Clauzel and Strohmeyer Notch Wins At GO Cross
Trek USCX Series Kicks Off With Big Statements
The afternoon heat in the Roanoke Valley made a difficult Virginia’s Blue Ridge GO Cross track even harder. Throw in a headwind on the biggest climb on Meg’s Mountain, and the toll on most riders was visible as the races wore on.
Most riders, however, did not include Helene Clauzel (Van Rysel Racing Team) or Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes), who did not seem to care how hard the racing or how hot the temperature was as they rode away from their respective fields to take the first wins in the Trek USCX series.
Elite Women
Coming off a dominant weekend at the Englewood Open CX in Wisconsin, Sidney McGill (Cervélo Orange Living) wasted no time going to the front to set the early pace in the elite women’s race.
“I wanted to try and hold around second wheel-ish,” McGill said after the race. “And then there was a lot of jostling at the front for that position, so I was like, well, I guess I'll just go to the front. And I didn't wanna go out too, too crazy because of the heat.”
McGill’s early foray to the front successfully whittled down the contenders to four, including Caroline Mani (Groove Off Road), Clauzel, McGill and Manon Bakker (Crelan Corendon).
Mani, who has more UCI wins at this venue than anyone, took to the front to control the group in the early laps. But every time the track went up, Clauzel would move to the front and lift the pace a little bit more. Eventually, this decoupled Bakker and then Mani from the front.
A combination of long travel days and the heat had Bakker, our pre-race favorite, on her heels from the start. She did all she could to stay in contention but dropped to fourth after losing the leaders and a battle with Mani for the remaining podium spot.
The GO Cross track is a tale of two halves. The hilly half and the technical half. For the two leaders in the women’s race, each claimed one side of Fallon Park, where the race is held, as there own. For Clauzel, she knew she wasn’t going to beat McGill on the tech sections and instead relied on the climbs.
It was my best part, because I have more power on the climbs. So, I think it was a good strategy for me to attack this. And Sidney is really, really good when there are a lot of corners.
McGill also knew where her strengths lay on the course.
I did notice that in a couple of the corners, I could get a bit of a gap, so when I was following her wheel, I started to give her a little gap coming into it because I could just close it to a bike length by the exit. That gave me a little bit of extra recovery if anything. And I guess that's good to know for tomorrow.
In the end, it was the climbing that ultimately won it for Clauzel. With two laps to go, she attacked the first climb on Meg’s Mountain and pulled away from McGill. By the time the duo hit the second climb, the gap was eight seconds. That was all Clauzel needed. Clauzel won, and McGill finished second.
Behind the front two, Mani rolled in for third, keeping her GO Cross podium streak alive at 11 in a row.
I'm almost 38. So the reality is, back in the day, I would have just tried as hard as I could in the last two laps to just go for Sidney. And I was like, "I may not get hurt, but I could. Is it worth it?" It's also super hot. You feel those little chills, and you're like, "Oh gosh, I'm at the limit of overheating."
I was like, "Are we going to chill and just be consistent to finish third? It's fine. It's good." I've learned that I can't go as hard as I used to because I don't recover as well. And it's just... It is what it is. You just have to adapt with that and go for it. I thought it was an amazing race.
Elite Men
Before the whistle blew starting today’s race, Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes) had a plan. That plan was to sit in the group and see how the race played out. That plan did not last long.
Yeah, that was the plan. And then, riding the course [yesterday], and afterward in the shower I was like, wait, there's a lot of weird corners here, a lot of slippery stuff where people can mess up and a lot of people who are just going to be gunning to be in the front.
So I was like, you know what, let's just come out here and just go for it. I’ll just try to get out front alone and be able to pick my own lines and make my own race and not have to worry about what other people are doing.
If the old plan had been implemented, it would have lasted roughly two minutes into the race. As soon as the group hit the sand, Strohmeyer made his move.
They tilled up the sand [before the race], so on the first lap, it was hard. So a bunch of us kind of came together trying to find the line. I was towards the front, and I knew some of the bigger names were a little further back in the group, so when we came out of the sand pit, I just stood up and attacked and then just kept the pace really high through the corners on the top section.
Knowing his biggest threats, like Kerry Werner (Groove Off Road) and Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation) were farther back in the group gave Strohmeyer the upper hand when he launched his attack. Werner was one of the riders who knew he was out of position as soon as he saw the attack.
I think [Strohmeyer] definitely caught me sleeping today. I was sitting maybe five wheels back and by the time I got to Funston, maybe halfway through that first lap, I think Andrew already had ten seconds. It was impressive.
Funston also conceded Strohmeyer’s attack was well played.
I had a decision to make when we came over the barriers, and he had two or three bike lengths on the first lap. And I don't know, it's hot, it’s the first C1 of the year, I don't need to blow up and just have a catastrophic day, so I just let him go up the hill.
I was like, yeah, I think I have a lap. For sure, I could have come through the first lap with him. But then what do I do from there when I'm smoked?
Strohmeyer gapped the field with a vicious acceleration following the stairs, which gave him enough speed to launch the flyover and ride the uphill planks, accelerating the entire way. By the time the attack ended, he had an eleven-second gap and only extended it from there.
With the race winner decided early, all eyes turned to the battle for second. Funston was the only rider to initially respond to Strohmeyer’s attack. When he knew he wasn’t catching the leader, Funston eased off, hoping a group would come together to help chase down Strohmeyer. Werner was the only rider who bridged to Funston.
I kind of thought it was going to be a bit of a group, but I kind of wanted to drift back as soon as I was caught and punch it to try and drop some people. But then just Kerry came, and I was like, perfect. Let's just hang out with Kerry.
After a lap, I was like, “I have to ride around and hear ‘Go Kerry!’ for an hour,” but it was a small price to pay.
Once Werner bridged up to Funston, the two traded pulls and eyed each other, setting up a showdown in the final laps. After a few seasons away from cyclocross, this is what Werner missed.
I was sitting there on the last lap with Scott, and I was just like, "Fuck yeah." I was like, "Man, this is what it's all about." I had been dreaming about that moment for a long time.
I'm sitting there with two to go, and I'm just like, "Alright, dude, just chill. Let's make this happen on the last lap." That's where the fun is. And so, yeah, it was cool. Me and Scott just duking it out, doing a couple of last-lap changes in the last five corners. It was good.
In the end, the veteran craftiness of Werner, who has been a part of countless final lap battles at GO Cross, won out. Funston gave it his best shot, but Werner countered and had the advantage coming off the final hill and heading into the sprint.
The hill had such a headwind that even if you had two or three bike lengths, you were still getting a draft. And so my plan was just to wait and then counter Kerry because it's big hill, small dip, and then second punch. And I wanted to just counter there and try and hold it to the end. And it almost worked. Kerry snuck inside me there and got back around. And then he was smart enough not to leave the door open on those last couple of turns. I was searching for it, but. Yeah …
Funston and Werner will have one more shot tomorrow to figure out how to beat Strohmeyer. Werner already has a plan.
He's got a target on his back now. So, I don't know if his plan is to come out swinging, but he's definitely going to be marked. I'm not going to be sitting back there like waiting for the engine to warm up. I'm going to be on his wheel in the first couple corners. A second-row start means I'll be lining up right behind him, so you can tell him that.
“I have to ride around and hear ‘Go Kerry!’ for an hour,” Love that comment.