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Shanghai, Saturday marked the second Cyclocross race of the season in the Specialized Cyclingnewsasia Cross series and racers arrived to mud, rain and fog - not to mention an epic race! With the Castellari espresso flowing, riders started warming up on the muddy course and on their turbo trainers.
Scroll ALL THE WAY to the bottom to see our first release of race photos and race results!
Todd McKean - world domination
A very successful first race had riders coming in from all over China including Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Suzhou. Northern China was also represented.
In the mens race, Feng Kuan Jie (Holy Brother) who had taken the top step on the podium in race one, returned to defend his winning streak. In the mens B Grade Lu Jia Min was also back to protect his previous win, and Tori Widdowson wanted a piece of the podium after her drive for a placing in the first race.
By the time A Grade started the previous races had turned the course into a churned chocolaty mess - a slippery clay track waited ahead for A Grade rubber. It didn't take long before chains, derailleurs, brakes and pedals were caked with thick mud.
Eric Koh from Specialized sent the riders off for a fast road start with Todd McKean leading into the first corner... a lead we all soon found out that he intended to hold with fierce intensity until the finish.
Podium places being determined out on the course
Behind McKean the top 10 places were extremely competitive with positions changing every lap. After the first lap McKean held the lead, while Beijing rider Feng Kuan Jie (Holy Brother) fought hard to hold the experienced crossers wheel. Right behind the leading two, Brendan Banovic (Trek China), Simon Grimmer (Specialized Riders club), Ed Cork (Specialized Riders Club), Robert Lamb (Cyclingnewsasia), Thomas LeCoq (Specialized Riders Club), Cui Yinhao (Trek China Racing) and Kaiyuan Wang (Trek China Racing) were all jostling for position.
By the fourth lap McKean had built a 45 second lead and the chasers (including Kuan Jie) were starting to tire from the mud and extra effort it was taking to push, pull and lift their now 20kg rigs through the slippery mud. After solid starts, Simon Grimmer and Brendan Banovic had fallen off the pace due to mechanical issues, but Ed Cork and Robert Lamb were riding as consistently as they could, battling with the elements and making their way towards the front.
Amazingly Todd McKean was turning close to 5 minute laps on the challenging 1.4km course under 'mud bog' conditions - continuing to build his lead. One spectator gave McKean gave the nick name Spiderman based on the power and poise he showed on the course - also the fact that his Team USA skinsuit was a striking combination of Marvel comics meets cyclocross...
By this stage it's clear that McKean will take the win, barring mechanical or crash... so spectator attention turned to the battle for 2nd and 3rd. Amazingly, only McKean, Lamb, and Feng Kuan Jie made it past the starting line again for a 12th lap before the clock reached 1hour. Our three top contendors were the only riders on the course to thrash it out.
Feng Kuan Jie navigating the twists and turns of the course
Kuan Jie was still the odds on favourite for second place, however as the laps ticked by his bike became so clogged with mud that he was clearly struggling and tiring. Kuan Jie was riding consistently, but behind him Robert Lamb was making up time quickly. Lamb caught the Holy Brother rider on the 10th lap and the two rode together into the double track - Lamb on his wheel. Kuan Jies' form on the first run up was strong, gapping Lamb who then ran into lapped riders allowing Kuan Jie a gap of more than 20 meters. Lamb rode patiently regaining Kuan Jies' wheel leading into the final lap. Spectators along the course bit their nails (stop that - it's a terrible habit).
Coming into the final section McKean was one minute ahead and the last 700 meters of course would decide the podium spots. Again, the two followers caught lapped riders with Lamb gaining a small margin and taking the lead. Lamb punched it into the sketchiest section of course leading to the line and Kuan Jie was unable to pass. Lamb took a lead of 10 meters to the finish line for silver and a strong but tired Kuan Jie rolled through for third. Ed Cork came took fourth.
B Grade
A strong start for B riders set up the next 40 minutes of exciting riding
Held under light rain, many spectators hid under umbrellas at the various spectator stations around the course. The B Grade race was slightly delayed waiting on a bus of riders coming in from Hangzhou.
A fast start saw Jon Nordmeyer, David Cole and Luo Jiamin on the front of the race almost from the start. Experienced crossers Nordmeyer and Cole looked comfortable (but suffering. . .) at the front, negotiating the course like old pros. With the race one long line from the starting gun, now small groups seemed to form and it was truly every rider for themselves.
Tori Widdowson put in a great representation for the women... where were you all!? We had a fantastic turn out of 5 women in race one, but they were all rain-shy for race two! Come on back ladies... cross is a muddy sport on purpose!
Well done to alll racers, and thank you to our volunteers. This was a fantastic race, and we're looking forward to the third and final event of the series on 13.3.10! Who will take the final cake? Come on out to see us or race with us!
Tori enjoying her success with a bottle of sparkling Dynasty wine
Ladies Final Results (more photos at the bottom!!)
30 242 Tori Widdowson 5 0:41:28.000 -3Lap 11.57km/h
B Grade Final Results
1 226 Jon Nordmeyer 8 0:43:59.359 0:00.000 17.45km/h
2 216 David Cole 8 0:44:46.468 0:47.109 17.15km/h
3 240 Luo Jiamin 8 0:45:37.484 1:38.125 16.83km/h
4 252 Huang Min 7 0:40:12.171 -1Lap 16.71km/h
5 207 Antonio Muttoni 7 0:40:28.156 -1Lap 16.60km/h
6 232 Xie Wenbin 7 0:42:03.000 -1Lap 15.98km/h
7 201 Hayashi Katsuhiro 7 0:42:59.812 -1Lap 15.62km/h
8 231 Antonio D'Angio 7 0:43:15.046 -1Lap 15.53km/h
9 218 Filippo Resini 7 0:43:55.171 -1Lap 15.30km/h
10 227 Eric Loriot 7 0:46:02.171 -1Lap 14.59km/h
11 222 Marizio Galante 7 0:47:03.468 -1Lap 14.28km/h
12 202 Atsushi Tsurumaki 7 0:47:10.265 -1Lap 14.24km/h
13 213 Jin Wei 6 0:40:04.662 -2Lap 14.37km/h
14 209 Liu Hanyan 6 0:40:09.937 -2Lap 14.34km/h
15 206 J.C. Onillion 6 0:41:01.625 -2Lap 14.03km/h
16 257 Dan Yotive 6 0:42:11.437 -2Lap 13.65km/h
17 253 Geng Sheng 6 0:42:21.000 -2Lap 13.60km/h
18 254 Xiao Jiang 6 0:42:21.078 -2Lap 13.60km/h
19 255 Evan Herdrich 6 0:42:37.687 -2Lap 13.51km/h
20 230 Thierry Kostuch 6 0:42:38.625 -2Lap 13.50km/h
21 214 Zhou Cheng 6 0:43:27.578 -2Lap 13.25km/h
22 210 Lu Yao 6 0:44:25.609 -2Lap 12.96km/h
23 256 Tom Burgess 6 0:46:46.546 -2Lap 12.31km/h
24 248 Alexandre Kerguen 6 0:46:46.625 -2Lap 12.31km/h
25 212 Charles Yarbrough 6 0:47:57.156 -2Lap 12.01km/h
26 250 M. Rassi 6 0:48:31.828 -2Lap 11.86km/h
27 251 Roberto Zanotti 6 0:48:32.968 -2Lap 11.86km/h
28 247 Wang Hongxun 5 0:40:30.515 -3Lap 11.84km/h
29 237 Yu Xiaoai 5 0:41:22.281 -3Lap 11.60km/h
30 242 Tori Widdowson 5 0:41:28.000 -3Lap 11.57km/h
31 245 Guo Yunfei 5 0:43:12.609 -3Lap 11.10km/h
32 211 Wang Gang 5 0:44:37.843 -3Lap 10.75km/h
33 243 Yin Xiaofeng 3 0:21:39.958 -5Lap 13.29km/h
34 208 Bob Gould 3 0:27:21.731 -5Lap 10.52km/h
A Grade Final Results
1 054 Todd McKean 12 1:04:15.052 0:00.000 17.92km/h
2 008 Robert Lamb 12 1:04:53.066 0:38.014 17.75km/h
3 009 Feng Kuan Jie 12 1:04:56.257 0:41.205 17.74km/h
4 024 Ed Cork 11 1:01:49.112 -1Lap 17.08km/h
5 062 Gary Loafman 11 1:04:39.920 -1Lap 16.33km/h
6 069 Thomas LeCoq 11 1:05:24.141 -1Lap 16.14km/h
7 025 Kevin Cofra 11 1:09:50.976 -1Lap 15.11km/h
8 033 Kaiyuan Wang 10 1:00:05.358 -2Lap 15.97km/h
9 031 Cheng Bin 10 1:01:44.873 -2Lap 15.54km/h
10 010 Zhu Tianyun 10 1:05:05.391 -2Lap 14.74km/h
11 046 Zhao Liang 9 0:59:55.799 -3Lap 14.41km/h
12 002 Christian Goesker 9 1:00:09.891 -3Lap 14.36km/h
13 028 Duan Weidang 9 1:02:52.455 -3Lap 13.74km/h
14 048 Gao Jirong 9 1:03:51.398 -3Lap 13.53km/h
15 030 Simon Grimmer 9 1:05:45.349 -3Lap 13.13km/h
16 067 Wan Rui 9 1:06:09.343 -3Lap 13.06km/h
17 050 Han Jianli 9 1:06:39.921 -3Lap 12.96km/h
18 011 Cui Yinhao 9 1:07:59.301 -3Lap 12.70km/h
19 015 Chen Xin Rong 8 1:00:27.091 -4Lap 12.70km/h
20 016 Frank Van Nunen 8 1:00:36.143 -4Lap 12.67km/h
21 036 A036 8 1:02:35.482 -4Lap 12.27km/h
22 043 Wang Yi 8 1:03:18.743 -4Lap 12.13km/h
23 063 A063 8 1:03:48.362 -4Lap 12.03km/h
24 060 A060 7 1:00:30.804 -5Lap 11.10km/h
25 068 Ken 7 1:00:46.615 -5Lap 11.05km/h
26 056 A056 7 1:03:18.172 -5Lap 10.61km/h
27 058 A058 7 1:03:25.921 -5Lap 10.59km/h
28 001 A001 7 1:07:30.031 -5Lap 9.95km/h
29 027 A027 6 0:56:25.521 -6Lap 10.20km/h
30 037 Zhao Changrong 6 1:00:43.523 -6Lap 9.48km/h
31 057 A057 6 1:04:13.025 -6Lap 8.96km/h
32 061 A061 6 1:04:40.712 -6Lap 8.90km/h
33 042 Neville Smith 5 0:47:31.384 -7Lap 10.10km/h
34 040 Huang Min 5 0:54:29.544 -7Lap 8.80km/h
35 053 Brendan Banovic 4 0:23:38.630 -8Lap 16.24km/h
36 026 Eric Paulson 4 0:28:48.659 -8Lap 13.32km/h
37 018 Sun Weihong 4 0:29:26.611 -8Lap 13.04km/h
38 047 Chen Yong Hao 4 0:54:44.797 -8Lap 7.01km/h
39 038 Yang Ben 3 0:22:51.384 -9Lap 12.60km/h
40 051 A051 2 0:23:54.975 -10Lap 8.02km/h
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