As the autumn air begins to trickle through the country, the USA Cycling Professional Cyclo-cross Calendar (Pro CX) began on Saturday in Breinigsville, Pa., with Nittany Lion Cross as the country’s premier, professional cyclo-cross racers began their pursuit of USA Cycling’s $40,000 prize purse awarded to the top 20 men and women in the standings at the end of the calendar.
While some familiar faces dot the initial standings, there are plenty of new names starting the calendar strong.
Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) won both of the pro men’s races and has amassed 70 points to top the initial Pro CX men’s standings. Ryan Knapp (Columbus, Ind./Pony Shop Cyclocross) and Stephen Hyde (Edgartown, Mass./JAM Fund-NCC) each finished third in one race and fifth in the other to collect 46 points and tie for second place. Behind them, there is a three-rider tie for fourth place. Adam Myerson (Dorchester, Mass./Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis), Weston Schempf (Rockville, Md./SEAVS-Haymarket pb Van Dessel) and Justin Lindine (New Salem, Mass./Redline-NBX) have 39 points apiece.
Laura van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom), who finished fifth in the standings in 2012, won Saturday’s race before placing second in Sunday’s contest to amass 65 points and lead the calendar’s first Pro CX women’s standings with 65 points. The fourth-place rider in the 2012 standings Arley Kemmerer (Saylorsburg, Pa./C3-Twenty20 Cycling Co.) won Sunday’s women’s race after placing third on Saturday to collect 61 points and assume second place to open the 2013-14 calendar. Gabriella Day (GBR/Team Rapha-FOCUS) was the runner up in Saturday’s race and finished fourth on Sunday to bring her total to 53 points and hold third place. Nicole Thiemann (Philadelphia, Pa./Team CF) holds fourth place with 49 points after finishing third
on Sunday and fourth on Saturday. Two riders – Christina Birch (Somerville, Mass./JAM Fund-NCC) and Cassandra Maximenko (Naugatuck, Conn./Rare Vos Racing) – are tied for fifth place with 28 points apiece.
Check out a photo gallery from the race.
Full results of the Nittany Lion Cross are available online.
USA Cycling Pro CX Standings:
Men
1. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) – 70
2. Stephen Hyde (Edgartown, Mass./JAM Fund-NCC)- 46
2. Ryan Knapp (Columbus, Ind./Pony Shop Cyclocross) – 46
4. Adam Myerson (Dorchester, Mass./Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis) – 39
4. Weston Schempf (Rockville, Md./SEAVS-Haymarket pb Van Dessel) – 39
4. Justin Lindine (New Salem, Mass./Redline-NBX) – 39
Women
1. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom) – 65
2. Arley Kemmerer (Saylorsburg, Pa./C3-Twenty20 Cycling Co.) – 61
3. Gabriella Day (GBR/Team Rapha-FOCUS) – 53
4. Nicole Thiemann (Philadelphia, Pa./Team CF) – 49
5. Christina Birch (Somerville, Mass./JAM Fund-NCC) – 28
5. Cassandra Maximenko (Naugatuck, Conn./Rare Vos Racing) – 28
For complete standings, visit the Pro CX’s official webpage at usacycling.org/cnc.
The Pro CX continues three races next weekend. The Catamount Grand Prix 1 and 2 are slated for Sept. 14 and 15 in Williston, Vt., while the Starcrossed: A Rapha Super Cross Event is scheduled to be on Sept. 14 in Redmond, Wash.