December 8, 2008 (Warwick, RI) – Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) and Laura Van Guilder (C3/Sollay) swept the final 2 rounds of the 2008 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series this weekend at Goddard Park in Warwick, Rhode Island, with Driscoll and Rebecca Wellons (Ridley) taking the overall 2008 series.

When push came to shove, there was no one in the field that could match the accelerations of Driscoll and he was not contested for both days on the weekend. The race within the race was for 2nd on each day, contested right to the end. Nick Keough (Jittery Joe’s /Sonic) recovered well from a miserable 2nd half last week in Sterling to outsprint Adam Myerson (Cycle-Smart/Van Dessel) to take 2nd on Saturday, while Justin Spinelli (Richard Sachs/RGM Watches/Boathouse) showed Derrick St. John (Stevens Cross) and the rest of the field on Sunday he is on good form heading towards next week’s national championships.

Driscoll’s win on Saturday gave him enough to secure the series win, while Matt White (Bikereg.com/Joe’s Garage) finished comfortably in 2nd overall. Justine Lindine capped off a stellar 2008 campaign with a 3rd place finish in the overall series.

Laura Van Gilder came to Rhode Island off a very successful first campaign in Europe, and she took on all comers and conquered for 2 wins in 2 days. She had to work the full 40 minutes on Saturday as Natasha Elliott (Stevens) stuck with her until the end, but she decided to do it by herself on Sunday, as her win was a clear 31 seconds.

Wellons’ two top 5 finishes on the weekend was enough to maintain her lead and win her first Verge series. Sally Annis (NEBC/CycleLoft/Devonshire Dental) leapfrogged into 2nd place in the series with a similar duo of top 5 finishes. Amy Dombroski, who won the first 4 races of the series, was 3rd overall.

The Masters 35+ races this season were some of the best of the series, and Jonny Bold (Corner Cycles) sealed the 2008 overall series with a 3rd place finish on Saturday, allowing him to take the day off on Sunday and watch the snowy festivities from the sidelines. But the weekend belonged to Mark McCormack (Team FUJI) as he swept the weekend as he gets ready for a shot at the masters national title. McCormack’s performances were good enough to give him 2nd overall for the series by 4 points over one of his season long rivals Roger Aspholm (Westwood Velo).

Junior leader Luke Keough (CLNoonan) made an unexpected appearance this weekend and continued his dominance over the U19 junior field with 2 wins and taking the overall series. Manny Goguen (Minuteman Road Club) and Jesse Keough (CLNoonan) solidified their 2nd and 3rd overall places with top 5 finishes on both days.

In other series, Nick Keough won the U23 title with 2 top 5 finishes in the elite races this weekend. James Tosca secured the overall victory in the men’s amateur race with a win on Saturday. The season long battle between Curtis White (CBRC) and Nate Morse (CLNoonan) came to a head on Sunday with a game 7-like one ride for all the marbles. White used one last push on the final lap to get rid of Morse and thus took the Junior 10-14 series in what was an epic battle. Kevin Hines (Corner Cycles) actually lost on Saturday for the first time this year, but he had the season series wrapped up before the weekend started, and took revenge on Sunday to win 8 of the 9 Masters 45+ races this season. Dusty Adams (MosaicSmalti.com) swept the weekend in the Masters 55+ race to secure the overall title on the final weekend of the season.

The 2008 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series was brought to you by Verge Sport, makers of fine cycling clothing and products since 1993; by Cycle-Smart, purveyors of personalized cycling coaching and solutions for riders across the country; by Cycle-Ops, makers of high-tech accessories to meet any indoor training plans; by Echappe, rent-to-own the latest in race wheels – try before you buy at Echappe; by BikeReg.com, the official online registration service of the NECCS; and by Paul Weiss Photo/Video, the official photographer of the NECCS. You can visit these sponsors and get more information on the series by going to the web at www.necyclocross.com.

Results

Race #8 – December 6
Elite Men – 29 starters
1. Jamey Driscoll (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale 1:00:46
2. Nicholas Keough (USA) Sonic/Louis Garneau 1:01:08
3. Adam Myerson (USA) Cycle-Smart/Van Dessel 1:01:08
4. Derrick St. John (Can) Stevens Cross 1:01:08
5. Matt White (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:01:08
6. Justin Spinelli (USA) RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS-BOATHOUSE INC 1:01:26
7. Josh Dillon (USA) Fiordifrutta / Cannondale 1:02:26
8. Steve Tilford (USA) Trek Stores 1:03:05
9. Alec Donahue (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:03:05
10. Justin Lindine (USA) TARGETRAINING 1:03:24
11. Rickey Visinski (USA) Exodus Road Racing 1:03:33
12. Nathaniel Ward (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:03:33
13. Matt Kraus (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – BOATHOUSE INC. 1:03:38
14. Peter Rubijono (USA) EMBROCATION/IGLEHEART/CAMBRIDGE/MAD ALCHEMY 1:04:37
15. Peter Bradshw (USA) EMBROCATION/IGLEHEART/CAMBRIDGE/MAD ALCHEMY 1:04:37
16. Pete Smith (USA) Embrocation/Cambridge p/b Mad Alchemy.com 1:05:08
17. J Gabriel Lloyd (USA) TARGETRAINING 1:05:18
18. John Burns (USA) Bikeman.com 1:05:32
19. Mukunda Feldman (USA) Spooky 1:05:45
20. Todd Wheelden (USA) Portland Velo Club/KONA/661 1:05:58
21. Patrick Bradley (USA) Rutgers University Cycling Team 1:07:23
22. Dan Langlois (USA) Embrocation/ Circle A Cycles 1:07:40
23. Jonathan Bruno (USA) FT / IF powered by Lionette’s -1 lap
24. Michael Rea (USA) Nor East -3 laps

Elite Women – 19 starters
1. Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Sollay 37:46
2. Natasha Elliot (Can) EMD Serono/Stevens 37:46
3. Sally Annis (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental 38:36
4. Anna Milkowski (USA) Velo Bella-Kona 38:57
5. Rebecca Wellons (USA) Ridley Factory Team 39:12
6. Cris Rothfuss (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental 39:25
7. Crystal Anthony (USA) 39:50
8. Vicki Thomas (Can) Ottawa Cross 39:53
9. Amy WALLACE (USA) RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS-BOATHOUSE INC 40:05
10. Linnea Coons (USA) International Bicycles/Global 40:10
11. Andrea Smith (USA) Minuteman Road Club 40:40
12. Anna McLoon (USA) Harvard University Cycling Association 41:16
13. Perri Mertens (USA) Embrolation 41:40
14. Callie McDowell (USA) Boston University 41:59
15. Rebecca Blatt (USA) Team Kenda Tire 43:06
16. Sarah Coney (Can) Ride with Rendall 43:31
17. Susan Maclean (USA) Gear Works/Spin Arts Cycling Team 44:11
18. Beth Mason (USA) C3-Sollay.com -1 lap

Race #9 – December 7
Elite Men – 27 starters
1. Jamey Driscoll (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com/Cannondale 0:59:05
2. Justin Spinelli (USA) RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS-BOATHOUSE INC 0:59:17
3. Derrick St. John (Can) Stevens Cross 0:59:20
4. Adam Myerson (USA) Cycle-Smart 0:59:27
5. Nicholas Keough (USA) Sonic/ Louis Garneau 0:59:38
6. Matt White (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:00:14
7. Matthew O’Keefe (USA) CCB/Volkswagen 1:00:23
8. Matt Kraus (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – BOATHOUSE INC 1:00:23
9. Justin Lindine (USA) TARGETRAINING 1:00:23
10. Alec Donahue (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:01:28
11. Jerome Townsend (USA) Ridley Factory Team 1:01:32
12. Nathaniel Ward (USA) BikeReg.com / Joe’s Garage 1:01:32
13. Rickey Visinski (USA) Exodus Road Racing 1:02:02
14. Josh Dillon (USA) Fiordifrutta / Cannondale 1:02:22
15. Adam Snyder (USA) 3-D racing 1:02:41
16. J Gabriel Lloyd (USA) TARGETRAINING 1:02:48
17. Peter Rubijono (USA) EMBROCATION/IGLEHEART/CAMBRIDGE/MAD ALCHEMY 1:03:11
18. John Burns (USA) Bikeman.com 1:03:35
19. Todd Wheelden (USA) Portland Velo Club/KONA/661 1:03:50
20. Will Dugan (USA) Richard Sachs 1:04:49
21. Dan Langlois (USA) Embrocation/ Circle A Cycles 1:04:58
22. Mukunda Feldman (USA) Spooky 1:06:10
23. Peter Bradshaw (USA) EMBROCATION/IGLEHEART/CAMBRIDGE/MAD ALCHEMY 1:06:38
24. Jonathan Bruno (USA) FT / IF powered by Lionette’s 1:07:51
25. Joshua Friedmen (USA) The Devil’s Gear/New Haven Bicycling Club -1 LAP
26. Michael Patrick BikeBarn Racing -1 LAP

Elite Women – 18 starters
1. Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Sollay 41:19
2. Natasha Elliot (Can) EMD Serono/Stevens 41:50
3. Rebecca Wellons (USA) Ridley Factory Team 42:04
4. Sally Annis (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental 42:37
5. Anna Milkowski (USA) Velo Bella-Kona 42:49
6. Cris Rothfuss (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental 42:57
7. Amy Wallace (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – BOATHOUSE INC 43:06
8. Andrea Smith (USA) Minuteman Road Club 43:25
9. Linnea Koons (USA) International Bicycle 44:02
10. Crystal Anthony (USA) 44:26
11. Vicki Thomas (Can) Ottawa Cross 44:42
12. Anna McLoon (USA) Harvard University Cycling Association 45:22
13. Callie McDowell (USA) Boston University 45:33
14. Perri Mertens (USA) Embrolation 45:55
15. Rebecca Blatt (USA) Team Kenda Tire 46:21
16. Mackenzie Dickey (USA) Verge Sport Test Pilot 46:56
17. Sarah Coney (Can) Ride with Rendall 47:07

Final Overall Series Standings (brief)
Elite Men
1. James Driscoll (USA) Cannondale/Leer/Cyclocrossworld.com 505 points
2. Matthew White (USA) BikeReg.com/Joe’s Garage 354
3. Justin Lindine (USA) TARGETRAINING / U25 Elite 251
4. Adam Myerson (USA) Cycle-Smart 238
5. Dan Timmerman (USA) Team RACE Pro 235

Elite Women
1. Rebecca Wellons (USA) Ridley Factory Team 266 points
2. Sally Annis (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental 207
3. Amy Dombroski (USA) Velo Bella – Kona 200
4. Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) MM Racing 193
5. Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Sollay 190

6. Natasha Elliott (Can) EMD Serono/Stevens 170