54
34. Judy Freeman (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club 4:53
35. Nicole Duke (USA) Marin-Spy 5:08
36. Sarah Sturm (USA) Real Wheels 5:11
37. Lisa Hudson (USA) Feedback Sports Racing 5:12
38. Carolina Gomez Villafane (Arg) Team Rambuski Law 6:05
39. Shannon Gibson (USA) NoTubes Elite CX 6:46
40. Bre Rue (USA) Fred Meyer Cycling Team 7:09
41. Natalie Koncz (USA) Zuster Cycling 7:24
42. Karen Brocket (USA) Jetcycling 7:35
43. Stacey Spencer (Can) Phillips Brewing Company-Code Performance 7:47
44. Nicole Borem (USA) Don Walker Cycles Racing -3laps
45. Stace Cooper (USA) TBBCX-Gheto
DNF Lyne Bessette (Can) Cyclocrossworld.com
DNS Kate Powlison (USA) Evol Elite Racing
Elite Men
1. Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan-Euphony 0:57:32
2. Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha-Focus 0:27
3. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 0:39
4. Ryan Trebon (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com 0:59
5. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team 1:31
6. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team 1:32
7. Tim Johnson (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com 1:33
8. Adam Craig (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 1:34
9. Ben Berden (Bel) Raleigh-Clement 1:45
10. Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team 1:51
11. James Driscoll (USA) Raleigh-Clement 1:53
12. Yannick Eckmann (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms-Specialized 2:09
13. Joshua Johnson (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 2:10
14. Bradley White (USA) Moms In Tow Cyclocross 2:12
15. Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar 2:17
16. Jonathan Page (USA) Fuji-Spy-Competitive Cyclist 2:23
17. Daniel Summerhill (USA) K-Edge/Felt Bicycles 2:42
18. Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) Team Clif Bar 2:43
19. Allen Krughoff (USA) Raleigh-Clement 2:44
20. Robin Eckmann (USA) California Giant Cycling Team 2:46
21. Cameron Dodge (USA) Team Skyline-Scott Bikes
22. Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 2:48
23. Tobin Ortenblad (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms-Specialized 3:16
24. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized 3:43
25. Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block 3:54
26. Cody Kaiser (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms-Specialized 3:57
27. Matt Shriver (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective 3:58
28. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis CX 4:23
29. Adam Myerson (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis 4:24
30. Jake Wells (USA) Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team 4:25
31. Yoshitaka Hama (Jpn) Snel Cyclocross Team 4:42
32. Jacob Sitler (USA) SEAVS-Haymarket p/b Van Dessel 4:43
33. Tim Allen (USA) Feedback Sports – Foundry Cycles
34. Thomas Turner (USA) 4:45
35. Jared Nieters (USA) SEAVS-Haymarket p/b Van Dessel 5:10
36. Rotem Ishay (Isr) Boo Bikes 5:16
37. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Crelan-Euphony 5:20
38. Jeff Kluck (USA) Queen City Cycling 5:24
39. Lewis Gaffney (USA) American Classic Pro CX Team 5:33
40. Adam St. Germain (USA) ENGVT-Specialized 5:49
41. Mike Garrigan (Can) Van Dessel 6:01
42. Taylor Carrington (USA) Feedback Sports 6:04
43. Robert Marion (USA) American Classic Pro CX Team 6:12
44. Kevin Noiles (Can) Bicycle Bluebook-HRS-Rock Lobster 6:17
45. Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 6:35
46. Christian Helmig (Lux) Trisport Echternach Presented By Elbow 8:27
47. Jeremy Durrin (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies -3laps
48. Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountainbike Racing
49. Isaac Neff (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective
50. Tyler Coplea (USA) Harmony Systems-Trek
51. Tim Van Nuffel (Bel) DCM Ciclingteam
52. Chris Jackson (USA) Castex Racing p/b Felt
53. Keith Hillier (USA) Team Rambuski Law
54. Maksym Shepitko (Ukr) Hudson Cyclocross
55. Luis Alberto Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis CX
56. Scott Chapin (USA) Bicycle Blue Book-HRS-Rock Lobster -4laps
57. Skyler Trujillo (USA) Boo Bikes
58. Cory Greenberg (USA) 10 Speed Coffee-Pedalersfork
59. Sherwood Plant (Can) Musette Caffe
60. Mike Sarnecki (Can) Kokanee Redbike
61. Chad Tieman (USA) Summit City Specialized
62. Ben Bertiger (USA) Stage 17-Cylance -5laps
63. Ken Hanson (USA) Focus Bicycles
64. Rich Weis (USA) Trek Factory Racing -6laps
DNF Shawn Milne (USA) Keough Cyclocross
DNF Weston Schempf (USA) SEAVS-Haymarket p/b Van Dessel
DNF Manuel Yves Eckert (Ger) Audi Cycling Team
DNS Zach McDonald (USA) Rapha-Focus
DNS Ryan Dewald (USA) Team Skyline
DNS Braden Kappius (USA) Team Clif Bar
DNS Justin Hines (Can) Framework Racing Team