![]() ![]() December 14, 2000 |
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URGENT MESSAGE FROM PETE WEBBER - IMBA Mid Atlantic Cyclo-cross CUP FINALS |
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Fair
Hill Park,
Elkton,
MD
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![]() Greg Ferguson TREK East Coast Factory Team |
![]() Katie Compton Riding for Wooden Wheels |
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1st
Place OVERALL Pro/Expert Men |
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1st
Place |
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INTERVIEWS
Race notes: Tracy Lea (Fuji) - raced the Women's race placing 18th. She verified the rumor that there will be no Wye Mills AMBC in 2001 due to problems with the land owners. However, stay tuned.... the void will be filled by other races. Mark Nickerson (Wooden Wheels) was photographed using
an obscene hand gesture (in defiance of our "no smut" policy
here at mountainbikeracer.com)
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MAC
Cup Finals It was a bit windy and cold for the season finale of the Mid Atlantic Cyclo-cross Championship Series Race brought to us by the always active FIRST STATE VELO SPORT and HENRY'S BIKES, Wilmington, DE. The course was approximately one mile with four sets of well placed barriers. It was a nice mix of gravel road and field winding around the outbuildings and the fairgrounds. One set of barriers were placed at the uphill portion of a mound of dirt. It was a challenging mix of tight, twisty turns and fast open straight-aways. Spectating was perfect as the course wound back into the grandstands about 4 times. The temperature dipped below 40 and with the wind-chill you may have thought John Stamstad would be coming by on his way to another Iditarod win. With excellent real time announcing by Marc Vettori (Wooden Wheels) and Bryant Carter (FSVS) the excitement was intensified almost to the level of a NORBA National. Men's A Race Greg Ferguson (TREK East Coast Factory) dominated the race from the start. Powering away from the field, he ran a perfect race with hardly a flaw. Bill Elliston (Bicycle Therapy) worked with Fergie for a few laps and stayed on his wheel for about the first five laps. They worked together and put a gap on the chase group which included Jeremiah Bishop(K2 / New Sun) Andy Applegate (Ideal Tile) and Rob Hacker (Evolution Racing). Fergie mistimed a set of barriers somewhere around lap 5 but gave up no more than a few seconds and maintained his lead. The stem was slipping on his bike so he swapped it in the pit area and picked up the pace. Bill Elliston dropped off as Fergie powered away and remained unchallenged. The crowd went wild and cheered for Fergie all the way to the end. Greg Ferguson has traveled the world racing bicycles and races mountain, BMX, road and cyclo-cross. Always a gentlemen, a walking bicycle encyclopedia and advocate of our sport it was no wonder that the crowd was very pleased to see him win the MAC Cup Final race. Andy Applegate (Ideal Tile) came on strong at the end and finished up 2nd. Andy placed 3rd Overall in the Final Standings for the PA Cyclo-cross Series in 2000. |
Jeremiah Bishop (K2 / New Sun) started his off-season weight lifting the week before this race and felt the effects of very heavy legs. He still managed to finish 3rd Place after almost breaking his toe and skinning his shins on the barriers due to fatigue. Mike Yozell (TREK East Coast Factory) was having a bad day and dropped out of the race early. Women's Race The Women's race was led by the unstoppable Katie Compton riding for Wooden Wheels. Katie is in a class by herself and could probably win most races on a tricycle. However the Womens race was very close from second place back and only on the last lap was it decided in a flurry of activity towards the finish line. Brettany Bearden (Wooden Wheels) edged out Josie Shew (FSVS) in the last lap. Lauri Webber (Wooden Wheels) lost time on the last set of barriers (trying to lug her mountain bike over them) and finished up 4th place. 5th, 6th and 7th place were taken by Tammy Ebersole, Donna Anderson and Bonnie Stoeckl all of Evolution Racing Team. Men's B Race The Men's B race was also fast and furious. Erick Rodenburgh (First Capital Velo) who is the 2000 Pennsylvania District Cycling Association's Cyclo-cross B Race champion gapped the field by the second set of barriers. Unfortunately he nipped the first barrier and slammed into the second and either broke his collarbone or dislocated his shoulder big time. In spite of that he still won the MAC Cup Series Men's B Race top spot! We wish him a speedy recovery. He is in pictures #9 and 10 of the "Ten Best". Chris Henzel (Time Cycle Couriers) placed 1st, Bobby Lea (Fuji) 2nd and John Lux (Team Harrisburg) took third in this race. Junior Race 1st Place Junior Men Joey Thompson (Wooden Wheels) showed that he is a fast improving racer. Riding a mountain bike he maintained a steady lead pulling away even further when the 2nd place junior flatted. Without the advantage of a cross bike Joey walked away from the other juniors and held his own with the older and more experienced racers. The Masters 35+ Blair Saunders (Team Delaware) placed 1st beating out PA Cyclo-cross 35+ Champion Christopher Long (Independent Fabrications). Rick Mihills (FSVS) riding very strong took the 3rd place spot. There were some valiant efforts put Men's C Race In the Men's C race Chad Smeltzer (First Capital Velo) took 1st Place, Matt Latyszonek (Team Colaveta) 2nd Place and Doug Hover (3D Racing) finished 3rd. |
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