Bruno Roy, McCormack take wins at Verge finale
- By VeloNews.com
- Published Dec. 4, 2005
In the perfect send off to what has been a cyclo-cross series with its fair share of bad weather and challenging conditions, the Caster’s Grand Prix, run Sunday in Warwick, Rhode Island as the final round of the 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, presented racers with the most challenging conditions yet, a lethal combination of fresh snow, freezing temperatures, and even sleet. But if the race day conditions seemed utterly miserable and treacherous to most riders, they were the perfect storm for noted bad weather specialist Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) who entered the day as Series leader.
And while Johnson finished with the overall Series title in hand, he left without the race win. Four-time defending Series winner Mark McCormack (Team Clif Bar) beat Johnson by less than a bike-length in a thrilling sprint to the line, the culmination of a race-long battle between the two new England ‘cross legends. After suffering through a bad start that saw him out of the top-10 after the first lap, Johnson hit the turbo boost to rocket up to the leading duo of McCormack and Barry Wicks (Kona) by the third lap. Wicks soon lost the pace, while Johnson and McCormack settled into a back-and-forth rhythm, which saw each racer excelling on different sections of the demanding serpentine course. Johnson glided through the numerous icy 180 degree turns while McCormack opened up the gas on the straightaways and sprinted the two extended runs on an exposed beach.
With three laps to go, Johnson opened a small gap through a particularly dicey set of off camber and flat turns made slick by compacted snow. But ever the master tactician, McCormack knew he still had spots on the course the nail back the difference. Johnson led through all the corners on the final half lap, hoping to force a mistake by McCormack. But the duo emerged onto the pavement for the 100-meter final sprint and with less than 10 meters separating them and McCormack sprinted around Johnson for the win. Erik Tonkin (Kona) trailed in for third after out dueling Wicks and Adam Craig (Giant) in a race-long seesaw battle.
“I felt really confident on the technical sections, which for me is really good,” said McCormack. “Tim excels on the slippery stuff, he has a lot of confidence in his abilities in these conditions so I knew I had to stay with him and pick my own spots to go fast. I didn’t win the Series overall, but I won three of the races and go into National’s on a high note. I won today against pretty much all the best guys, except for Todd Wells, Ryan Trebon, and Jonathan Page, so that’s definitely a good win.”
“I never would have expected at the beginning of the season that I’d be second overall in the USGP and win the New England Series,” said Johnson. “My worst result of the year has been fifth so I’ve been really consistent and I guess it shows. Now I have to refocus and think about Nationals, get my bikes all ready and make sure everything is perfect. That’s the advantage of having a home race, you can eliminate a lot of things that might go wrong and it’s not nearly as stressful.”
A day after a race she admitted to blowing tactically, Maureen Bruno Roy (Independent Fabrication) racked up the most important win of her fledgling ‘cross career. The former Saturn team soigneur ran away with Sunday’s race and in the process scored enough points to take the overall Series title from the absent Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau). Using her running skills and light touch on the bike, Bruno Roy danced away to a nearly half-minute lead over her main chaser, Christine Vardaros (Velo Bella), by the end of the third lap. With no urgency to her riding, Bruno Roy could afford to ride a safe and conservative final few laps, going full throttle on the run-ups and open roads and avoiding possible problems in the woods.
“I think yesterday’s race really opened my legs up,” said Bruno Roy, who finished second in the New England Series last year. “I was coming off a rest week and I just felt blocked on Saturday, today I was able to get ahead and ride exactly how I wanted. Winning the race was great, it makes up for yesterday, and winning the overall Series is amazing.”
While the 2005 New England Series is done and dusted, the U.S. ‘cross scene remains focused on Rhode Island for seven more days, with the Liberty Mutual National Championships set to start on Friday.Caster’s Grand Prix, Verge New England Championships Cyclo-Cross Series,#6
Warwick, Rhode IslandMen
1. Mark McCormack, Clif Bar, 0:58:13
2. Tim Johnson, Cyclocrossworld.com, 0:58:13
3. Erik Tonkin, Kona, 0:59:03
4. Adam Craig, Giant , 0:59:05
5. Barry Wicks, Kona, 0:59:30
6. Greg Reain, Stevens, 0:59:52
7. Jeremy Powers, Jelly Belly, 0:59:57
8. Shannon Skerritt, VANILLA BICYCLES, 0:59:57
9. Jason Tullous, Voodoo/Drunkcyclist, 0:59:57
10. Tristan Schouten, Trek/VW, 1:01:12
11. Michael Cody, FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team, 1:01:49
12. Matt White, FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team, 1:02:00
13. Molly Cameron, Vanilla bicycles, 1:02:15
14. Matt Kraus, ALAN Factory Team, 1:02:37
15. Ben Turner, TIAA-CREF/CLIF BAR, 1:02:50
16. Daniel Coady, NCC / BikeReg.com, 1:03:04
17. Chris Peck, Specialty, 1:03:11
18. Adam Hodges Myerson, Team Nerac.com p/b TD Banknorth, 1:03:15
19. Justin Spinelli, Richard Sachs, 1:03:18
20. Ryan O’Connor, 1K2go Sports, 1:03:29
21. Daniel Vaillancourt, Giant Addidas, 1:03:47
22. Jeffrey Craddock, CCB Volkswagon, 1:03:55
23. Ryan Fleming, ALAN Factory Team, 1:04:02
24. Jon Bruno, Independent Fabrications, 1:04:10
25. Brad Sheehan, 1K2go Sports, 1:04:27
26. Noah Taylor, Richard Sachs, 1:04:30
27. John Hanson, Team Nerac.com, 1:04:30
28. Matt Demeis, bikeman.com, 1:05:06
29. Aaron Molloy, 1K2go Sports, 1:05:12
30. Morgan Macleod, Mechanical Services/Cycle Mania, 1:05:24
31. Tom Hopper, Bikeman.com, 1:05:46
32. Brian Hayes, Richard Sachs, 1:05:52
33. Tim Haitz, Vicious Cycles, 1:05:52
34. Tom Gosselin, Mechanical Services/Cycle Mania, 1:06:00
35. John Burns, Bikeman.com, 1:07:27
36. Adam Mcgrath, Redline, 1:08:05
37. -1 lap Alan Reain, Cycle Logic
38. -1 lap Colt McElwaine, Independent FabricationsWomen
1. Maureen Bruno Roy, Independent Fabrication, 0:41:37
2. Christine Vardaros, Velobella, 0:41:58
3.Amy Wallace, Verizon Wireless Wheelworks, 0:43:15
4. Mackenzie Dickey, Team Bicycle Alley, 0:43:52
5. Rebecca Wellons, Gearworks/Spin Arts Cycling, 0:43:54
6.Melanie Swartz, Squadra Coppi/Van Dessel, 0:43:58
7.Pauline Frascone, Independent Fabrication/Kempner, 0:44:01
8.Stephanie White, Gearworks/Spin Arts, 0:45:28
9.Sara Cushman, Gear Works/Spin Arts, 0:45:28
10. Marianne Stove,r Independent Fabrication, 0:45:43
11. Perri Mertens, harriscycleryracing.com, 0:45:46
12. Kathy Sarvany, Gear Works, 0:45:49
13. Anna Milkowski, Gearworks/Spin Arts, 0:46:25
14. Cami Tremblay, Gearworks, 0:47:08
15. Marci Titus, Hall Powerbar, 0:47:03
16. Celeste Drumm, HUP United, 0:47:22
17. Megan Bilodeau, NCC/BikeReg.com, 0:47:28
18. Natalie Dumont, Gearworks, 0:5, 0:16
Susan MacLean, Gear Works/Spin Arts Cycling Team
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FILED UNDER: Cyclocross