Saturday, November 21, 2009 -- Bruceton Mills, WV
Bruceton Mills CX VI - WVCXS Series #5 - Series Championship Race
[Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results]
Finale on the Farm
Story and photos by J.R. Petsko, www.ABRAracing.com
With much warmer temperatures than the previous year, race #1 competitors gathered at the start line. Race #1 included (as it has all year) the singlespeed, the women, and the masters.
Rowand had the experience of winning the Marilla Cross race earlier this season, in which Miller finished second. However Montana clearly wanted his own win in the 2009 cross season as he attacked with three laps left to go and was able to put a gap on Rowand. Miller would continue to push his fixed gear machine through the remaining laps to take his first series victory of the year. Rowand hung tough in second, followed by Morgan Miller in third. Martin, after his hole shot effort, eventually fell to fourth, and rounding out the top five was Justin McKeel. Despite finishing second on the day, Rowand took home the title of WVCXS singlespeed series champion.
In the women's race, Betsy Shogren (Cannondale Factory Racing) was looking to make it a clean sweep of WVCXS events in 2009 by trying to capture her fourth win in four tries. However, Kristy Lanier (Dirtbean.com), Emily Moy (WVU Cycling) and Laurie Johnston (WV Night Club) were going to try and have something to say about that first! At the start Shogren found herself mid-pack amongst the singlespeed and masters riders and Lanier was not far behind. However by the third lap Shogren found herself out front of the women and running third overall in the entire field. Things never changed after that. Shogren took the win and the women's series title. Lanier finished second on the day as Moy and Johnston finished third and fourth respectively.
Vernon was seen following Kean for the first few laps but the course was suited for a cross bike and not a mountain bike. This was in Bird's favor. Bird finished first and captured his first series win of the year. Vernon took second followed by Kessler who used the great ride to claim enough points to take the masters series title. Fourth went to Scott Mabry and fifth was Jeff Bernstein. Sixth went to Joel Harris which gave him the runner-up spot in the series.
Race #2 was the Men's B and the Clydesdale/Tandem class. From the gun it was Bill "Sticks" Westover (Thick Bikes) and Rob Lochner (Iron City Bikes) out front and riding hard. Westover, who was wearing jeans, was feeling good and turned the screw 25 minutes into the race and dropped Lochner. Behind the two leaders the racing was excellent. Scott Benson, Duncan Oliver (WVU Cycling), Robert Chaney and Danny Welsch (Western Maryland Wheelmen) all took turns battling for the third through sixth position.
"Just when you thought someone was gapped and behind you, here they came again." Welsch said. Westover went on to the win followed by Lochner. Benson was able to push his way to the front of chase pack and score his best finish of the year in third. Oliver, last week's winner, rallied back after a slow start to finish in fourth. Chaney was fifth followed by Welsch in sixth. On a side note the best race was between Ryan Post (WVU Cycling) and James Braswell (WVU Cycling); the two rode the entire race neck and neck. The crowd was into it just as much as the two riders. In the end Braswell took eighth and Post was ninth. In the series, the top spot went to Oliver followed by Welsch, Benson, Chaney, and Post.
The final race of the day was the Men's A class. Series points leader Brad Schmalzer (Bikeman.com) had the series in-hand; all he needed was to finish the event. That was a thankful fact to Schmalzer who had fallen ill with the flu just days before the race.
I asked Schmalzer had he thought about not racing: "you couldn't have kept me away from this race," Schmalzer said. Behind him in the series there was much left to be decided. Jason Cyr (Cannondale), round number 1 and 4 winner, held a one point lead over Gunnar Shogren (Cannondale Factory Racing) in third. Cyr gave Shogren all he could handle in Davis and he was going to need to do it one more time to hold him off in the series points.
Also racing on the day was Gary Rodosta, Gerry Pflug (Speedgoat/SPK), Ed Krall, and Nate Annon (Cannondale/Pathfinder). Montana Miller, Rob Lochner, and Bill Westover also decided to pull double duty by racing their second event of the day.
For the next forty minutes the two leaders put time into the rest of the field making sure no one else was going to challenge for the win. With just three laps to go Shogren came across the start finish line alone. What had happened to Pflug? "The hills were starting to burn me up." Pflug said. He had stopped at the pit for a bike change and grabbed his geared bike.
All in all, it was a great race and a great series! If you have not heard yet, things are going to be bigger in 2010. Check out the new series information at www.ABRAracing.com
Also I want to thank everyone who came out to race and all the folks who helped set up and tear down at each race. Thank you!
Last but not least I want to thank the series sponsors one last time!
- Spoke Art
- Pathfinder of West Virginia
- Hammer Nutrition
- iPlayOutside.com