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'Cross nats: Record fields bound for Providence

Published: Dec. 14, 2006
Trebon and Wells: Time for a changing of the guard?
Trebon and Wells: Time for a changing of the guard?
Photo: Patrick O'Grady (file)

A record number of mud-pluggers from throughout the United States will descend upon Providence, Rhode Island, this weekend for the 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross national championships.

The event, which will award 28 national titles and is sponsored by California Giant Berry Farms, runs December 15-17.

On Monday, USA Cycling announced that 1940 amateur and elite athletes had registered for the 2006 nationals, a 14 percent increase from 2005. Last year, 1700 athletes competed at the nationals in Providence — an amazing 41-percent increase from 2004.

"There are a lot of drivers for the increase," said Richard Fries, communications director for the event, who also expects 7000 to 9000 spectators. "A lot of people are coming over from off-road racing. I think anyone who gets into it realizes that there is nothing as good in cycling as a good ’cross race, and the nationals are typically great races."

Athletes will tackle the same course used last year in Rogers Williams Park, affectionately referred to as the "Jewel of Providence." The race bible describes the course as follows:

The course
The course

"The course is fairly wide open and on the longer side to accommodate large fields and to prevent too many riders from being lapped. There is ample space for re-setting sections of the track that might get torn up too much, so the following days/races may have fresh tracks. The ground is mostly hard with very good drainage. It would have to be exceptional conditions to slow the racing down appreciably (heavy snow for instance). There will be four obstacles: one long run with wood and earth stairs at the bottom, one 5-meter set of stone and cement stairs, one set of hurdles on flat ground, and one 10- to 12-second run that may have earth and wood stairs mid-hillside if the conditions are dry. The course is 3.2km long, of which about 1km is paved in four sections. There is also about 200 meters of gravel road. The rest is grassy parkland."

Athletes who raced in the 2005 national championships will undoubtedly remember that weekend for frigid temperatures and icy winds brought on by a snowstorm of biblical nastiness. The bad weather descended on Providence on the opening day of the championships and nearly brought the weekend to a halt because of course devastation and hypothermia cases. The collegiate and masters men 30-34 championships were postponed a day after blowing snow reduced visibility to zero.

This year’s competitors should not see a repeat of the heinous weather, so long as the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast holds true. The NWS predicts sunny skies and mild temperatures in the upper 40s and 50s from Friday through Sunday, with a chance of light showers possible for Friday night.

Elite men: A jersey for Trebon?
Favorites: Ryan Trebon (Kona), Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com), Todd Wells (GT)
Dark horses: Barry Wicks (Kona), Jonathan Page (Liberty Mutual)

All eyes will be on Kona’s Ryan Trebon during the elite men’s race, as the 25-year old has arguably his best shot at winning the stars-and-stripes jersey that has so far eluded him. Trebon narrowly missed the jersey in 2004 and 2005, finishing second to Jonathan Page and Todd Wells.

This year Trebon proved without a doubt that he is the top dog in the American ’cross scene, breaking his opponents’ legs during the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series. The Kona rider took four of the six races on his way to claiming his second series title.

"He’s just so much stronger than everyone else," said Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) after Trebon won the third USGP race in Longmont, Colorado.

Nationals will be Trebon’s first race in the U.S. since returning from his European campaign. Trebon remains on good form, finishing 22nd at the World Cup No. 7 in Milan Italy, and 10th at the No. 5 Superprestige race in Belgium.

Should Trebon claim the championship, he would become the first American man to take elite national titles in cyclo-cross and cross-country mountain biking in the same year.

His chief challengers will be Johnson and Wells (GT). Johnson, the 2000 champ, stole Trebon’s glory at the final USGP stop in Portland, Oregon, escaping to win on the treacherous, muddy course. Johnson’s technical skills could give him an advantage should the weather turn nasty. And with more than 1500 racers set to hit the course before the elite men, the going could get rough.

Wells couldn’t find the top of the podium on the USGP this year. However the Durango, Colorado, native builds his entire campaign around the national championships. After waiting in the wings throughout 2005, Wells surprised nearly everyone to take the jersey.

But a stomach bug sidelined the 30-year-old two weeks ago, and Wells admits he might not be firing on all cylinders this weekend.

"Getting sick kinda screwed me up, and I don’t know where I’m at with my fitness," Wells said. "I’m hoping I’m stronger or as strong as last year."

Also capable of making a run at the jersey are Trebon’s Kona teammate, Barry Wicks, and three-time national champion Jonathan Page. Wicks regularly under-performs at nationals, but won round four of the USGP in Boulder. Page, who took the jersey during 2002-04, missed his 2006 campaign due to a shoulder separation, and will be looking to salvage his season.

Elite women: Can anyone touch Compton?
Favorite: Katie Compton (Spike-Primus Mootry)
Dark horses: Georgia Gould (Luna), Ronda Mazza (Vanilla Bikes), Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications)

On December 9, Katie Compton (Spike-Primus Mootry) competed in the 2006 Colorado state cyclo-cross championships and finished in eighth place. — against the elite men. The hour-long effort was part of Compton’s pre-nationals buildup, and the two-time defending champ is the overwhelming favorite to win the 45-minute race in Providence.

Much has been written about Compton’s exclusion from UCI-sanctioned races because of her involvement with the Paralympics before 2006. This year, the North American women’s saw firsthand how dominating Compton can be — she decimated the elite women at USGP rounds No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 after skipping the opening weekend in Gloucester to compete at the track national championships.

Her only loss on the USGP came in Portland, Oregon, where inclement weather and muddy course conditions relegated her into fifth place.

Newcomer Georgia Gould (Luna) poses the greatest threat to Compton, but the Idaho rider consistently finished minutes behind the Coloradan on the USGP circuit. Still, Gould isn’t counting herself out.

"I don't think anybody was questioning the fact that Katie was human," said Gould, after finishing ahead of Compton in Portland. "Maybe you guys [the media] were."

Gould thinks Compton is mortal, however
Gould thinks Compton is mortal, however
Photo: Fred Dreier (file)

If the women’s field hopes to challenge Compton, they must survive her trademark first-lap attack and her ever-steady tempo.

"I just want to go hard from the start and keep it fast and make it a good, tough race," Compton said after the No. 3 USGP in Longmont, Colorado.

U23 and junior races
Riders to watch: Jesse Anthony (Clif Bar), Jamey Driscoll (Fiordifrutta), Joey Thompson (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory), Danny Summerhill (TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar)

Following the graduation of Troy Wells to the senior ranks, the U23 national championship is wide open, with more than a handful of athletes looking to stake a claim. Chief among those is six-time national champion Jesse Anthony (Clif Bar), who finished a disappointing second in the USGP series.

The overall victor, Jamey Driscoll (Fiorifrutta), the 2003 junior champ, claimed the title with consistent riding. Driscoll is easy to spot with his Def Leppard-style mullet. Joey Thompson (Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory) of Durango, Colorado, took two race wins on the USGP and should challenge for the victory.

Barring mechanical disaster, Danny Summerhill (TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar) should retain his junior title from last year. Summerhill’s chief rivals Bjorn Selander (Alan) and Alex Howes (TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar) graduated to the U23 ranks, while 15-16 champ Alex Coelho is out after having knee surgery.

Stay tuned to Velonews.com for daily updates from the 2006 cyclo-cross national championships in Providence.

2006 USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross ChampionshipsEvent schedule
Friday, December 15
7:30 a.m.: Open course
8:30 a.m.: Master women (40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55+)
9:30 a.m.: Master men (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+)
10:30 a.m.: Master women (30-34, 35-39)
11:30 a.m.: Master men (45-49)
12:30 p.m.: Open course, awards
1 p.m.: Master men (40-44)
2 p.m.: Master men (35-39)
3 p.m.: Master men (30-34)
4 p.m.: Closed course, awards

Saturday, December 16
7:30 a.m.: Open course
8:30 a.m.: Junior women (under 12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18)
9:30 a.m.: Junior men (10-12, 13-14, 15-16)
10:30 a.m.: Women (U23, collegiate)
11:30 a.m.: Junior men (17-18)
12:30 p.m.: Open course, awards
1 p.m.: Men (U23)
2 p.m.: Elite men
3 p.m.: Closed course, awards

Sunday, December 17
7:30 a.m.: Open course
8:30 a.m.: Women, category B
9:30 a.m.: Men U35, category B
10:30 a.m.: Men 35+, category B
11:30 a.m.: Men (collegiate)
1 p.m.: The Giant Strawberry Cup
2 p.m.: Elite women
3 p.m.: Closed course, awards

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