December 8/08 8:55 am - USGP of Cyclocross #6

Posted by Editoress on 12/8/08
 

USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Portland Cup December 7th, Portland, Oregon
USGP press release

Johnson and Nash Claim 2008 USGP Series Titles - Nash and Trebon Win Day Six

Tim Johnson (CyclocrossWorld.com/Cannondale) claimed his first USGP Series Title by by a decisive margin Sunday under wet and muddy conditions at the final race of the 2008 USGP season. Katerina Nash (Luna) held off her hard-charging teammate Georgia Gould to lay final claim on the Jersey she and Gould had been swapping all season long.

Elite Men
Ryan Trebon won Day 6 of the 2008 USGP of Cyclocross in a display of powerfull riding that saw him storm away from rivals Todd Wells and Tim Johnson to claim the day. It was Johnson, however, who won the overall Series Title in dominant fashion. Trebon attacked repeatedly with Johnson and Wells covering. Riding like a racer with a point to prove, Trebon animated the race from the front - winning him the SRAM Most Aggressive Rider award - until one attack finally held and Trebon powered away from his pursuers opening a large enough gap to enable him to high-five the length of the finishing straight on his way to claiming victory.

In the USGP / CyclocrossWorld U-23 Series Nicholas Weighall held on to claim the Jersey by defeating former World's Silver Medalist Danny Summerhill and Alex McGrath while in the CyclocrossWorld.com Junior 17/18 title hunt Zachary McDonald won his fourth straight USGP race and hold off Chris Wallace and Gavin Manion to claim the overall series.

Elite Women
Nash, who was the strongest woman of the weekend, dominated the women's US Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross finale in Portland to claim the overall Series Title. Riding in sometimes torrential rain, a mud-covered Nash attacked on the first lap and never looked back. Teammate Georgia Gould rode a strong race - fighting back from a poor start- but was never able to close down the gap. The race for the overall series title was a close one with Nash winning it on the final day by tie-break decision. Local rider and fan favorite, Sue Butler, rode the race of her season to finish a strong third place. Butler's efforts earned her the SRAM Most Aggressive Rider award. Gould held on for second in the race and the overall with Rachel Lloyd rounding out the final Podium.