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Gould, Johnson trudge to muddy wins on Day 1 of Mercer Cup
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Mud so thick that racers had to pedal downhill set the stage for Day 1 of the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Mercer Cup, in New Jersey on Saturday.
In races of attrition, in which time gaps grew to a minute or more among the top five, Georgia Gould (LUNA) and Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale) bested the competition through tough, power-stealing conditions.
Gould again
After collecting the holeshot, Gould along with her LUNA teammate, Katerina Nash, pulled ahead of a trio containing Canadian national champion, Wendy Simms (Kona), Natasha Elliot (EMD Serono-Stevens) and Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing, p/b Seven Cycles).
Nash, coming off of a third-place finish in last weekend's world cup race in Pijnacker, Netherlands, seized Gould's lead midway through the first lap but failed to outkick Gould entirely. Muddy runways forced racers to choose between riding and running and, while Nash chose to run, Gould often rode. A 12-second lead by Nash shrunk to eight seconds, then six until the final lap, when an uphill surge by Gould launched her into the lead.
"I tried not to give up but it was really hard," Gould said. "I saw her ride away but then she was right there. On the last uphill, she chose to run; I rode and I chose the right line. I just had a lucky line on the last lap."
Throughout the race, riders swapped bikes that were weighted down with sand and mud every half a lap in order to shuck the extra load clinging to tires and drivetrains. The bonus to these pit stops was a smoother riding surface through the pits and riders took wholesale advantage of the opportunity.
The conditions played to the strengths of racers like Bruno Roy, who pulled away from Simms, Elliot and a hard-charging Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms).
"It was important to get out in front because there was room for errors, like getting tangled up in the tape and taking bad lines," Bruno Roy said. "Today was definitely a race of attrition rather than tactics, which is better for me. It was all about keeping the gas on."
Johnson nails it
Matt White (BikeReg.com-Joe's Garage) was first off the pavement into the mud but was quickly shuffled out of the lead by Johnson, Jesse Anthony (Jamis), Todd Wells (GT), Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale).
Anthony, who suffered a broken wrist in July, marked his return to 'cross with a podium finish in Gloucester, Mass. back in October and with two second place finishes at the USGP in Louisville, Ky. two weeks later.
On Saturday, Anthony, the current USGP series leader, moved to the front with Johnson where he clung to Johnson's lead until Johnson broke free of his challenger by the end of the first lap.
Thick mud slowed the race pace but Johnson's strategy: to run whenever he deemed it faster than riding, paid a five- to seven-second dividend each lap.
"I figured this is one day where if there are a few mistakes each lap, you can make up time," Johnson said. "It's okay to get off the bike three times in the same straightaway; if I can get at least five seconds per lap, after four laps that adds up to 20-30 seconds."
Johnson stretched his lead to more than 45 seconds at one point while Anthony, Trebon, Wells, and Powers each clawed at second place in Johnson's wake. First to fade back was Anthony, then Powers, until only Trebon and Wells remained to outpace, out-pedal and outgas each other until Wells moved forward in the final lap. Wells narrowed the gap with the leader to just 30 seconds; Trebon finished in third, 1:08 seconds behind Johnson with Powers in fourth at 1:59.
Racing continues on Sunday at Mercer County Park with the elite women at 1:45 pm and the elite men at 3 p.m. EST.
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