Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com got their 2010 Greenware US Gran Prix of Cyclocross campaign off to a dream start this weekend by taking back-to-back first and second place finishes at the Planet Bike Cup in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Thanks to impeccable teamwork, Jeremy Powers and US Champion Tim Johnson were able to trade places on Saturday and Sunday to take the first two USGP victories of the year against one of the strongest fields ever assembled in a USGP event. Both riders finished the weekend tied for the overall lead in the USGP series, and thanks to his win on Sunday, it will be Johnson who wears the coveted leader’s jersey when the series resumes in late October in Louisville, Kentucky.
Jeremy Powers wore the year's first USGP Leader's Jersey. Maureen Bruno Roy Photo
Jeremy Powers is known by many to be the fastest starter in the American domestic cyclocross peloton. At no point was this trait more on display than in Saturday’s USGP opener. Powers grabbed the holeshot, exploding out of the starting gate and quickly establishing a commanding lead over an elite chasing group. Powers never looked back, and instead focused on pushing his lead out as far as it would go with every passing pedal stroke. “I was psyched that I was able to get a gap. This kind of course really fits me. It’s got a lot of punchy, fast corners and short bursty sections that suit me really well.”
Powers capitalized on his powerful riding style and top-notch fitness to solidify his advantage. Behind, Johnson was playing the consummate teammate, much in the same way as he had at the team’s midweek stop at Cross Vegas. Rather than patrolling the front to allow Jamey Driscoll as much gap as possible, as he did in Las Vegas, Johnson was looking after Powers’ gap, which was growing with every lap. “Jeremy had a perfect race today, from the start, to the first lap, every single corner, he was really flying the whole time,” said Johnson.
When Johnson was sure that Powers had established an insurmountable lead, and sensed an easing of the pace in the chasing group, Johnson too took leave of his chasing companions, and struck out on his own. Initially the only man who was able to match Johnson’s pace was French National Champion Françis Mourey (Française des Jeux), but the Frenchman let his chase too late, and was never able to make contact. “He’s one of the best riders in the world,” said Johnson of Mourey. “I was expecting him to catch on and come around me to chase Jeremy down. He got close but didn’t quite get there. I considered sitting up and waiting for him, but he never made it, so that’s when I hit the gas and got away.”
Powers continued to surge away and took home his first victory of the season, and the first USGP leader’s jersey of 2010. “I’m pleasantly surprised and super psyched to be able to win again,” said an enthused Powers. “It was really good. Everything worked according to plan.” Johnson did his best to chase down powers, getting within 10 seconds of his leading teammate, but eventually had to resign himself to a second place finish. When the dust settled, Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com was standing on the top two steps of the podium ahead of Jonathan Page (Planet Bike), who led the chase group home in third. Driscoll spent his race camped in the chase group, as he tried to recover from his effort in Las Vega (which had netted him second place after spending the majority of the race off the front) and trying to find his cyclocross legs. Despite a tough day in the saddle, Driscoll crossed the line in sixth.
When Sunday’s dawn broke on Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com, a new rider had joined the ranks of America’s most successful cyclocross team, and was ready for her maiden voyage in the team’s iconic green and black. Kaitlin Antonneau set off on her first elite women’s race after netting an impressive five medals at the USA Cycling Collegiate Track Championships during the preceding week. Antonneau, who will play a key developmental role in the team while she grows and develops in the sport, was second in the individual Omnium in Indianapolis before arriving to take part in Sunday’s Planet Bike Cup race.
Antonneau rode an extremely solid and intelligent race, overcoming some pre-race nerves and early-season rust that routinely accompany a major sporting debut. Antonneau battled for much of the race with Devon Haskell (Bike Station Aptos) before making a late race surge to secure a twelfth place finish, an extremely positive result in her first race of the season. Antonneau’s late push was constantly pulling time back on riders just up the road, and showed lots of promise for the coming weeks.
In the men’s event, it was Powers who again lit a fire under the Planet Bike Cup’s peloton. Powers jumped off the line to his second consecutive holeshot, and, for a time, it looked like he would repeat his day one result. The peloton was much more reactive to Powers’ move on day two, however, and before long, an elite leading group had assembled at the front. Powers and Johnson were never out of the leading three spots, and waited for the opportune moment to strike.
It was Johnson who took up the reigns, surging powerfully out of the leading group, and quickly establishing an advantage that mirrored the one Powers held twenty-four hours earlier. Despite chasing attempts from riders like Mourey, former Swiss National Champion Christian Heule (Champion System) and former US National Champions Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Jonathan Page, Johnson’s lead continued to grow.
Johnson on the Run. Marueen Bruno Roy Photo.
The efforts behind would come to naught, however, as Johnson continued to apply the pressure, and his lead continued to expand as a result until he crossed the finish line for his third win of the season. “The start of the race was so fast. When you have a course like this, you tie together the really hard corners with straight-aways that pretty much have one speed,” said Johnson about his ability to open up his gap. “When everybody accelerates out of the corners and gets up to speed, you really can’t make up much time unless you’re going fast through the corners and can take your own lines.”
In another repeat of Saturday’s action, Powers marauded at the front of the chase group, until the opportunity presented itself to spring to his own sizable advantage. Powers had clearly recovered well from his efforts on Saturday, as he pushed his lead out to fifteen seconds before the speed in the chase group picked up. “I just sat back and tried to follow wheels,” said Powers. “It was a lot of yo-yoing. We were going really hard behind. By five laps to go, I noticed that guys were starting to falter and make mistakes and I made my attack.” By that time, it was too late, and Powers was able to coast across the line for second, thirty-three seconds behind Johnson. Mourey was almost able to catch Powers at the line, but fell six seconds short to take third place. Driscoll rounded out the top ten with a tenth place finish.
Thanks to their picture perfect team riding, Powers and Johnson were able to leave Wisconsin with two USGP victories and one leader’s jersey apiece. Thanks to his win on Sunday, Johnson was able to leapfrog Powers into the leader’s jersey as the series heads to the Derby City Cup in Louisville, Kentucky on October 23. Despite Johnson holding the USGP Overall lead, he is tied on points with his teammate, while third placed Christian Heule sits third, 34 points adrift. As Heule will head back to Europe for the rest of the season, Johnson and Powers’ nearest competition is Specialized’s Todd Wells, who is currently fourth, 43 points behind.
Next up on the Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com calendar is the Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester, where the full team will be on hand to tackle the second weekend of the North American Cyclocross Trophy. Johnson returns to Gloucester as day two’s defending champion, and will have to battle with an elite roster of American cyclocross talent in order to repeat his 2009 success.
Photos courtesy of Maureen Bruno Roy: www.mmracing.org
