Race Report: 2023 Verge Northampton Cyclocross p/b Cycle-Smart Day 2
Reports and recap videos from Sunday's race in Western Mass.
By: Tanya Boulanova
Northampton, Mass. - The 32nd edition of the Verge Northampton Cyclocross presented by Cycle-Smart continued for day 2 at Look Memorial Park. Today’s races utilized the course in reverse, creating a completely new set of opportunities and race tactics from Day 1.
And Then There Was One
The Elite and U23 Men’s race showcased the same young talent we saw on Saturday at the start. The field of 31 entered the woods together on lap 1 and came out broken into groups with four up front: Nathan Cusack (UVM/CXD Trek Bikes), Xander Scopinich-Burgel (New England Devo), and day 1 winner Lane Maher (JAM Fund/NCC). Robin Carpenter (L39gion of Los Angeles) would make an early effort and successfully join the group in lap two.
Chasing groups consisted of Ethan Delgrasso (Competitive Edge Racing), Max Judelson (Rock Lobster International), and Nick Lando (Competitive Edge Racing) all within 5 seconds of the lead.
“It was really fun to hop the barriers and work with a group” described Cusack, coming back from the previous race day where a flat tire led him to finish 7th, after spending the day with the leaders.
The lead group of four held their gap at 15 seconds over the chasers with strong group tactics and shuffling throughout the race, until roughly two laps to go when a crash at the barriers allowed Maher to incidentally break away and put the other three on the ground.
At this point, the Men’s race went from a potential sprint finish to groups of solo racers.
“We were coming into the barriers so fast every lap” described Carpenter, who was able to recover from the incident and finish third.
As the only rider dismounting for the barriers, Carpenter had to be strategic. “I was taking the lead into the barriers every lap in that group to try and save some time on the remount and not get gapped as much. Coming towards the end I just carried too much speed and didn’t get the bike high enough up in time and clipped the barrier with the bike.”
Maher took his second win of the Northampton weekend, followed by Cusack 23 seconds behind, and Carpenter completing the podium.
The crash left Scopinich-Burgel with a mechanical, but he still finished 6th overall, earning a place on the U23 podium.
Good Friends Sprint for Third
Day two of the Elite and U23 Women’s race began with a similar roster of riders, minus yesterday’s winner and young talent Greta Kilburn (Green Mountain CX), who did not start today’s race.
After another fast start, the field was strung out single-file for the majority of the first lap, until an attack by Lilliana O’Donnell (Finkraft Junior Cycling Team) in the sand pit, where she overtook leader Jenna Lingwood (Team S&M CX) and caused the first split of the day.
The steep and technically challenging ride-up not far from the sandpit created a slowdown in the string of riders and Lingwood and O’Donnell went clear.
Chase groups formed consisting of Clementine Nixon (Team Rock Lobster) and Finley Aspholm (Finkraft Junior Cycling Team) only five seconds behind, followed by Rachel Rubino (Good Friends) another five seconds behind them.
Lingwood made steady strong efforts in lap two to take a solo lead with O’Donnell only seconds behind. The two would fend off a chase group of four formed when Nixon and Aspholm were caught by Rubino and New England local Emily Curley (Fast Splits) with only two laps to go.
Lingwood eventually got a healthy gap to take the win.
“It’s a really fun, fast course. Sprinting out of the corners is super important, recovering when you can so you can keep doing that for the sprints,” said Lingwood, who took the win for the Elite women.
O’Donnell went on to finish second to grab her second podium finish of the Noho weekend.
This group would fight for the third and final spot on the Elite podium for day two of Northampton. “I could see the group ahead of me looking at each other a bit, and I could tell there was some hesitation. I finally caught them near the woods” said Rubino.
In the final lap, Philadelphia natives Nixon and Rubino ended up breaking away from their chase group and battling each other for third. Nixon took the win in the sprint to grab the third podium spot.
Special Notes
The Northampton weekend boasts many current and former racers as part of its organizing committee, including Ellen Noble as the Sponsorship and Expo Director, and Stephen Hyde who led the Friday course inspection clinic. Both riders came “out of retirement” to ride in their home race, with Noble finishing 12th both days and Hyde 29th on Sunday.
Race recap videos from Dirtwire.tv and results are below.
Elite Women’s Recap Video
Elite Men’s Recap Video
Elite Women Results
Elite Men Results
