After 15 races in the OVCX schedule the overall results sees successful seasons by Fred Rose who won the 35+ series, Liz Cobb (2nd in 3/4women), Ryan Kiel (3rd in Cat3), Andy Messer (3rd 35+), Zach Edwards, Adam Rodkey, Eric Hamilton and Ryan Knapp (all in top ten Elite men). Nice work Bloomington dudes! What remains in the cross season is to watch USA nationals on cyclingdirt and keep up with Ryan Knapp's exciting trip to Belgium!
OVCX Weekend Finale
After a season of dirt tracks and dust, winter finally engulfed the OVCX series as it headed for the final weekend of action in Indianapolis. Saturday evening saw 6inches of snow fall on the inaugural venue at Fort Harrison on the east side of the city. This did predictable damage to the course so when the Cat4 towed the line at 10.30 their bikes were already covered in a sloppy mess of snow, dirt and ice. Conditions did not improve throughout the day which necessitated Elite riders having to rapidly remember their pit skills as bike changes every few laps was the order of the day. Sundays race was the Indiana State champs and OVCX series finale at the classic Brookside Park course featuring the 44 steps of pain! Conditions were colder but a little firmer under wheel but the entire weekend pleased those lovers of old school cyclocross who say ‘dirt helps the hurt’!
Mitchell Kersting (Bobs Red Mill) prevailed on both days in the Elite Mens race but his wins came in very different manners. Saturday saw Kersting attack from the gun and was solo for the entire hour. His team-mate Rob Kendall, Josh Johnson (DRT Consulting) and Drew Dillman (Redzone) battled for the lower steps on the podium before Dillman came out on top. The sloppy conditions will well prepare Dillman for his stint with the US Euro Camp in Belgium over Christmas. On Sunday Kersting bided his time in a lead group with Johnson and Kendall who alternatively applied the pressure on for the entire race. On the final lap Kersting made his move going shoulder to shoulder with Johnson at the top of the stairs to quickly claim a decisive margin. Youngster Johnson held on for 2nd and first Indiana rider ahead of Kendall, Weston Luzzader (NUVO) and Steve Swecker (Lindsey Wilson College).
Adam Rodkey at Ft Ben (photo by Chris Jones)
It was also a tale of two races in the Womens Elite race even though Nikki Dallaire (Alderfer Bergen) won out on both days of the weekend. On Saturday Amanda Virosko (Shamrock Cycles) had Dallaire on the ropes and facing a rare defeat when her seat-post snapped, forcing a disappointingly premature end to her race. Dallaire was then able to roll it in for the win ahead of Becca Finley (Marian University) and Bridget Donovan (Trek Bicycle Store). Normal service was resumed at Brookside where Dallaire took the hole–shot off the long concrete section and was never headed. Virosko was a very strong second finish demonstrating the strength that was thwarted by bad luck the day before. Finley finished third in her penultimate weekend as a Marian racer as she’ll head out to Bend next weekend for Collegiate Nationals.The Elite Masters saw a dominant win for Fred Rose (Bikereg.com) on Saturday and a equally impressive ride by Eric Anderson (NUVO) on Sunday. Anderson avoided the worse conditions on Saturday so arrived fresh to do battle for the Indiana State title at Brookside and after riding with Eric Fagerberg (Papa Johns) for the opening couple of laps dispatched his rival by repeated accelerations on the deceptively tricky uphill asphalt section.
Arguably the most enduring battle of the weekend was between Ray Smith (Humana) and Jason Monk (Main Street Velo) in the Cat3 Open race. They were locked together throughout Saturdays race and after slip-sliding down the final treacherous descent Smith won a tight finale after Monk seemed under-geared or (as was common) had pedal issues in the sprint. Smith again prevailed on Sunday where he took the lead earlier in the final lap to have a more comfortably winning margin.
Other double weekend winners included Nolan McQueen (Cat 4), Cooper Ambjorn (Womens 3/4) and Nick Dietrich (Junior 17/18). A fun if chill weekend was enjoyed by all who participated and was a fitting send-off to another remarkably successful OVCX series!
Liz Cobb having fun (photo by Chris Jones)
4 comments:
Hats of to you and John for the great announcing both days
What a great series and what an epic finish to a great season.
Here here!
Definitely gotta give props to Geraint and John for slogging it out if the arctic cold for two days solid for our benefit!
Great job.
Now its time to start getting ready to do it all again next year! (For those who'll never try cyclocross I can only say you have no idea what you're missing.
Its a short sharp shock combining mental agility and physical skill and forces a rider to think on their feet. I have to also add that, as bicycle racing disciplines go, the camaraderie and sense of community can't be beat!
Cheers,
Fred
It's great to see cross growing! Props to all the B-town crew.
Post a Comment