SUFFERN, N.Y. (Nov. 17, 2019) - The 2019 Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series continued with race number four on Sunday with day two of the Rockland County Supercross Cup. Elite racers competed for UCI Category 2 points in USA Cycling’s Pro Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX) and for the coveted Verge leader’s jersey in the Vittoria Series. A second day of windy and cold conditions made for tactical races on the fast and flowing, world-cup style course at Rockland Community College.
Rebecca Fahringer (Kona Maxxis Shimano) claimed a second win on the Supercross weekend, as did Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) who scored his sixth Supercross Cup victory. Both riders’ back-to-back wins Saturday and Sunday would send them home with Vittoria Series leader jerseys, each having earned 100 points.
In the elite women’s race, Courtney McFadden (Pivot-Maxxis pb Stans NoTubes) and teammate Ruby West found the front on lap one with a strong, early push. With the course in the opposite direction from Saturday’s competition, there were some major differences in elevation and the way the course rode. “Today was a bit physically harder of a race,” noted Fahringer. “Instead of the climbs being more punchy they were really drawn out.”
Countering the first lap surge from the Pivot-Maxxis duo of McFadden and West, Fahringer took over and maintained the lead for most of the race, with McFadden aiming to keep her in check. “The two teammates of Courtney and Ruby were immediately on the front and I was a little bit afraid of that,” explained Fahringer. “I knew that they were going to kind of play games to keep each other together and maybe yo-yo me off and they really knew that they were stronger going through the rooty rock section.”
In the end Fahringer finished 12 seconds ahead of McFadden, who came in for second place. “I was definitely feeling yesterday’s efforts in the legs today,” said McFadden. “It was really awesome to have Ruby and I up there leading the pace.”
“Today was a lot better,” said West, who finished third, after a tough day one where she finished thirteenth. “I think mentally and physically I was just in it way more today and I was kind of motivated after a pretty awful day yesterday so I wanted to come back and prove to myself more than anything that I could have a good day.” West would finish on the podium 44 seconds behind Fahringer.
In the elite men’s race, once again the Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com team would be dominant throughout the race. “It was a fast start; it’s a hard course here in Suffern,” said White. “Myles did a great job designing the course and the weather cooperated a bit this year so it was a lot more pedaling and a bit less running.”
White attacked after a series of attempts by his Cannondale teammates to get away from the group, and his would be the one that would stick. “We like to race as a team,” said White, “and we used the numbers to our advantage. I think I went off the front maybe four or five to go and then Lane [Maher] followed suit with a couple laps to go.” White would hold his solo gap until the end, finishing in one hour and eleven seconds.
Teammate Lane Maher would attempt to shake up the chase group behind White that contained Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) and Kerry Werner (Kona Maxxis Shimano). “I punched it a few times towards the end of the race to try to see if it would help Stephen get away later on,” said Maher, “but I ended up getting a gap by doing that so I just kind of took it and went with it.” Maher fended off the chasers and secured second, 17 seconds behind White.
To complete the podium sweep for the second consecutive day, Hyde would break free of Werner by the end as well, finishing 34 seconds behind White. “Kerry is just such a good competitor,” exclaimed Hyde. “I mean, come on, it takes three of us to beat the guy. However, I am really proud of how our team is riding. In the past we’ve all been on different levels and it's really nice to have two riders that I can count on as teammates and we can switch it up.”
The Vittoria Series will conclude in Warick, R.I. at the NBX Gran Prix of ‘Cross December 7 and 8. Watch the races unfold in person or by following tweets at @VittoriaSeries. Follow on Facebook and YouTube for race weekend highlights video highlights provided by DirtWire.TV.
For a full photo album click here (photos: Angelica Dixon)
For day 2 results, click here.
For Series standings, click here.
Rebecca Fahringer Claims Day 1 Supercross Cup Victory, Cannondale Men Score Clean Sweep
SUFFERN, N.Y. (Nov. 16, 2019) - The 2019 Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series continued with race number three on Saturday with the Rockland County Supercross Cup in Suffern, N.Y. Elite racers competed for UCI Category 2 points in USA Cycling’s Pro Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX) and for the coveted Verge leader jersey in the Vittoria Series. Windy conditions prevailed throughout the day with riders facing bitter cold temperatures as they traversed the flowing, world-cup style venue at Rockland Community College.
Rebecca Fahringer (Kona Maxxis Shimano) powered away from the competition in the elite women’s race to take the day one victory. In the men's event, Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) would work with his teammates to secure the top step of the podium.
For the Vittoria Series, after scoring double victories at last weekend’s Verge Northampton International, Caroline Nolan (Voler / Easton / HRS / Rock Lobster) leads the elite women’s competition and Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz/Donkey Label Racing) leads the elite men’s, both with 100 points. Neither rider is in attendance in Suffern this weekend.
The first of three race weekends, the Vittoria Series follows competition on classic cyclocross courses in the Northeast, which include Northampton, M.A., Suffern, N.Y., and Warwick, R.I. It is the longest standing UCI cyclocross series in the United States. Athletes compete for points on the USA Cycling Pro Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX), as well as the Vittoria Series overall competition.
In the elite women’s race, Fahringer and Courtney McFadden (Pivot-Maxxis pb Stans NoTubes) would get to the front early and assert control.
“I was anxious to see how it was going to play out,” said Fahringer, “because it was a windy day but it’s also a climby course so the question is are the climbs going to separate or will people want to stay together to stay out of the wind and let other people pull.”
But Fahringer, despite a determined McFadden, would come into the finish stretch with a slight edge over her competitor, with Fahringer finishing with just a five second gap. “She was much faster than me in the woods which is the last section before the line and I did not want her on my tail or gapping me going into that.”
Just behind the duo, Carla Williams (Deschutes Brewery Cyclocross Team) would finish third, two minutes and eleven seconds behind Fahringer. “I was just trying to set my own tempo and keep it peppy enough for third place,” said Williams.
In the elite men’s race, the Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com team was dominant throughout the day. “There was a big group early on and I think with five laps to go I launched an attack,” said Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com). Hyde would solo until teammate White would make contact.
“I’m really happy with the race,” said White. “Hyde got an early lead. I was feeling good and I bridged up to Hyde, I was able to gap the group behind. Hyde and I were riding together for a while and it all shook out in the last lap and a half.”
White would solo into the finish line just ahead of his teammate, nine seconds ahead of Hyde. To complete the podium sweep, Lane Maher (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) would out-sprint Kerry Werner (Kona Maxxis Shimano) for third. “The last two laps is where I started to think about maybe doing some attacks and some efforts, not so much to get away from him, just to make sure no one else caught us.” Maher would drive the pace in the final lap and finish just ahead of Werner, who would take fourth.
Racing will continue Sunday in Suffern. Watch the races unfold in person or by following tweets at @VittoriaSeries. Follow on Facebook and YouTube for race weekend highlights video highlights provided by DirtWire.TV.
For a full photo album click here (photos: Angelica Dixon)
Full results and Series standings will be available on crossresults.