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Davy Yeater leads the men's race early as the field kicks up a dust cloud at Kruger's Farm Sunday. Photo credit: Pat Malach

SAUVIE ISLAND — The Kruger’s Kermesse Farm Criterium bid a dusty welcome to Oregon’s cyclocross season Sunday at this U-pick farm on Sauvie Island northwest of Portland. Molly Cameron took the win in the Men’s A event after soloing the last half of the race in front of last year’s Cross Crusade winner Sean Babcock (Team S&M) and River City Bicycles’ Ian Brown. Speedvagen’s Tina Brubaker took the Women’s A win alone ahead of River City Bicycles’ Amy Campbell and Brigette Brown.

Molly Cameron soloed in for the win in the Men's A race. Photo credit: Pat Malach

The nearly 2 km dirt course had no barriers or run-ups but featured plenty of finely ground dust, especially on the backside near the cornfields and farmhouses. Traversing hard-packed farm roads and some lesser-traveled paths, most riders chose ‘cross bikes for the day.

River City Bicycles’ Davey Yeater animated the men’s race early with a burst from the line that strung out the pack and started making an immediate selection. Aaron Olson, who got his road racing start in Oregon before riding in Europe with T-Mobile and Saunier-Duvall and then coming back to the states with Bissell and Colavita/Sutter Home, made the move to bring back Yeater. Cameron was the only rider able to eventually get on his wheel.

With Yeater dispatched and spit out the back of the chasing groups as well, Olson and Cameron powered on until Olson met with some untimely luck and apparently flatted, leaving Cameron alone at the front to press home the advantage the pair had worked for.

“Aaron brought Davy back, and then that was the race after that,” Cameron said. “Aaron had a gap and I got up to it. I saw Ian and Sean back there behind me and I was just totally cross-eyed. I mean I was just lucky that Aaron flatted or he would have put the screws to me today, for sure. It was a fast road race there, you know.”

With Brown and Babcock trading off powering the chase, Cameron kept the pace high and maintained a fairly consistent 15- to 20-second gap by riding the hard section hard and trying to recover whenever possible.

“There’s like 50 feet of elevation, and I was making a point of hitting it as hard as I could on that part,” Cameron said. “Then there’s a downhill section where you can kind of recover. I was going as hard as I could, I mean all out, then I’d get to the top and catch my breath for a couple seconds.”

It was a strategy that paid off for Cameron, who crossed the line alone ahead of Babcock in second and then Brown trailing in for third.

BRUBAKER CONQUERS CLOUDS FOR WOMEN’S WIN

Tina Brubaker added another criterium to her palmares, this time on the farm. Photo credit: Pat Malach

In the Women’s A race, Speedvagen’s Tina Brubaker joined River City Bicycles’ Amy Campbell and Brigette Brown on the front as the trio circled the hard-packed roads around the pumpkin and melon fields that dotted the first three-fourths of the course. The riders hung tight together for the first half of the race until Brown got hung up in traffic from fields that had started minutes before the women.

“There was a guy that Brigette couldn’t get around in the last corner and we kind of gapped her off a little bit,” Brubaker said.

From that point on, it was a battle of two accomplished road criterium riders; Brubaker most recently wining the Ironclad Hillsboro Criterium and Campbell finishing second at the Vancouver and Franz Bakery criteriums.

“We had a good one-two going,” Brubaker said. “It was a tough battle. It’s a really hard and fast course.”

But the battle was cut short in the closing laps by mechanicals. First Brubaker broke her front derailleur, then Campbell suffered a more catastrophic dropped chain when a piece of metal lodged in her drivetrain. Campbell removed the debris and replaced the chain, but the delay gave Brubaker enough of an advantage to solo the last three laps for the win.

“I looked up and saw that she had just dropped her chain,” Brubaker said, “but then I saw her get off her bike and I was like, “Alright, I just gotta keep riding.’”

Campbell was back in the race quickly enough to hold onto her second-place spot, with Brown crossing the line next for third.

OBRA’s cyclocross season takes off in full two weeks from now with the Cross Over Stage Race in Eugene and the Pain & Suffr’n CX race on Bald Peak outside of Portland.

Check out the PHOTO GALLERY for this race.

RESULTS
Kruger’s Kermesse Farm Crit
Sunday, Aug. 29

Men A
1. Molly Cameron (Portland Bicycle Studio)
2. Sean Babcock (Team S&M)
3. Ian Brown (River City Bicycles)
Women A
1. Tina Brubaker (Speedvagen)
2. Amy Campbell (River City Bicycles)
3. Brigette Brown (River City Bicycles)
Read more…

The pumpkin fields probably won't be ready for picking by the time the Kruger's Kermesse Farm Crit takes off Sunday, Aug. 29, on Sauvie Island. File Photo / Pat Malach

SAUVIE ISLAND — With cyclocross clinics from Upper Echelon Fitness/Portland Bicycle Studio and PDX Cross Academy already in full swing, it’s no surprise that the first race on the OBRA cyclocross schedule is just 10 days away.

The Aug. 29 Kruger’s Kermesse Farm Crit presented by Bike N Hike bills itself as the perfect transition into cross season. Although it’s called a crit, the event will probably feel more like a fast and non-technical cross race over hard-packed farm roads. The course at Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island will feature some potholes and ruts, a sprinkle of gravel, a bit of sand, and, depending on the weather, possibly some mud. However, everything will be 100 percent rideable with no barriers or dismounts. The spectator-friendly venue, which also hosts the Kruger’s Crossing cyclocross race in late November, will feature live music, a beer garden, catered food and, of course, a kiddie race.

Cross season picks up in earnest Sept. 11-12 with theCross Over Stage Race in Eugene and the Pain & Suffer’n CX race on Bald Peak Sept. 12. Portland’s popular Cross Crusade series, which draws well over 1,000 participants per race, begins October 3 with the traditional race at Alpenrose Dairy.

Sue Butler battles for position in last year's StarCrossed. This year's kick off to the national cyclocross season is scheduled for Sept. 18. FILE PHOTO

SEATTLE, Wash. — StarCrossed Cyclocross promoters today announced the 2010 race will take place Sept. 18 at King County’s Marymoore Velodrome Park in Redmond, Wash. Registration opens Aug. 2 on BikeReg.com.

StarCrossed is the traditional kick-off to the national cyclocross season and for the third consecutive year will be the first event of the North American Cyclocross Trophy. The series will spend the entire weekend in the Seattle area, ith racing on Sunday at the legendary Rad Racing Gran Prix presented by Hammer Nutrient. This year’s brand-new race venue will be Lake Sammamish State Park.

Kona's Ryan Trebon showed off his national champion's jersey for the first time at last year's StarCrossed race. FILE PHOTO

Low Pressure Promotions, LLC co-founder Terry Buchanan said ancticpation of this year’s race is already building, even as the road and doirt season’s are still in full swing.

“Every year cyclocross enthusiasm seems to begin earlier and earlier,” Buchanan said, “and already in July we are hearing enthusiasm for our 9th edition, which is on track to be the best to date.”

StarCrossed is presented by Stanley—a brand of PMI. Stanley’s Build for Life™ Tour team housed inside their 1967 Airstream will be prominently displayed in the infield at StarCrossed. The legendary vacuum bottle manufacturer will debut their newest cycling-specific product, and will be for sale throughout the event.

In addition to the race being presented by Stanley, StarCrossed will be amplified in sound by Raleigh Bicycles, with Raleigh giving away a singlespeed cross frame to the winner of the singlespeed race. At 7 and 8 p.m. Shimano will present the UCI Elite Men and Women’s races, which have featured internationally competitive talent over the past eight years including national champions from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland and Denmark. Top riders from North America and Europe are starting to confirm attendance for the first and one of the biggest weekends on the United States Cyclocross Calendar.

“I was telling my business partner Zac the other day that StarCrossed is seeing the strongest support from sponsors to date,” Buchanan said. “As many race promoters and sponsors know, with the support and generosity from sponsors, a race can go from good to great. StarCrossed has always pushed the envelope for treating spectators and racers to a special event where the prize list is deep, the atmosphere is electric and the beer is plentiful.”

StarCrossed will again open the on-course Deschutes Beer Garden at 3 p.m., and Deschutes Brewery will serve beer from their good times on wheels mobile bar, Woody. The Deschutes Beer Garden is strategically placed next to the race course, and will provide spectators a front-row seat as racers navigate their way over the Nuun Hydration double-barrier course feature.

StarCrossed Cyclocross has field limits for each racing category and traditionally sells out prior to the event. Racers can sign up for the 2010 edition beginning Aug. 2 on BikeReg.com. The 2010 edition of StarCrossed is presented by Stanley, a brand of PMI, amplified by Raleigh Bicycles, and supported by Shimano and Pro Components. Additional sponsors include Nuun Hydration, Cascade Bicycle Studio, Clif Bar, De La Paz Coffee, NOS Energy Drinks, The Sports Med Clinic, and TRP Brakes.

Tentative race-day schedule for StarCrossed:

2:15 pm: Master’s Women 35+; Women’s Category 3 and 4
3:00 pm: Men’s Category 4; Men’s Master’s 35+ Cat 4
3:00 pm: Deschutes Beer Garden Opens
4:00 pm: Raleigh Bicycles Singlespeed race; Master’s Men 35+ Category 3
5:00 pm: Master’s Men 30+ Category 1 and 2
6:00 pm: Cascade Bicycle Studio Category 3
7:00 pm: Shimano UCI Elite Women
8:00 pm: Shimano UCI Elite Men

For more information on StarCrossed: www.starcrossedcx.com

Here’s a story out of Colorado that should interest Oregon’s hardcore cyclocross fan base.

The article featured this photo from Cameron's post-podium cool down at the Washington County Cross Crusade.

Oregon’s off-the-hook cyclocross scene grabbed even more attention this month. Issue 8 of Cylocross Magazine features Molly Cameron, Portland’s own “iconic” cross racer.

The in-depth article by Josh Cohen covers Cameron’s gender identity, world travels and life in general as a bike-shop-owning pro cyclocross racer. From the article:

“A lot of guys were like, ‘what the f***?’ at first, but when they got to know me, they were like, ‘OK, this isn’t something weird.’”

Find a copy and check it out!

Large, enthusiastic crowds typified the '09 championships in Bend. Photo courtesy of Matthew Haughey.

BEND — Last December’s four-day USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Bend generated $1.09 million in direct tourist spending, officials said Monday.

Based on the final economic impact study conducted by VisitBend during the Dec. 10-13 championships, 2,460 tourists visited Bend for an average of 3.6 nights.

“We could not have asked for a better turnout for these championships during one of Bend’s slowest tourism periods of the year,” said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of Visit Bend. “Not only was the short-term economic impact significant, but the editorial coverage and word-of-mouth exposure will have significant long-term benefits for the community as well.”

The championships generated a total of 2,090 paid lodging nights at 56 different lodging properties during that time. In addition, visitors from 43 states traveled to Bend, with only 14 percent of visits coming from within Oregon. Forty-two percent of attendees at the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships were first time visitors to Bend.

“If we can get someone to visit Bend one time, we are confident that not only will they return, but they will encourage their friends and family to visit the destination as well,” LaPlaca said. “What’s more, with such a high percentage of event attendees indicating that they were likely to consider moving to Bend or buying real estate as a result of attending Cyclocross Nationals, there is an additional long-term real estate benefit to hosting events such as this.”

Participants completed a total of 713 written surveys in person during the event, and 761 people completed a post-event online survey. The latter provides a research sample representing 54 percent of contestants, not including local participants.

Read the complete study results HERE.

Here at Cycling Action World Headquarters we’ve reached all the way back to October 2009 to bring you these very brief videos of Cross Crusade superstars Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon.

The first video features Cross Crusade crew members Andy Wilson and Brad Ross repairing course tape as ‘08 National Champion Ryan Trebon (Kona-FSA) flies over the run-up and barriers.

The second video, from the 2009 Cross Crusade in Astoria, features “Cougar Bait” Barry Wicks (Kona-FSA) entering the coffin corner. Wicks won both days in Astoria, including Sunday’s costumed event shown here.

Jeremy Powers and other top U.S. 'crossers may have a chance to race for a world championship crown right here in the states.

Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reported today that the United States could host the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in 2013.

UCI officials confirmed the U.S. bid was from from Louisville, Kentucky, according to a report on cyclingnews.com, which also reported that the southern state was leading the competition to host the 2013 worlds. The decision to choose the venue will likely be made on Thursday of next week.

Louisville is a natural selection; it hosts a weekend of the U.S. Grand Prix of Cyclocross, which culminates in Portland, and is home of USGP organizers Joan Hanscom and Bruce Fina.

USA Cycling this week named the 20 riders who will represent the United States at the 2010 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships  in Tabor, Czech Republic, Jan. 30-31. Ryan Trebon of Bend made the elite men’s squad, while Washington’s Zach McDonald, who’ll race in the U23 competition, is the only other Pacific Northwest rider on the U.S. team.

Elite Men
Jonathan Page (Northfield, N.H./Planet Bike)
Tim Johnson (Middleton, Mass/Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com)
Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore./Kona-FSA)
Jeremy Powers (Hadley, Mass./Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com)
James Driscol (Jericho, Vt./Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)

Elite Women
Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Planet Bike)
Amy Dombroski (Boulder, Colo./Schalmm p/b Primus)
Meredith Miller (Fort Collins, Colo./California Giant-Specialized)
Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./C3-Sollay)
Maureen Bruno-Roy (Arlington, Mass./MM Racing p/b Seven Cycles)

U23 Men
Danny Summerhill (Englewood, Colo./Garmin-Felt)
Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass.)
Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Stevens Classic Cycle)
Jerome Townsend (Princeton, Mass./Bikereg.com-Joe’s Garage)
Dave Hackworthy (Hudson, Wisc./Plan C)

Junior Men
Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Cal Giant)
Jeff Bahnson (Newark, De./Thule-Vandessel)
Skyler Trujillo (Fort Collins, Colo./Black Sheep)
Chris Wallace (Shawnee, Kan./KCCX-Verge)
Matt Spinks (Layton, N.J./Young Medalists-Team Dual Temp)

Joshua Berry won the Blind Date at the Dairy series ealier this season.

Berry’s performance at the USGP in New Jersey, where he finished 6th in the U/23 category, paved the way for selection to the European trip. A regular rider on or near the front of Oregon’s Elite Men’s races, he won the Blind Date at the Dairy series and finished second at the SSCXWC09.

Berry competed in 10 races over 16 days at the same Belgian camp that has previously hosted Ryan Trebon, Jeremy Powers, Erik Tonkin, Jamey Driscoll, Barry Wicks, Jesse Anthony, Bjorn Selander, Danny Summerhill, Troy Wells and Nicholas Weighall.

From Berry’s cyclingnews.com diary:

“I have just finished my season and in the best way possible I am not relieved with the end but ready to prepare for the next one. Also, I decided that Ryan Weaver is the Sven Nys of Portland. Sorry, you don’t get that if you are not from Portland.”

Read the entire article HERE.