Nash wins duel with Gould for US Cup win in Colorado Springs
Luna rider claims series title
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) won the final round of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Saturday afternoon as well as the overal series title.
The elite women started off for seven laps of the high altitude course around Pulpit Rock on CCSU land, with Pike’s Peak as a backdrop. The start was a predictable sight, with Luna Pro Team’s Catharine Pendrel and Katerina Nash leading the large field up the first climb. However, it would be Mexico’s Daniel Campuzano first down the hill after the mid-course tight climb and its subsequent tricky descent. Campuzano had crashed while training earlier in the week and sported some nice road rash, but rode a tough, gutsy race throughout the day.
After stringing a lead group of 15 women into the back section on city land, where Nash and Gould forced a selection that only Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) could close down. Gould slalomed into the lead just outside of the start/finish area, while a chasing Pendrel fought back to rejoin near the hairpin turn towards the first passage of the finish line. Erin Huck (Tokyo Joe’s) briefly chased onto this elite group only to drop off the pace on the second descent. She would spend the rest of the race in no-woman’s-land, fighting the wind, heat and altitude alone.
Gould attacked hard on lap two, only to pay for the effort by dropping back on lap four. By the fifth lap, a regrouping took place to give Luna a three-to-one advantage over Batty. At this point, Gould pushed hard again to gain a sizeable lead.
On the next lap, Nash attacked hard, possibly sensing Gould slowing, but certainly knowing that Batty couldn’t follow her. Her attack was so fierce that she clipped a fence, momentarily bobbling before regaining speed in pursuit of teammate Gould. Nash then caught and cleared past her teammate to take the win ahead of Gould, Batty and Pendrel.
"We obviously have the numbers and were riding super strong and you have to be respectful of your teammates," said Nash. "It was pretty clear that Emily wasn’t going to be able to chase so at one point I felt I had enough in the tank to get away from Emily and Kathy."
Gould said, "The course was really hard - it was a tactical race. People would go hard at the start and it would come back together on the flatter faster parts. I’ve had an on and off year don’t have the confidence I was hoping for. I just wanted to make it a good hard race and prepare for the national championships that are coming up."
Behind, Huck pushed hard to hold off a late challenge for the final podium spot from Campuzano, while Backcountry.com teammates Evelyn Dong and Chloe Woodruff joined forces to pace home in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
The women’s overall standings for the USA Cycling US Cup didn’t change at all in the final round other than point totals, with Nash (137 points) staying in the lead ahead of teammate Pendrel (117 points), with Batty (107 points) spoiling the Luna Pro Team’s party ahead of Georgia Gould (97 points). Backcountry.com’s Evelyn Dong (80 points) confirmed her breakout performance with a fine fifth overall.
"Georgia did a great job and I barely got to her in the end, so a great day for the team. The overall win is kind of emotional for me. I’ve raced for a really, really long time and it’s the very first time I’ve won an overall cross country series," said Nash. "I’m excited that the series came back the way it used to look. After all these years, it’s kind of humbling to come back and have and awesome series with a great payout and to hopefully do my job to inspire young racers."
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 1:43:42 |
2 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:02 |
3 | Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing | 0:00:46 |
4 | Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:49 |
5 | Daniela Campuzano Cha (Mex) Mexico National Team | 0:02:40 |
6 | Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes-Vcgraphix | 0:02:51 |
7 | Evelyn Dong (USA) Backcountry.Com | 0:05:21 |
8 | Chloe Woodruff (USA) | 0:06:14 |
9 | Adriana Rojas (CRc) Costa Rica | 0:06:23 |
10 | Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing | 0:06:59 |
11 | Rose Grant (USA) Sportsman & Ski Haus | 0:08:05 |
12 | Rachel Lloyd (USA) California Giant | 0:08:41 |
13 | Crystal Anthony (USA) Riverside Racing | 0:09:26 |
14 | Amy Beisel (USA) Liv/Giant-Tuffshed | 0:10:07 |
15 | Larissa Connors (USA) Marin Bikes Factory | 0:10:16 |
16 | Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross | 0:11:30 |
17 | Megan Carrington (USA) Naked Womens Racing | 0:13:56 |
18 | Erin Alders (USA) Liv/Giant | 0:14:25 |
-1lap | Emily Shields (USA) Bmc Project Dirt | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) Luna Pro Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh Icemelt | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Serena Gordon (USA) All Access Racing | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Nina Baum (USA) Stans No Tubes Women | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Erica Tingey (USA) Team Jamis | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Shayna Powless (USA) Bmc Project Dirt | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Kaylee Blevins (USA) Bear Development | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Sarah Kaufmann (USA) Stans No Tubes Women | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Alexis Skarda (USA) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Rebecca Gross (USA) Prima/Audi Denver | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Vicky Barclay (GBr) Stans No Tubes Elite | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Brianne Marshall (USA) Tough Girl Cycling | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Lauren Catlin (USA) Bear Development | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Rebecca Blatt (USA) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Daniella Rojas Meneses (Chi) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jena Greaser (USA) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) | 137 | pts |
2 | Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) | 117 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing Team) | 107 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) | 97 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Evelyn Dong (Backcountry.Com) | 80 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Erin Huck (Tokyo Joes-Vcgraphix.Com) | 72 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Daniela Campuzano Cha (Mexico National Team) | 70 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms) | 60 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Mikaela Kofman (Scott 3 Rox Racing) | 59 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Larissa Connors (Marin Bikes Factory Team) | 49 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Rose Grant (Sportsman & Ski Haus) | 39 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Sandra Walter | 38 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Monique Mata (Sho-Air/Cannondale) | 37 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Amy Beisel (Liv/Giant-Tuffshed) | 35 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team) | 33 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Erica Tingey (Team Jamis) | 32 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Candice Neethling (Bundu Bashers) | 31 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Erin Alders (Liv/Giant) | 29 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Amanda Nauman (Sdg/Felt) | 28 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Mary Mcconneloug (Kenda/Stans No Tubes) | 26 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Christina Gokey-Smith (Colonels) | 25 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Shayna Powless (Bmc Project Dirt) | 24 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Vicky Barclay (Stans No Tubes Elite Womens) | 20 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Cindy Montambault (Cvm 2 Vals) | 19 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Chloe Woodruff | 18 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Adriana Rojas (Costa Rica) | 17 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Emily Shields (Bmc Project Dirt) | 17 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Kate Courtney (Specialized Factory Racing) | 16 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Rebecca Henderson (Trek Factory Racing Team) | 16 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Nina Baum (Stans No Tubes Women Elite) | 15 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Jessica Rawlins (Bicycles Plus Racing) | 15 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Andreanne Pichette (Opus-Ogc) | 15 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Amanda Sin (Scott 3 Rox Racing) | 14 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Crystal Anthony (Riverside Racing) | 13 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Teal Stetson-Lee (Luna Pro Team) | 11 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) | 10 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Kaylee Blevins (Bear Development) | 10 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Sarah Kaufmann (Stans No Tubes Womens Elite) | 10 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Frederique Larose-Gin | 10 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Hannah Rae Finchamp (Luna Pro Team) | 10 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Jamie Busch (Juliana/Santa Cruz Bicycles) | 10 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Megan Carrington (Naked Womens Racing) | 9 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Lorenza Morfin | 8 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Cheryl Sornson (Rdc) | 8 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Lauren Catlin (Bear Development) | 5 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Caroline Mani (Raleigh Icemelt) | 5 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Rebecca Blatt | 5 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Serena Gordon (All Access Racing) | 5 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Alexis Skarda | 5 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Jena Greaser | 5 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Daniella Rojas Menese (Oxford Kona) | 5 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Brianne Marshall (Tough Girl Cycling) | 5 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Rebecca Gross (Prima/Audi Denver Women's) | 5 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Lisa Uranga | 5 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Caroline Woods (Marin Factory Team) | 5 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Cayley Brooks | 5 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Lesley Paterson (Scott Bikes) | 5 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Deyanira Guerrero (Veloz Team) | 5 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Tonya Bray (Paa/Mtbchick.Com) | 5 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Jennifer Todd (Platinum Performance) | 5 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
61 | April Morgan | 5 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
62 | Melissa Ross (Faster Performance Center) | 5 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
63 | Gabrielle April (Rocky Mountain/Pro Cycle) | 5 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
64 | Vanessa Humic (Kenda/Pmbc) | 5 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
65 | Karlee Gendron (Trek Canada Mountain Bike Team) | 5 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
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