Huseby and McConneloug tops in Rhode Island
- By VeloNews.com
- Published Dec. 2, 2002
Cold, blustery wind met the riders for the Stedman Co. Grand Prix ofCyclo-Cross, round five of the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series. Race promoters used every inch of the South Kingstown, RI venue to create a course some felt was the best yet in the 2002 Verge Series. The excitement of the racing certainly was at a high level, as Johannes Huseby of Independent Fabrication emerged from a strong group of six to take the win by mere inches over British U23 Champion Sean Snodden (Je James). Many considered Huseby’s 2001 Verge Series victory at this same venue to be a breakthrough of sorts for him, and after his second place to series leader Marc Gullickson last week in CT, it seems he is bent on confirming his place among the U.S. ‘cross elite.
The elite men’s race started with Snodden winning the start, and a very fast first lap saw a front group emerge with all the pre-race favorites: Snodden, Huseby, Josh Anthony (CycloCrossWorld.com), Tyler Johnson (Richard Sachs), Marc McCormack (Saturn), and Adam Craig (Giant). Nearing the end of the lap though, only one rider was willing to attack and endure the very strong, cold winds on his own, U.S. U23 champion Adam Craig. The professional mountain biker quickly built a ten second lead, yet more impressive was how comfortable he looked doing it.
Going into lap three, McCormack decided Craig’s move looked good and began to bridge across on his own, as the previously smooth riding group decimated behind him. Leaping over the barriers leading into the first pit, Craig suffered the first of what seemed like an endless string of bike troubles that would plague him all day. His stopping to adjust his drivetrain, and subsequent restart, resulted in a complete regrouping at the front. Craig would eventually finish fifth.
The next rider to suffer mechanical difficulty was Snodden. The young man from Sheffield flatted during lap three, losing his spot in the lead group, and falling nearly out of the top ten before he could get a bike change.
Once he was aboard his second bike, he took his time regaining the lead group, a calculated strategy. “I didn’t want to come back too fast and spend all my energy that way” he later explained.
Once Snodden regained the group, over half the race was complete. Craig had been battling more mechanical difficulties, and the resultant energy spent constantly recovering was beginning to see him yo-yo off the back of the group. A mid-race attack by McCormack set up a counterattack from the surprising Tyler Johnson, and while the Richard Sachs rider couldn’t hold his gap alone, it resulted in a split of Johnson, McCormack, and Huseby clearly separating from the rest. Soon Johnson’s time was up though, and as he dropped back to the chasing Anthony and Craig, Snodden bridged up to create a lead group of three. Johnson regrouped later to finish a strong third.
All looked set for these three men to battle out the final laps amongst themselves, but an uncharacteristic series of muscle cramps put an end to McCormack’s chances. The Saturn pro would fall to sixth by the end of the day. So with less than two laps to go it came down to a battle of England versus New England in the form of Snodden and Huseby. The two well-matched riders each put in attacks in the final two laps, but it was destined to come down to a sprint.
Huseby trailed Snodden closely for the final half lap, matching his accelerations in the penultimate straightaway, and surging past him in the final fifty meters for the win. So close was the finish that the judges took several minutes to decide a winner.
Snodden was gracious in defeat, finishing just behind the IndependentFabrication rider for the second week in a row,
“Johs Huseby was very impressive today. Several people told me they thought I’d won it.” Huseby was justifiably happy after picking up his first Verge Series win of the year, “I learned a lot last year, a lot about how to race at the front and be in position to win.”
Race announcer Richard Fries, who has seen his share of top notch ‘cross racing, started tipping the popular New Englander as a podium contender for U.S. cyclo-cross national championships in two weeks.
Snodden and Johnson were the top U23 finishers in second and third, while Josh Anthony was the third U23 in fourth overall, just ahead of U23 champion Craig.
The women’s race saw a talented field with no less than three U.S. champions break apart early. Verge Series leader Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) bridged up to early leader Shauna Gillies-Smith (Gearworks/SRP), then drop her with half the race remaining to win the race, and in the process seal her first Verge Series title with one race still remaining. Gillies-Smith rode a strong race to finish second, while Jodi Groesbeck (Putney/West Hill) overcame an entanglement with snow fencing mid-race to pick up third on the day.
For the second week in a row, Gearworks/SRP teammates Anna Milkowski and Marianne Stover rode together for much of the race, finishing fourth and fifth. .
U.S. junior national champion Jesse Anthony (Saturn Development) tookanother solo victory in the junior race, over GMBC’s Jamey Driscoll andCCB’s Konrad LeBas. Adam Snyder (DEVO/Balance Bar) picked up fourth, with Kevin Wolfson (NEBC/CycleLoft) in fifth.
Results
Results:
Elite Men
1 1:02:01 Johannes Huseby Independent Fabrication/CCB/VW Medford MA
2 Shaun Snodden Je James Sheffield UK
3 1:02:17 Tyler Johnson CYBC – RICHARD SACHS Chester CT U23
4 1:02:51 Josh Anthony Cyclocross World.com Beverly MA U23
5 1:03:16 Adam Craig Giant Corinth ME U23
6 1:04:10 Mark McCormack Saturn North Easton MA
7 1:04:25 Matthew Svatek Cannondale Wheelworks Carlisle MA
8 Michael Broderick Seven Cycles Chilmark MA
9 1:04:51 Justin Lillie Trek/VW West Lebanon NH
10 1:05:01 Rob Hult O’Neils Harvard MA
11 1:05:09 Alec Donahue NCC/BikeReg.com Northampton MA
12 1:05:21 Adam Hodges Myerson NCC/BikeReg.com Northampton MA
13 1:05:29 Jeremy Powers Team Devo Niantic CT U23
14 1:05:40 Jonathan Bruno Quad Cycles Sommerville MA
15 1:06:42 J.d. Bilodeau NCC / BikeReg.com Northampton MA
16 1:06:54 Chris Peck Wheelworks Cannondale Southbury CT
17 1:07:02 Eugene Ruiter Trek/VW Nashua NH
18 1:07:50 Matthew Kraus Independent Fabrication/CCB/VW Cambridge MA
19 1:08:32 Jeff Leake NCC / BikeReg.com Bennington VT
20 1:08:39 Micah Thompson Excel Sports Natick MA
21 1:09:18 Nathan Rice Catamount Burlington VT
22 Amos Brumble CCB / Volkswagon Westerly RI
23 John Hanson NECSA/Mike Fraysee Sports West Hartford CT
24 Steve Roszko NCC / BikeReg.com Northampton MA
25 Daniel Coady NCC / BikeReg.com Deerfield MA
Elite Women
1 40:39 Mary McConneloug Seven Cycles Chilmark MA
2 41:20 Shauna Gilles-Smith Gearworks/SRP Somerville MA
3 42:15 Jodi Groesbeck Putney / West Hill Keene NH
4 42:27 Anna Milkowski Gearworks/SRP Putney VT
5 42:42 Marianne Stover Gearworks/SRP Portland ME
6 43:30 Kathryn Roszko NCC / BikeReg.com Northampton MA
7 43:44 Alicia Genest Richard Sachs Amherst MA U23
8 43:54 Katrina Davis Sandy Hook CT
9 44:05 Sara Cushman Gearworks/SRP North Grafton MA
10 44:13 Susan Maclean Gearworks/SRP Plaistow NH
11 44:17 Stephanie White NH Junior Cycling Academy Bedford NH
12 Kathy Sarvary Midstate Cycling Club Luneburg MA
13 Becky Sox Dansko Wakefield RI
14 MaryAnn Martinez NEBC/Cycleloft Concord MA
15 lapped Katherine Farago NEBC/Cycleloft Burlington MA
Junior Men
1 45:40 Jesse Anthony Saturn Development Beverly MA
2 46:08 Jamey Driscoll GMBC Invensys Jericho VT
3 46:59 Konrad Lebas CCB International Ansonia CT
4 50:02 Adam Snyder Balance Bar / Devo Westminster MA
5 51:52 Kevin Wolfson NEBC / CycleLoft Belmont MA
6 52:48 Charles Marzot Corner Cycle Cycling Club Middleboro MA
7 Tucker Olander Peerless/HNECC Windham NH
8 Peter Stetson Portland Velo Club Falmouth ME
9 Charley Stetson Portland Velo Falmouth ME
Masters Men
1 46:45 Tim Haitz Team Dupont Charlestown RI
2 46:55 Scott Wade Gearworks Putney VT
3 47:19 John Verheul Ideal Tile Northampton MA
4 47:20 Mark Stotz NCC / BikeReg.com Easthampton MA
5 47:23 Sam Morse Mass Bay Road Club Cohasset MA
6 47:59 Micheal Bernard Arc-en-Ciel Millbury MA
7 48:15 Paul Curley Gearworks/SRP Taunton MA 45+
8 48:43 Gary S. Keblish Century-SBCG Brooklyn NY
9 48:57 Bob Bisson SRP Gearworks Fall River MA
10 49:18 Mike Umbrell Minuteman Road Club Waltham MA
11 49:50 Eric Marro Team BOB/Skofield Builders Nashua NH
12 50:02 James Walsh Cox Communications Wakefield RI
13 50:04 Doug Aspinwall NCC / BikeReg.com Easthampton MA
14 50:27 Brian Sweeney GEARWORKS Sterling MA
15 50:36 Kevin Callahan Bicycle Link Norwell MA
16 50:49 Christopher Smith Rage/Harpoon/Int.bike Roslindale MA
17 50:50 Scott Collins squadra casterama Coventry RI
18 50:51 Ron Gutierrez Sycip San Francisco CA
19 50:52 David Schachte Providence Velo Club Woonsocket RI 45+
20 50:53 Jeff Gauthier GMBC/Invensys Burlington VT
21 51:09 Paul Nyberg Eastern Bloc Cycling Club/ Benidorm Bikes Avon CT
22 51:30 David Fagnant Union Velo Cumberland RI
23 52:08 Gene Petrella Bean’s/Lite Bites/CCCF North Andover MA
24 52:23 Richard Brown Plaistow NH
25 52:25 Keith Button Nottingham NH
26 52:31 Mitch Medeiros AFD New Bedford MA
27 53:08 Roger Goulart Bike Works New Bedford MA
28 53:27 Larry Bettencourt CCB Volkswagon Peabody MA
29 lapped William Keith Bethel Cannondale New Farifield CT 45+
B Men
1 46:58 Curtis Boivin Providence Velo Providence RI
2 47:10 Matt Hersey liquid motion So. Portland ME
3 47:23 Noah Taylor Peterborough NH
4 47:49 Conor Coffey CCB / Volkswagon Westerly RI
5 48:33 Aron Molloy Plymouth State College Manchester NH
6 48:40 Christopher White B.O.B. Windham NH
7 Tom Hopper REI/Team Novara Medway MA
8 John Burns Hingham MA
9 Byron Holt Somerville MA
10 Alan Starrett Bikeman/Bath Cycle Portland ME
11 49:01 Jonny Bold CCCC/Corner Cycle Marstons Mills MA
12 49:07 Jonathan Lawrence Portland ME
13 49:20 David Keefe Boston Bicycle Club Newton MA
14 Michael Cole Landrys-Litespeed Ashland MA
15 Chris Harnish People Cycle-Green Team East Falmouth MA
16 49:46 Scott Livingston Team Horst Engineering Vernon CT
17 49:50 Gary S. Keblish Century-SBCG Brooklyn NY
18 50:09 Ryan Rumsey Team Liquid Motion Portland ME
19 Wade Summers WebEvent.com / HVVC Southington CT
20 50:14 Aron Millett ECV Georgetown MA
21 Matt Bodziony Squadra Casterame Wakefield RI
22 50:24 Rodney Nobrega S&W Sports Exter NH
23 Ethan Parsons NCC/BikeReg.com Westhampton MA
24 50:48 Daniel Abbe Team Mountain City Warren MA
25 50:48 Brian Clark Exposition Wheelmen Manchester CT
26 51:01 Mark Donahue So ME Cycling Club S. Portland ME
27 51:14 David Connery Boston Bicycle Club Watertown MA
28 51:45 John Wright Boston Round Club Arlington MA
29 51:45 Jerrry Hughes REI/Team Novara Framingham MA
30 52:08 Garvin Louie Union Velo No Attleboro MA
31 52:082 Forest Reid Providence Velo Club Providence RI
32 52:16 Joe Rodrigues Bike Alley Springfield MA
33 52:16 Hunter Pronovost Grouppo Sportivo Cheshire CT
34 52:16 Andrew Parsons BRC/Vintage West Roxbury MA
35 52:38 Ian Everard Velocity Racing Somerville MA
36 52:40 James Mccowan Whitinsville MA
37 52:47 Jeffrey Capobianco Concord MA
38 52:55 Nathan Mealey NCC/Bikereg.com Westfield MA
39 52:55 Chris Brown Corner Cycle Cycling Club Falmouth MA
40 53:17 Matthew Jamieson Chester CT
41 53:52 Brad Shuford NCC / BikeReg.com Easthampton MA
42 53:59 Richard Battaglia Southern Maine CC Arlington MA
43 Mark Wysocki Pedro’s Worcester MA
44 Mark Robson Team Bicycle Alley Willington CT
45 55:45 Jeff Papineau BOB Westfield MA
46 Peter Hutchins NCC/BikeReg.com
47 56:15 Darren Crupi Heart of New England Cycling Brooklyn NY
48 56:45 Rory Mason Stage 1 Cycling New Milford CT
49 57:15 Matthew Crews Peterborough NH
50 lapped Richard Rude Redding CT
51 lapped John Reilly Boston Cross Somerville MA
52 lapped Greg Black Verge Test Pilot Gardiner MA
C Men
1 25:57 Eric Jenson K2/Pedros Falmouth MA
2 26:18 David Fredrickson unattached Stoneham MA
3 26:18 Michael Croft Thread City Cyclers Washington CT
4 26:38 Michael Harney Waterford CT
5 27:01 Peter Rondinone NHCC Goffstown NH
6 27:05 Wayne Maceyka Harris Cyclery W. Newton MA
7 27:12 Steven Bonadio NEBC/Cycle Loft Arlington MA
8 27:48 Kenneth Hamel AFD/OSVC Warwick RI
9 28:12 Michael Keough Corner Cycles Sandwich MA
10 28:24 David Baxter Providence Velo Cranston RI
11 28:36 Brian Bicki Team Hawaian Chepachet RI
12 28:44 Dave Beals CBRC/CK Cycles Niskayuna NY
13 28:45 Jason Arcelay NEBC/Cycleloft/EMC Arlington MA
14 28:50 Robert Connors Yarmouth MA
15 28:55 Chip Kent Team Bicycle Alley Upton MA
16 29:00 Paul Braus Team Hawaian Chepachet RI
17 29:10 Bill Doonan NBW Cumberland RI
18 29:28 Jeff Bousfield Thread City Cyclers Manchester CT
19 29:40 Lawrence King Providence Velo Cranston RI
20 29:41 Robert Bauer Minuteman road Club Natick MA
21 30:04 James Rawstrol MRC Attleboro MA
22 30:43 Nathanial Rex Cycle Center/Stamford Fairfield CT
23 30:51 Robert Desrosiers Team Hawaian Woonsocket RI
24 31:30 Nick Todd West Hartford CT
25 31:50 David Rioux Boston Road Club Freetown MA
26 32:13 James Dowling Maine Cycling Club/Rainbow Buckfield ME
27 32:56 Michael Medas North Dighton MA
28 33:30 Jose Monterroso Union Velo Attleboro MA
C Women
1 30:35 Donna LaCasse BCA Lanesboro MA
2 30:53 Daria Vander Veer Exposition Wheelmen Manchester CT
3 31:57 Cheryl Payne Union Cycle Wrentham MA
4 33:13 Amy Burrer Bicycle Alley Bedford MA
5 34:21 Samantha Slattery Bedford MA
Cub Juniors
1 25:25 Kyle Foley Laurel Wallingford CT