White doubles up on Men’s UCI wins
Curtis White (Cannondale p/b cyclocrossworld.com) exploded to an insurmountable lead early on Sunday at the Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross UCI pro men’s race in Falmouth, MA, leaving a shattered chase group in visible disarray.
A day earlier the 25-year-old collected his first win of the double, taking 31 seconds out of Tobin Ortenbland (Santa Cruz/Donkey Label Racing) and Sam Noel (UVM Cycling/Cannondale Cyclocross), who closed to the line in unison.
“It’s a very high-speed course; it flows well,” White said about the Cape Cod Fairgrounds venue following his performance on Saturday. “You’re able to carry your momentum here, so it paid off for me to keep the pace high over the entire race. Guys were coming off the back one by one; they couldn’t hold the pace and that’s how the separation happened. It wasn’t one decisive move, rather a culmination of many small moves. I had a lot of confidence coming into this race, I’m in good form now, and I’m hoping to carry this into the Nationals and later defend my Pan Am title.”
On Sunday, White, animated from the outset, let little doubt as to the eventual outcome. Lane Maher (Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld) got up for second, 1:16 in arrears.
Clouse, Fahringer battle it out
Katie Clouse (Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld) and Kona Maxxis-Shimano’s Rebecca Fahringer split wins over the two days.
Clouse who began her 2019 campaign at the Telenet World Cup (#8) in Pont-Chateau, France last January and Fahringer paced the field through the majority of the six-lap test in the first day of competition.
Clouse arrived at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds with a pair of crisp results (5th/2nd) from the Cincinnati UCI Cyclocross Kings CX a week earlier. Fahringer, 16th at the Worlds last February took second in a two-up sprint with Clouse in their matchup, but Sunday, the Concord, NH rider was intent on reversing the aforementioned outcome.
“I wasn’t certain if she (Clouse) was playing games, so I just did attack after attack and eventually I got a few seconds here and there,” she said. “I’m happy with the way it worked out, and now I have a little in my back pocket for the next time we face off. I’m not good in the sand and I realized I had to make my attack then so I wouldn’t have to chase after her. I know how difficult it is to chase after the sand, so I figured now was the time, with about two to go.”
Junior Sheffield blazes through weekend of racing
Junior Magnus Sheffield (Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld) crafted a near minute gap on the field at the halfway point of the circuit, ultimately taking his second consecutive win by a 1:50 margin over hard-chasing Tommy Servetus (Competitive Edge Racing) who mirrored his podium spot from Saturday.
George Piepgras (New England Development P/B Cadence Wealth) nudged Trevor August (Park Ave Bike P/B Borah Teamwear) at the line for third.