December 9/07 5:33 am - VERGE W.E. Steadman Gran Prix

Posted by Editor on 12/9/07
 

VERGE W.E. Steadman Gran Prix - Warwick, Rhode Island
Report courtesy Steve Frothingham

December 8, 2007

Anna Milkowski (Kona-VeloBella) and Todd Wells (GT) crossed their finish lines first at Saturday's W.E. Steadman Grand Prix, the penultimate event in the 2007 VERGE New England Cyclo-Cross Series.

But second-place finishers in the mens and womens elite races - Jesse Anthony (Jamis) and Rebecca Wellons (Ridley) - each will wear the series leader's jersey at Sunday's series finale, the NBX Grand Prix, held at the same seaside venue but on a different course.

Elite Women

Milkowski grabbed her second consecutive win in the series by powering away from Wellons, Amy Wallace (Richard Sachs-RGM Watches), Natasha Elliot (Stevens Cross) and Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications) in the early laps.

"The course had a lot of sections that were just made for me," Milkowski said after the race. She was referring to the long paved and dirt sections, which, given the sunny and dry conditions, favored power riders over technicians like Bruno-Roy, who came praying for snow (Bruno-Roy was consoled by grabbing the $200 first lap prime).

A few early mistakes kept Wellons from staying with Milkowski - whose own technical skills are not to be underestimated. Wellons was the first and only woman to ride a steep hill that race announcer Richard Fries dubbed "the shrubbery". But she said the effort did not pay off.

"I don't know why I did it, it didn't gain me anything. It was an ego thing I guess," she said.

Wellons nevertheless was thrilled to take the series leaders jersey from Lyne Bessette, who skipped the event. Wellons has finished second five times in the series, but has yet to win.

"My grandfather always said slow and steady wins the race. Consistency wins," she said. "I'll defend it tomorrow with all I've got. And I get to wear it no matter what!"

Elite Men

The elite men's race featured the closest finish in the 2007 series to date, following a long battle between mountain bike legend (and two-time cyclocross national champion) Todd Wells and Jesse Anthony. Anthony, 24, maintains the series lead, showing he can compete with the best elites after a successful education in the junior and U23 ranks.

Wells and his younger brother Troy Wells (Clif Bar) joined Anthony and Chris Jones (NERAC) to form an elite group early in the race. The group dynamics were complicated: the Wells brothers, while not technically teammates, were clearly cooperative. Todd had nothing to lose in the series: this was his first appearance. Jones was in second in the series, after briefly leading it last month. But passing Anthony would require beating him by several places both Saturday and Sunday. All four are tuning up before next week's national championships in Kansas City.

The group couldn't dawdle, as it was trailed by U23 star Jamey Driscoll (FiordiFrutta), Jonathan Baker (Primus Mootry) and Justin Spinelli (Richard Sachs-RGM Watches).

With two laps to go, the elder Wells and Anthony separated themselves. Wells tried to gap Anthony on technical sections, but was frustrated by small mistakes. Wells had been one of the few to consistently ride a sandy beach section, and with a half lap to go, he dove into a sand with a two bike-length gap on Anthony. But a tiring Wells got out of the groove and was forced to dismount. Anthony grabbed the lead and quickly threw down some attacks of his own that Wells easily matched.

"Usually when you attack someone, you can get a gap even if they are riding strong, but I would attack and look back and he'd be right there," Anthony said.

The Jamis rider had little choice but to lead out the paved uphill sprint, and Wells pounced just before the two passed under a pedestrian bridge packed with spectators. When the crowd switched sides, they saw Wells struggling to come around Anthony on the outside of a long sweeping turn. Then, from above and behind by 100 meters, the crowd saw a finish too close to call.

Wells later said he chose the wrong side to pass. "I actually thought it straightened out more. It was a bigger turn than I realized," he said. Despite the mistake, he squeaked out a tire's width win and said he feels he's on track for a third national jersey next week.

Anthony, who won the U23 national championships last year, said he feels prepared for his first elite nationals, too.

The NBX Grand Prix of Cyclocross concludes the series on Sunday.


Elite Men
1. Todd Wells (Team GT)
2. Jesse Anthony (Jamis)
3. Christopher Jones (Nerac Pro Cycling)
4. Troy Wells (Clif Bar)
5. Jonathan Baker (Primus Mootry)
6. Justin Spinelli (KBS/Medifast Pro Cycling Team)
7. Jamey Driscoll (FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team)
8. Mark McCormack (Clif Bar)
9. Adam Myerson (Nerac Pro Cycling)
10. Osmond Bakker (Stevens Cross)
11. Nicholas Keough (Jittery Joe's/Sonic Cyclocross)
12. Derrick St John (The Cyclery)
13. Daniel Neyens (Hagens-Berman Cycling Team)
14. Toby Marzot (Fiordifrutta)
15. Kevin Wolfson (CL Noonan/Coast to Coast/KAM)
16. Jerome Townsend (Ridley Factory Team)
17. Nathaniel Ward (Joe's Garage)
18. Daniel Coady (We Love Bicycles)
18. Amos Brumble (CCB/Volkwagen)
20. Peter Rubijono (Cambridge bike/Igleheart frames)
21. Alex Whitmore (Cambridge Bicycle / Igleheart Frames)
22. Hunter Pronovost (Anthem-CCCC)
22. John Burns (Bikeman.com)
24. Dav Langloss (Circlr A Cycles/The Hub)
25. Dylan O'Sullivan (Housatonic Wheel Club U23)

U23 Men
1. Jamey Driscoll (FiordiFrutta Elite Cycling Team)
2. Nicholas Keough (Jittery Joe's/ Sonic Cyclocross)
3. Toby Marzot (Fiordifrutta)
4. Kevin Wolfson (CL Noonan/Coast to Coast/KAM)
5. Jerome Townsend (Ridley Factory Team)
6. Dylan O'Sullivan (Housatonic Wheel Club)
7. Morgan MacLeod (Mechanical Services/CycleMania)

Elite Women
1. Anna Milkowski (Velo Bella-Kona)
2. Rebecca Wellons (Ridley Factory Team)
3. Amy Wallace (RGM Watches - Richard Sachs)
4. Natasha Elliott (Stevens Cross)
5. Maureen Bruno-Roy (IF/Wheelworks powered by SRAM)
6. Sally Annis (NEBC/CycleLoft/Devonshire Dental)
7. Melanie Swartz (Velo Bella - Kona)
8. Cris Rothfuss (NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental)
9. Pauline Frascone (Independent Fabrication/Kempner)
10. Marci Titus Hall (DeSalvo Custom Cycles)
11. Marianne Stover (Independent Fabrication)
12. Stephanie White (VelaBella-Kona)
13. Kathy Sarvary (Gearworks)
14. Perri Mertens (Cambridge Bicycle/Igleheart Frames)
15. Erin Duggan (Ridley Factory Team)

U19 Juniors
1. Gavin Mannion (Hot Tubes Junior Development Team)
2. Luke Keough (CLNoonan/Coast to Coast/KAM)
3. Karl Hoppner (Ride with Rendall)
4. Jesse Keough (CLNoonan Coast to Coast KAM)
5. Gabe Anthony (Essex Cty Velo)
6. Manny Goguen (Minuteman Road Club)
7. Ryan Packard (QuadCycles)
8. Peter Goguen (Minuteman Road Club)

Masters 35+
1. Jonny Bold (Corner Cycle)
2. Mark Mccormack (Team Clif Bar)
3. Troy Kimball (Westwood Velo)
4. Curtis Boivin (Providence Velo)
5. Kevin Hines (Bike Link MBRC)
6. Sam Morse (Bicycle Link/MBRC)
7. Todd Cassan (Westwood Velo)
8. Mark Gunsalus (bikebarnracing.com)
9. Pascal Bussieres (Louis Garneau Custom Team)
10. Brant Hornberger (BikeReg.com)
11. Colman O'Connor (Bicycle Link/MBRC)
12. Alan Starrett (Bikeman.com)
13. Michael Yozell (Fort factory team)
14. Mark Stotz (Corner Cycle)
15. Greg Ferguson (Fort Factory Team)

Standings