Boulder Racing CX1

Race report and photos by Shawn Lortie

Video by Eddie Clark Media

(Sept.17, 2011)Boulder, Colo.-The first of five Boulder Racing Cyclocross Series races went down at the new Valmont Bike Park on Saturday. The new venue is nothing but spectacular, with tons of terrain offering multiple possibilities for different CX course layouts. For those who haven’t been to the park yet, go check it out, as it is full of all kinds of biking features for the whole family.

Saturdays course began with a long straight into a right hand sweeper that led into a climb up the backside of the park to the highpoint. From there a series of banked switchback turns, a sand pit, and the double set of stairs eventually brought racers back down to finish the first half of the course. The second half of the lengthy lap included some tough sections of grass, a long sand pit that was more of a gravel pit, a second set of stairs, and some excellent banked turns that led into a long straight section of damp, energy sucking grass before the finish.

In the Women’s Open race, Nicole Duke wasted no time in getting off the front in her new black and green Cannondale kit. Fresh from a good showing at CrossVegas, Duke took the lead and never looked back as she worked her way around the course.  “I would say that the Valmont venue is now my new favorite. It's very spectator friendly, dynamic and certainly suites my riding style.”

Behind Duke, big time roadie and National Time Trial Champion Allison Powers (Cross Propz) led the chase, with Flora Duffy (unattached), Sara Tarkington (unattached), Rebecca Blat (BRC Real Estate), and Margell Abel (Tough Girls) all close behind.  In the end, Duke took the win with over a minute lead, with Powers in second, and Duffy in third.  As for her new sponsor this year, Duke had this to say, “As far as my team, Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com., I couldn't be happier. It's my dream team and I look forward to hopefully spending the rest of my career with them. We have the best of the best, which just leaves the racing up to me!"

In the Men’s Open class, Yannick Eckmann (Hot Tubes) and Allen Krughoff (Boulder cycle Sport) took control of the pace and broke the field to bits within a lap.  Brandon Dwight (Boulder Cycle Sport), Matt Pacocha (BikeRadar.com), Russell Harding and Jon Tarkington (Natural Grocers), and Bryan Alders (unattached), all gave chase.  Eckmann and Krughoff continued to set a blistering pace and their gap continued to grow. 

With about 4 laps to go, Krughoff’s rear tire began to come unglued from his rim. “I pulled off in the pits and grabbed the rear wheel from my pit bike and jumped back in around 10th or so.  I spent the remaining 4 laps of the race chasing back up to Yannick and closed the gap to about 5 seconds but it wasn't enough.”  Krughoffs effort was impressive, and for a few minutes it looked like he would catch Eckmann for a sprint finish.  In the end it was Eckmann, Krughoff, and Russell Harding on the podium in that order.

For full results see: American Cycling Association