October 4, 2006 (Southampton, New York) — Canada’s Lynn Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) won round #1 and #2 at Whitmore’s Super Cross Cup this past weekend in Southampton, New York. Here are the reports and results from both races.

Round #1
Bessette Cruises, Trebon Works in Southampton

Lynn Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Ryan Trebon (Kona) took victory in the first races of their season, but each of them had different paths to get there.

15 women contested the 2.5 kilometer Southampton course, but it was all Bessette from the opening gun. She was never challenged as she built up a lead of a minute to win wire to wire. The challenges were to be found early on in the best of the rest, as Christine Vardaros (Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam), Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications), and Mackenzie Dickey starting trading positions trying to chase down Bessette. Vardaros eventually went clear of the trio and Bruno made a vailant effort to catch back on but couldn’t do so and had to settle for 3rd.

Unlike the women’s race, the men found a group of riders that couldn’t get rid of each other, despite several mechanical failures and crashes. After the first lap a group of 7 formed the front, including Kona stars Trebon and Barry Wicks, Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com), defending champion Mark McCormack (Clif Bar), Jesse Anthony (Clif Bar), Matt White (Fiordifrutta), and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Cyclocrossworld.com).

Despite Trebon dropping his chain and Wicks crashing in the woods, the 7 could not break the rubber band holding them together. Finally half-way through the race Trebon was able to bust the front group up while taking only Johnson with him. McCormack had the hard task of trying to make the bridge with Wicks in tow not willing to do anything towards the effort.

The rest of the race saw Trebon and Johnson right on each other right to the finish, with Trebon using his height to his advantage at the end with a final kick that Johnson could not match. McCormack was eventually able to fend off Wicks but was relegated to the final spot on the podium for the day.

Racing continues tommorrow as the same cast of characters tackle the Southampton Youth Services course again for another battle on Long Island. Stay tuned here for details when then finish.

Results #1

Elite Men

1 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona 59.09
2 Tim Johnson (USA) Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com 0.02
3 Mark Mccormack (USA) Team Clif Bar 0.35
4 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 0.37
5 Jesse Anthony (USA) Team Clif Bar 0.47
6 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com 1.02
7 Matthew White (USA) FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team 1.37
8 Dan Timmerman (USA) FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team 1.42
9 Jon Hamblen (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU 1.53
10 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Team Maxxis Cyclocross 2.03
11 Troy Wells (USA) TIAA-CREF / CLIF BAR 3.11
12 Jamey Driscoll (USA) FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team 3.22
13 Anthony Colby (USA) TargeTraining 3.32
14 Adam Myerson (USA) Nerac-Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling
15 Roger Aspholm (Fin) Westwood Velo
16 Ryan Leech (USA) Meredith Group-Cannondale-GPOA 3.36
17 Simon Vickers (USA) HRS/Rock Lobster 3.41
18 Matt Kraus (USA) Alan Factory Team 4.11
19 Grant Berry (USA) Team Rocky Mtn Chocolate Factory 4.41
20 Justin Spinelli (USA) RGM Watches – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU 4.51
21 Joshua Snead (USA) HRS/Rock Lobster 5.47
22 Charlie Storm (USA) Back to Dirt Racing 5.53
23 John Hanson (USA) Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling Team 5.58
24 Dan Wilson (USA) Monstr Health Cycling 6.02
25 David Wyandt (USA) HRS-Rocklobster 6.45

One lap behind

26 Harlan Price (USA) Independent Fabrications
27 Ryan Barthel (USA) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
28 Brian Hayes (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU

Two laps behind

29 Noah Taylor (USA) RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS -REX CHIU
30 Kyle Douglas (Can) 3 rox racing/scott

Three laps behind

31 Chris Jones (USA) Champion System Racing
32 Todd Cassan (USA) Rocinate

Four laps behind

33 Myles Romanow (Can) Hvc/Jessie’s
34 Bill Elliston (USA) TARGETRAINING/Fuji
35 Colt Mcelwaine (USA) Independent Fabrications
36 Robert Giannini (USA) CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25
37 Kevin Bradford-Parish (USA) REDLINE FACTORY TEAM
38 Erik Mitchell (USA) Quaker City Wheelmen
39 Tyler Johnson (USA) LOUIS GARNEAU/EASTON

Elite Women

1 Lyne Bessette (Can) (Cyclocrossworld.com) 41.22
2 Christine Vardaros (USA) (Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam) 1.00
3 Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) (Independent Fabrication/Wheelworks) 1.44
4 Mackenzie Dickey (USA) 2.44
5 Tara Ross (Can) (Cheerwine Cycling) 3.20
6 Mandy Lozano (USA) (Cheerwine) 3.38
7 Melanie Swartz (USA) (Velo Bella/Kona) 3.48
8 Anna Milkowski (USA) (Velo Bella-Kona) 5.04
9 Amy Wallace (USA) (RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU) 5.11
10 Pauline Frascone (USA) (Independent Fabrication/Kempner) 5.43
11 Alicia Hamblen (USA) (RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS-REX CHIU) 6.45
12 Erin Kassoy (USA) (Velo Bella-Kona) 7.47
13 Megan Bilodeau (USA) (NCC – BikeReg.com) 8.15

One lap behind

14 Nina Santiago (USA) (High Gear Cyclery)


Round #2
A Family Affair – Bessette and Johnson Take Day 2 on Long Island

The south fork of Long Island has always been known for it’s vacationing tourists, so the first family of cyclocross ended their weekend excursion to Southampton, New York on a winning note, taking day 2 of the Whitmores Super Cross Cup.

Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) was the overwhelming favorite after drubbing the field on day 1; but she had a new face to deal with and a challenging one in 2006 NORBA National Champion and 2005 Mid-Atlantic series winner Georgia Gould (Luna), who was taking her first UCI cyclocross start of the young season. The start was all Bessette once again, but unlike Saturday she had company for the first lap in the form of Gould, who was out to prove that she could not only hang with Bessette but take her down.

But alas it only lasted one lap, as Bessette just powered away from Gould and took an advantage that was never to be breached. Bessette is starting the season off in fine form, not showing any affects from a long layoff from top competition after her retirement from the road 7 months ago. Gould held on easily for second and showed that she will be a force this year in the elite levels of cyclo-cross. Defending Masters national champion Mo Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications) took home 3rd spot and completed the weekend with 2 podium showings.

The men’s race was all about chasing right from the gun, as Barry Wicks (Kona) got an gap after the Red Bull barrier prime on lap one and left the elite members of the peloton to chase. At first only Jesse Anthony (Clif Bar) seemed to have the ability to reach Wicks, but the others were keeping things close and making sure Wicks didn’t get too far ahead.

This strategy paid off as Wicks eventually faded and left the lead in the hands of Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com), who had a bad start and worked his way from 12th spot early to get to the front. Johnson took advantage of the technical nature of the course and its short length to stay off the front, despite the efforts of Clif Bar’s Mark McCormack and Anthony, and Saturday’s winner Ryan Trebon (Kona) to bring things back together.

By halfway into the race, it was apparent that Johnson had great legs, as his margin was increasing while the main chase group was losing steam as McCormack uncharacteristically was fading leaving Anthony isolated with the stronger Trebon. Trebon eventually dropped Anthony and went after Johnson alone, but ran out of time as Johnson was not to be denied for his second win of the season. Trebon had to settle for a hard-fought second while Anthony held off a late-charging McCormack for third and the final spot on the podium.

Results #2

Elite Men

1 Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) 59.42
2 Ryan Trebon (Kona) 0.44
3 Jesse Anthony (Team Clif Bar) 1.00
4 Mark Mccormack (Team Clif Bar) 1.06
5 Mathieu Toulouse (Team Maxxis Cyclocross) 1.08
6 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Cyclocrossworld.com) 1.09
7 Barry Wicks (Kona) 1.52
8 Troy Wells (TIAA-CREF / CLIF BAR) 2.08
9 Matthew White (FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team) 2.31
10 Matt Kraus (Alan Factory Team) 3.16
11 Simon Vickers (HRS/Rock Lobster) 3.27
12 Jamey Driscoll (FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team) 3.43
13 Kevin Bradford-Parish (REDLINE FACTORY TEAM) 3.55
14 Ryan Leech (Meredith Group-Cannondale-GPOA) 4.10
15 Roger Aspholm (Westwood Velo) 4.17
16 Joshua Snead (HRS/Rock Lobster) 4.31
17 David Wyandt (HRS-Rocklobster) 4.42
18 Justin Spinelli (RGM Watches – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU) 5.37
19 Charlie Storm (Back to Dirt Racing) 5.53
20 Kyle Douglas (3 rox racing/scott) 6.29

One lap behind

21 Ryan Barthel (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory)
22 Adam Myerson (Nerac-Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)
23 Grant Berry (Team Rocky Mtn Chocolate Factory)
24 Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications)
25 Tyler Johnson (LOUIS GARNEAU/EASTON)
26 Brian Hayes (RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU)
27 Robert Giannini (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25)
28 Myles Romanow (Hvc/Jessie’s )

Elite Women

1 Lyne Bessette (Can) Cyclocrossworld.com 43.40
2 Georgia Gould (USA) Team Luna 0.37
3 Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Independent Fabrication/Wheelworks 1.50
4 Christine Vardaros (USA) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam 2.22
5 Tara Ross (Can) Cheerwine Cycling 2.26
6 Mandy Lozano (USA) Cheerwine 3.54
7 Mackenzie Dickey (USA) 5.01
8 Anna Milkowski (USA) Velo Bella-Kona 5.24
9 Melanie Swartz (USA) Velo Bella/Kona 5.52
10 Pauline Frascone (USA) Independent Fabrication/Kempner 6.38

One lap behind

11 Erin Kassoy (USA) Velo Bella-Kona
12 Alicia Hamblen (USA) RGM WATCHES-RICHARD SACHS-REX CHIU
13 Lisa Most (USA) Wissahickon
14 Megan Bilodeau (USA) NCC – BikeReg.com
15 Amy Wallace (USA) RGM WATCHES – RICHARD SACHS – REX CHIU
16 Heidi Von Teitenberg (USA) C3/ADG/Joe’s
17 Tammy Ebersole (USA) Evolution Racing