Viva Cross Vegas

It was an easily used (overused) tagline, given the event and the location. Surprisingly, last Wednesday night's Excel Sports Cross Vegas marked something that has been easier to contemplate than to actualize, top level races during Interbike week. In the 26 year history of North America's largest bicycle trade show, there has never been an adjoining top level race on the event schedule. This year there were two.

The long awaited racing debut was greeted with a tremendous amount of fanfare. The budding [at least for Americans] discipline of cyclocross drew thousands of fans out to the Desert Breeze Soccer Complex west of the Las Vegas Strip.

A greater majority of Interbike attendees probably would have taken in the race if shuttle service were made available. Then again, given the length of time it took to get out of Bootleg Canyon for OutDoor Demo Days on Tuesday evening, shuttle service might have actually deterred attendance.

The women were first to take center stage. The field contained many of the top North Americans and a few top European riders, led by:

Katie Compton (3 time US Champion, Silver medalist at Worlds)
Lynne Bessette (multi-time Canadian Champ)
Georgia Gould (winner of 5 straight NORBA races this season)
Katerina Nash (Winner of 2006 final Cyclocross USGP, 3rd overall in series)
Allison Sydor (Canadian mountain bike champion)
Wendy Simms (Canadian mountain bike pro)

The field splintered early with Bessette and Compton leading the way. A chase group with teammates, Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould never made up any ground as the two leaders powered away. In the final 2 laps, Bessette simply took over to win the inaugural event.

Women's Call-Up

Bessette & Compton

L to R: Women's Podium - Compton, Bessette, and Gould
(Images: Leonard Basobas)

The men's field was no less star-studded, and headlined by Jonathan Page (the silver medalist at last year's Worlds; the best US finish ever in Men’s Elite categorey) and the current Stars & Stripes wearer in the discipline, Ryan Trebon.

Others in the field included:
Tim Johnson (1999 US Nat’l Champion and Bronze Medal in 1999 U-23 World Championships)
Barry Wicks (Mountain bike pro, 2006 USGP #2)
Jeremy Powers (US cross standout)
Jesse Anthony (2006 U-23 National Champion, 6-Time U.S. Cyclocross National Champion)
Danny Summerhill (Silver medalist in the Junior category at Worlds)
Tony Cruz (Discovery Channel)
Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto)
Joachim Parbo (Danish National Champion)
Mark McCormack (former US cross champion)
Davide Frattini (Italian road and cross veteran)

The competitive field stayed together for most of the race, until a group of about ten including Trebon, Johnson, Page, Heule, Powers, Frattini, and Wicks ended up taking control of the race. When it was time to turn the screws, only Trebon, Page, Heule, Powers and Wicks stayed away. In the final two laps, the string finally snapped for Page, Wicks and Powers. Trebon beat Heule to the line, with Powers claiming third.

Men's Start

Up & Down the Hill

Trebon es Tres Bien
(Images: Leonard Basobas)