Rapha-Focus team’s Jeremy Powers wins Gateway Cross Cup 2011 - Cycling Update
Rapha-Focus team’s Jeremy Powers put up a brilliant performance in the race and easily beat top cyclo-cross racers to take a victory in the Gateway Cross Cup 2011, the third round of the Cross After Dark succession on Wednesday, September 21. The race started
and ended in St.Louis.
In the final lap of the race, Rapha-Focus team controlled the situation and Powers crossed the finish line first as he covered the distance of the race in 57 minutes and 23 seconds. Ben Berden of the Stoemper team was in runner-up spot with 5 seconds down
to the American.
Jonathan Page of the Planet Bike-Blue Bicycles team launched an attack and tried his best to take a lead but he finished third with the difference of 8 seconds ahead of James Driscoll (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld) and Todd Wells (Specialized).
Before the start of the race, it was clear that the route of the race which featured two runs ups, barriers, twist and spin could create technical problems for all of the cyclists during the race. Berden was in good form and made a solo move in the rest
of the field.
Behind him the group of four cyclists made their first breakaway including, Jonathan Page, James Driscoll, Todd Wells and Powers. All of them worked well together with Berden taking an advantage of a few seconds over the other riders. In the final kilometres,
Berden was the more aggressive cyclist as he launched numerous attacks and tried to catch Powers.
With few kilometres to go, Page launched an attack and disrupted the group as he made a gap. The break gained a lead while Powers increased his pace and Berden followed him. In the final 500 metres, both of them rode well but Powers launched an attack and
crossed the finish line ahead of the other cyclists without any difficulty as he took his first victory. Powers put on a tremendous display of skill as he managed to take the victory.
Previously, the 28-years-old American professional cyclists took overall first place in Green Mountain Stage race and grabbed runner-up spot in the third stage of Mad River road race. He also grabbed overall first place in US Grand Prix of Cyclocross and
North American Cyclocross Trophy 2010.
Barry Wicks (Kona), Jake Wells (Stan's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross) and Jacob Lasley (Team Soundpony) were in seventh, eighth and ninth place respectively.
The four cyclists including Christopher Jones (Team Rapha-Focus), Taylor Carrington (Turin Bikes-TLR) were disqualified from the race and six cyclists including, Christian Heule (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld), Troy Wells (Team Clif Bar) and Jacob Lasley
(Team Soundpony) did not start the race.
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