March 22, 2014 (Fontana, CA) – Dan McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) won round 3 of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group in Fontana, California, on Saturday afternoon.  With three rounds done and one to go, Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) and Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) lead the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series.

Elite Women
Canadian Catharine Pendrel kept her Luna Pro Team’s USA Cycling US Cup winning streak alive on Saturday afternoon in Fontana.  Pendrel won the race ahead of her teammate Katerina Nash, who had won the previous two rounds, and Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing).

The favorites quickly established themselves as the race’s leaders on lap 1 of the five-lap race around the 3.5-mile course.  Nash, who is from the Czech Republic, set the early pace on a warm sunny day, along with Pendrel, Batty and Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team).  By the end of the first lap, the four were fairly clear of the rest of the field while Australian national champion Rebecca Henderson (Trek Factory Racing) chased in fifth.

For the next few laps, the tenacious Gould would yo-yo on and off the back of the lead trio of Nash, Pendrel and Batty.  It wasn’t until the fourth lap, when Pendrel made her move, that Gould was dropped for good by the leaders.

Pendrel had been biding her time among the leaders before launching her move on lap four.  When she attacked, she quickly and decisively established a gap.
“I’ve been trying a different strategy every race,” said Pendrel. “Last weekend, I tried to drill it the whole time, and today I sat in a bit more and made a late race move to get away.  Luckily I felt good.”

With no obligation to chase her teammate, Nash sat on and let Batty do all the work to try to close the gap.

Executing perfect tactics, the Luna ladies headed into the final lap with Pendrel comfortably in front. Then Nash took her turn and made her move on Batty.  Riding solo for the duration ahead of the Canadian Batty, Nash did not catch Pendrel.

Pendrel rolled in for the win with plenty of time to celebrate.  Nash claimed second ahead of Batty in third.

“It’s a super strong front end of the field,” said Pendrel. “Everyone has their moments and everyone gave their best.  It’s been great to get Luna up in front at these races. Thanks to Sho-Air for making these happen and thanks to the fans for cheering us on.”

With its wide open, mostly treeless hillsides, the Fontana course provided good viewing of large portions of the course, making it especially spectator-friendly.

On the final few laps, Evelyn Dong (Backcountry.com), an up and coming rider and also a podium finisher last week in Bonelli Park, moved her way up and into fifth. Impressively on the last lap, she bridged to fellow American Gould, who was then in fourth place; however, the experienced Gould proved stronger in the end and finished fourth ahead of Dong in fifth.

Elite Men
In the elite men’s race later in the afternoon, Australian national champion Dan McConnell (Trek Factory Racing) won a three-up final sprint ahead of Manuel Fumic of Germany and Marco Aurelio Fontana of Italy (both Cannondale Factory Racing).

Emil Lindgren (Giant Pro XC), Fontana and Fumic set the pace on the first two laps of the six-lap race as they strung out the field and established a group of favorites that included McConnell, US cross country national champion Stephen Ettinger (BMC), Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Trek Factory Racing).  US short track national champion Todd Wells (Specialized Racing) was among the top riders leading the chase.

Mantecon made a move near the end of lap three that only Fontana could follow at first.  They were chased by Lindgren and Ettinger with Wells, Fumic and McConnell not far behind.

Going into the second half of the race, all the top riders came back together for a seven-man lead group including Mantecon, Fontana, Lindgren, Ettinger, Wells, McConnell and Fumic.  It looked like the winner would come from this group.

Mantecon attacked again on lap four and Fontana went with him.  Ettinger seemed to be riding well, too, but suddenly disappeared from the leaders on the downhill.

“We were off the front – Fontana, Gutierrez and me – at the top of the descent on the fourth lap when I blew a valve stem off my wheel. I didn’t have anyone in the back tech zone since I’m here by myself.  It was a tough call, but I had to walk it in.”  Ettinger abandoned the race.

Wells drove the chase to bring Mantecon and Fontana back while Lindgren seemed to hang on for dear life at times.  McConnell rode steady and sat in.

On the penultimate lap, it was Fontana’s turn to surge, and he took Mantecon along with him for a bit of a gap.  Wells chased in third ahead of McConnell, Fumic and Lindgren.

Unfortunately for Mantecon, he sprinted with one lap to go, thinking it was the end of the race, and then upon realizing his mistake, he had no choice but suffer through the last lap.

“Today I felt very good.  The race was like a little World Cup. I tried to save my energy for the last lap, but I made a big mistake and with two to go, I thought it was the final lap and I sprinted,” said Mantecon. “Then I heard the bell, so in the last lap, I was in crisis.  But I’m excited to be here with my new team and new teammate [eventual winner McConnell].”

Going into the final lap, Fontana led with a slight advantage.  McConnell moved up a few spots to head the chase on the climb, just ahead of Fumic.  Fontana started to look visibly tired near the top of the climb although it had at first seemed like he might hold off the chasers, but on an exciting final descent, McConnell and Fumic bridged up to him.

McConnell smartly took over the lead heading toward the last part of the lap, when passing was difficult, and he led out the sprint, holding off Fumic and a tired Fontana.  It would not be Fontana’s day to win in Fontana.

Wells came across the line as the top American in fourth place, a performance that was good enough to bump him up one place in the series standings, into second overall.

Lindgren completed the podium for fifth while Mantecon limped home for sixth.

Second-year elite rider Anton Cooper (Cannondale Factory Racing), a former junior world champion, finished an impressive seventh.

Defending USA Cycling US Cup series leader Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) could not hold the pace of the top riders on the day, but as other favorites dropped out or fell further back, he rode consistently enough to finish ninth and keep his lead with 94 points to Wells’ 79 points.

Previous series runner-up Max Plaxton (Cannondale Factory Racing) did not finish the race.

USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series standings

After round three of four in the USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series, Kabush leads the series ahead of Wells and Plaxton while Nash continues to lead the series ahead of Pendrel and Batty.

The USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series will continue with the final round, a UCI Category 1 race in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday, June 28.

Results

Elite Women

1. Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team  1:29:06
2. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team  0:30
3. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing Team  0:56
4. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team  2:01
5. Evelyn Dong (USA) Backcountry.Com  2:19
6. Sandra Walter (Can) Liv Giant 2:50
7. Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  4:04
8. Candice Neethling (RSA) Bundu Bashers  4:56
9. Monique Mata (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale  5:06
10. Rebecca Henderson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing Team  5:24
11. Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes-Vcgraphix.Com  5:31
12. Rose Grant (USA) Sportsman & Ski Haus  6:20
13. Cindy Montambault (Can) Cvm 2 Vals  7:06
14. Rachel Lloyd (USA) California Giant Berry Farms  7:19
15. Larissa Connors (USA) Marin Bikes Factory Team  7:44
16. Andreanne Pichette (Can) Opus-Ogc  8:21
17. Kate Courtney (USA) Specialized Factory Racing  9:47
18. Cheryl Sornson (USA) RDC  0:19
19. Amanda Nauman (USA) SDG/Felt  0:10:25
20. Amanda Sin (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  0:10:39
21. Amy Beisel (USA) Liv/Giant-Tuffshed  0:10:42
22. Christina Gokey-Smith (USA) Colonels  0:11:13
23. Jamie Busch (USA) Juliana/Santa Cruz Bicycles  0:11:42
24. Erin Alders (USA) Liv/Giant  0:12:13
25. Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) Luna Pro Team  0:12:33
26. Nina Baum (USA) Stans No Tubes Women Elite  0:14:06
27. Vicky Barclay (Gbr) Stans No Tubes Elite Women  0:14:26
28. Erica Tingey (USA) Team Jamis  0:15:54
29. Hannah Rae Finchamp (USA) Luna Pro Team  0:16:09
30. Emily Shields (USA) BMC Project Dirt  0:20:22
31. Sarah Kaufmann (USA) Stans No Tubes Womens Elite  0:21:04
32. Jessica Rawlins (USA) Bicycles Plus Racing  0:21:30
33. Shayna Powless (USA) BMC Project Dirt  0:21:42
34. Frederique Larose-Gingras (Can)  -1 lap
35. Vanessa Humic (USA) Kenda/PMBC  -3 laps
DNF  Karlee Gendron (Can) Trek Canada Mountain Bike
DNF  Maghalie Rochette (Can) Luna Pro Team

Elite Men

1. Daniel McConnell (Aus) Trek Factory Racing Team  1:30:25
2. Manuel Fumic (Ger) Cannondale Factory Racing
3. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing  0:03
4. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing  0:39
5. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Giant Pro XC Team  0:53
6. Sergio Mantecon Gutierre (Esp) Trek Factory Racing Team  1:36
7. Anton Cooper (Nzl) Cannondale Factory Racing  2:05
8. Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory  2:30
9. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  3:00
10. Keegan Swenson (USA) Cannondale Facotry Team  3:20
11. Hector Fernando Riveros (USA)  3:23
12. Russell Finsterwald (USA) Sram/Troy Lee Designs Race  4:00
13. Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  4:22
14. James Reid (RSA) Trek Racing South Africa  5:04
15. Cameron Jette (Can) Scott-3 Rox Racing  5:20
16. Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona  5:24
16. Connor Barrett (USA) Team Baghouse  5:24
17. Benjamin Sonntag (Ger) Stans No Tubes Elite Racing  5:32
18. Alex Grant (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale  5:33
19. Kerry Werner (USA) BMC Project Dirt  5:52
20. Adam Morka (Can) Wfp Coaching/Trek Bikes  6:07
21. Jeremy Martin (Can) Sram/Troy Lee Designs Race T 6:48
22. Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale  7:04
23. Evan Guthrie (Can) Norco Factory Team  7:10
24. Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar  7:27
25. Carl Decker (USA) Giant Factory Team  7:58
26. Barry Wicks (USA)  7:59
27. Patrick Chartrand (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory Team  8:21
28. Casey Williams (USA) Whole Athlete/Specialized  8:39
29. Tom Sampson (USA)  8:46
30. William Melone (USA) Riverside Racing  9:04
31. Sepp Kuss (USA) BMC Project Dirt  9:09
32. Jason Sager (USA) Backcountry.Com  9:18
33. Marc-Antoine Nadon (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  9:23
34. Menso De Jong (USA) Team Clif Bar Cylcing  9:25
35. Kris Sneddon (Can) Kona  9:29
36. Mitchell Hoke (USA) The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes  9:58
37. Julien Bourdevaire (Fra) Team Blackstar  0:15
38. Chris Baddick (Gbr) The Gear Movement/Epic  0:16
39. Miguel Valadez Ortiz (Mex) Bear Valley Bikes  0:10:28
40. Peter Glassford (Can) Trek Canada  0:10:31
41. Mitch Bailey (Can) Cannondale Facotry Team 0:11:30
42. Cole Oberman (USA) Rare Disease Cycling.Org  0:11:40
43. Ryan Woodall (USA) The Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes  0:11:48
44. Evan McNeely (Can) Norco Factory Team  0:12:03
45. Tj Woodruff (USA) Backcountry.Com  0:12:20
46. Tristan Uhl (USA) 787 Racing  0:12:55
47. Kalan Beisel (USA) Giant-Tuff Shed  0:13:25
48. David “Tinker” Juarez (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale  0:13:45
49. Michael Hosey (USA) Marin Factory  0:14:11
50. Alexandre Vialle (Can) Espresso Sport  0:14:28
51. Bryson Perry (USA) Dna Cycling  0:14:43
52. Joseph Maloney (USA) Ks Energy Services  0:14:52
53. Ryan Standish (USA)  0:14:55
54. Christopher Hamlin (USA)  0:15:19
55. Drew Edsall (USA) Pros Closet/Stans No Tubes  0:15:38
56. Bryan Alders (USA) Marin Bikes Factory Team  0:16:16
57. Elliot Reinecke (USA) Velo Hangar/Focus Bikes  0:16:28
58. Quinn Moberg (Can) Rocky Mountain Factory Team  0:16:30
59. Colin Osborn (USA) Honey Stinger/Bontrager  0:16:53
60. Bryan Horsley (USA)  0:17:28
61. Braden Kappius (USA) Team Clif Bar  0:18:16
62. Ryan Geiger (USA) Topix-Frm Factory Race Team  0:18:32
63. Joel Titius (USA) Socal Endurance  -2 laps
64. Gustavo Pedroza (Mex) Niner/Spy/Lake  -2 laps
65. Gareth Feldstein (USA) Muscle Milk  -2 laps
66. Cody Kaiser (USA) Muscle Milk/Specialized  -2 laps
67. Sean Donovan (USA)  -2 laps
68. Jakub Valigura (USA) 92Fifty’ Cyclery  -2 laps
69. Jett Chandler (USA) Doug Chandler Performance  -2 laps
70. William Curtis (USA) Team Santa Cruz-X Fusion  -2 laps
71. Mason Shea (USA)  -2 laps
72. Brodie Stringer (USA) Team Baghouse  -2 laps
73. Charles Jenkins (USA) Khs/Cytomax/Esi  -2 laps
74. Alex Wild (USA) Trail Head Racing  -2 laps
75. Eliel Anttila (USA) Uc Berkeley  -2 laps
76. Ernest Watenpaugh (USA)  -2 laps
77. Christopher Kelly (USA) Evergreen Cycling  -2 laps
78. Joseph Clemenzi (USA) Sports Garage Cycling  -3 laps
79. Stuart Gonzalez (USA) Bear Valley Bikes  -3 laps
80. Levi Kurlander (USA) Fort Lewis College  -3 laps
81. Noah Tautfest (USA) Bicycle Express/Kona  -3 laps
82. Stephane Roch (USA) Swami’s/Skliz  -3 laps
83. Dan Wolf (USA) Old Line Velo  -3 laps
84. Matthew Turner (USA) Summit Utah Devo  -3 laps
85. Christopher Wieczorek (USA) Total Cyclist  -3 laps
86. Connor Bell (USA) Rocktown Racing  -3 laps
87. David Flaten (USA) Giant Factory North East Pro  -3 laps
88. Rotem Ishay (Isr) Team Jamis Bikes  -3 laps
89. Cody Cupp (USA)  -3 laps
90. Garnet Vertican (USA) Bear Valley Bikes  -3 laps
91. Ryan Cook (USA)  -3 laps
92. Pete Macleod (USA) Barfly  -3 laps
93. Rocky Gingg (USA) Momentum Endurance  -3 laps
94. Anibal Valadez (Mex) Ellin Cycling Team  -3 laps
95. Miguel Ramos (USA) Bh/Smith Optics  -3 laps
96. Cody Lacosta (USA) High Gear/Cannondale  -3 laps
97. Anthony Stein (USA)  -3 laps
98. Hal Helbock (USA)  -3 laps
99. Trey Jarno (USA) Bear Valley Bikes  -4 laps
DNF  Sam Schultz (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale
DNF  Max Plaxton (Can) Cannodale Factory Team
DNF  Antoine Caron (Can) Specialized Racing Canada
DNF  Payson Mcelveen (USA) USA U23
DNF  Stephen Ettinger (USA) BMC Mountain Bike Racing Team
DNF  Jason Siegle (USA) Sdg/Felt
DNF  John Nobil (USA) Bear Valley Bikes
DNS  Ryan Trebon (USA) Sho-Air/Cannondale
DNF  Craig Wohlschlaeger (USA) Giant Bicycle
DNF  Stephan Davoust (USA) San Juan Cycles/Steamworks

Standings after 3 rounds (brief)

Elite Women

1. Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team  107  pts
2. Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team  94
3. Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing Team  82
4. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team  70
5. Evelyn Dong (USA) Backcountry.Com  61

Elite Men
1. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing  94  pts
2. Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Factory Racing  79
3. Max Plaxton (Can) Cannodale Factory Team  69
4. Sergio Mantecon Gutierre (Esp) Trek Factory Racing Team  57
5. Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) Cannondale Factory Racing  53