NEW GLOUCESTER – Despite a driving rain and endless mud, Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) and Mark McCormack (Team Clif Shot) opened the 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series with convincing wins in the Elite Women’s and Men’s races, respectively, on Saturday.
The 2005 Downeast Cyclo-Cross might have set a new New England standard for swampy conditions.
As she has in every race this season, Bessette took an early lead and never looked back, streaking through the pouring rain a minute-plus gap within two laps. Behind Bessette, Maureen Bruno Roy (Independent Fabrication) settled into second with the remainder of the field spreading further apart with each passing lap. Anna Milkowski (Gearworks-SpinArts) established a comfortable spot in third.
McCormack rode a steady, consistent race, feeling his way through the first lap before leaving the rest of the Elite Men’s field behind for good on lap two. With the four-time defending Series champion off to the races, the fight for the remaining podium spots heated up. After a terrible first lap that saw him out of the top 20, Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) rode back into contention by the third lap, catching Matt Kraus (Alan) and Jesse Anthony (Team Clif Shot) on one of the courses two run-ups.
While the trio was unable to put a dent into McCormack’s advantage the drama for second and third proved compelling. Johnson rode away from Kraus and Anthony with five laps to go after Anthony endured several bad laps that saw him free fall back into fifth. But the reigning Under-23 National and Series Champion clawed back into fourth and easily won the U-23 classification. Kraus remained strong, crossing the finish line in third place, his best ever Elite result.
Defending series champion Jonny Bold (Corner Cycle) won the Masters 35-plus. Christopher Long (Independent Fabrication), who also holds the lead in the Mid-Atlantic Series, won the Masters 45 plus jersey. Jerome Townsend (Bicycle Alley) rocketed off the front of the junior race to take the win. Quebec racer Pascal Bussibres (Abbrsuz LA GoeLiche) won the B race.
The 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series continues Nov. 12-13 in Farmington, Conn. and Northampton, Mass.
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