December 4/17 18:10 pm - NBX Gran Prix of Cross; West wins Day 2 and overall series

Posted by Editoress on 12/4/17
 

Canadian U23 Champ West Doubles Down at NBX Gran Prix of Cross for Women; Lindine Scores Unexpected Victory for Men

The final race of the Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series presented by Clif Bar and Cycle-Smart concluded Sunday at NBX Gran Prix of Cross at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, R.I. Canadian U23 National Champion Ruby West (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) took her second win of the weekend in the Elite Women’s race. She also grabbed both overall Vittoria Series jerseys for Elite Women and U23 Women. Justin Lindine (Apex/NBX/Hyperthreads) would take the victory, to upend Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), who was the race favorite. White finished on the podium in third to secure the overall Elite Men’s title of the Vittoria Series. Both races also provided points on the penultimate weekend of racing for the USA Cycling Professional Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX).

Women
West started the day on the classic New England course on Greenwich Bay on the front with Rebecca Fahringer (Stan's NoTubes p/b Maxxis /gofahr) who would secure second place, eight seconds back.

"It was a fast pace from the start, "noted 18-year-old West. "Becca and I got a gap on the rest of the field. I kind of tried to lead for a lot and then Becca jumped me. She was riding really, really strong, so in the power sections I’d lose her wheel a bit. She gapped me a bit coming into the bell lap. And then she had a bit of (trouble) going through the pits, so I capitalized on that, hit it pretty hard. I just tried to maintain a bit of a gap to the finish."

Fahringer raced to improve on her fourth-place finish on Saturday and focused on the technical aspects of the course. "Yesterday (I) felt flat. Today I was out for redemption and riding smooth,"said Fahringer. "I was taking the turns a bit too quick yesterday, tripped on the barriers and lost my front wheel a couple of times. (Today) I started out with a decent position and was following Ruby around for a while. Eventually we distanced ourselves and I said ‘now’s the moment!’ So I attacked and got a little gap on her. And then it was her putting down wonderful paces and lines through the turns, I decided it was time to blow it again. I fell down, but luckily it was right in front of the pit. So I pitted and Ruby passed."

"But I am pretty happy with my ride, being able to follow her around and make me feel comfortable on this course, which is always tricky. I always learn something racing here at NBX.”

The competition for the final podium step would come down to the final turns of the course where Cassie Maximenko (Van Dessel/Atom Composite Wheels) would outmaneuver Arley Kemmerer (Fearless Femme Racing). Not wanting to face Kemmerer in a sprint to the line, Maximenko would attack the final stretch prior to the pavement, similar to her late-race move on Saturday when she finished two seconds ahead of Fahringer for third. Maximenko would finish third for a second day, this time three seconds behind Fahringer. Kemmerer would finish fourth on Sunday.

"I didn’t get as good of a start today,"said Maximenko. "I just felt a little off. I think my cold ramped up a little bit after yesterday’s effort. So today, my lungs weren’t as clear. I had to work a little bit harder to get back up to the lead group today. Then I was just in chase mode. I was yo-yoing off that lead group, and then I had to make a couple of passes. Then I got ahead of Arley and then we were battling on that last lap. I just had to go out and defend third as best I could through those last couple of turns. Arley’s a great sprinter, so I knew that it was going to take my best sprint effort to stick it. I was really happy to come away with third again today.”

The Elite Women’s podium for the Vittoria Series would feature West on top with 215 points. Her teammate Emma White would finish in second with 190 points, and Maximenko followed in third with 185 points. In the final U23 overall Vittoria Series podium, West would be followed by Sophie Russenberger (DaHÄNGER) and White.

Men
For the Elite Men, Curtis White would waste no time in taking control, and put 15 seconds on the field in the first half lap of racing. But it was Lindine, who with an enormous effort, pulled White back and would surpass the 23-year-old Cannondale rider with a late-race attack.

"In typical Curtis fashion, he smashed it really early and got a big gap on everybody,"said Lindine, who won his first ProCX race of the year. "I have learned enough about myself and his fitness that I can’t match that kind of acceleration. So I played a bit of the waiting game, and then Eric Thompson and I were able to reel him back in. I managed to eek out a gap with two laps to go, and kind of put all my cards on the table and went for it. I was a little surprised that it worked out, actually. It was win or lose.”

A local favorite who is supported by race sponsors NBX Bikes and Apex Technology Group, Lindine was thrilled to win for a "hometown"crowd. Lindine is from upstate New York and now resides in Utah. "It’s awesome to be able to do it (win) in front of all the sponsors, and friends. The last couple of laps it was like non-stop cheering around the course. So it was pretty awesome. The NBX guys put together a good course both days. I liked today a little bit better. It was a little bit more technical, kind of (more) twisty and not as many long power sections in that long beach run. So for me, I was enjoying the course.”

Despite a weekend of mechanicals with a slipping seat post on Saturday and a flat on Sunday, Eric Thompson (M Speed Wax) overcame the circumstances to finish second, 41 seconds behind Lindine.

"Today was a non-stop fight, really,"said Thompson. "It didn’t go as smooth as yesterday, but I had the pit support there to help me so that was good. I flatted on my front tire about halfway through the race. It was a hot pace. The first couple of guys were really setting the pace. Curtis (White) and (Justine) Lindine were strong today. So I just did my best to hang with them. They were smart. When I pitted they punched it, and they had me just off the back for most of the race. So I finally caught them in the last bit. It seemed like Curtis was fading a little bit, so I considered myself lucky to close the gap on them. I was happy to have second.”

White would start strong, but struggled later in the race. He would finish 35 seconds behind Thompson in third on Sunday. Thanks to his consistently strong season, would come away with 315 total points and the Elite Men’s Vittoria Series jersey.

"I knew I wanted to take the lead early,"said White. "The section in the sand was pretty technical, it seemed like anyone in second place had to run that section and it was a little bit slower. I wanted the lead through there, I got a bit of a gap, held it for a few laps. Lindine was riding really strong today. So was Eric Thompson. They came back to me and there was group racing for a bit. The last three laps I really came undone, to be honest. I am not sure what happened. There wasn’t anything wrong with the training, today was just something I have to analyze still."

White would share the Vittoria Series podium with Sunday’s winner Lindine, who finished second overall with 219 points, and  Aspire Racing’s Jeremy Powers in third with 158 points.. New Jersey’s Nick Lando (Hands-On Cycling) claimed the U23 Men’s jersey ahead of Michael Owens (Hands-On Cycling) and Cooper Willsey (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), who were second and third, respectively.