Cyclocross Championship Results and Final Stands
Tim Manzella
calendar page of the ECCC website [1] with a race report below.
Steven and I will be making a list up of the eligible teams/riders for
nationals during this week and will have that list to you before the
weekend. If you don't see your name on that list its probably because
you've been racing as an A racer without an A license. Also, make
sure whoever is in charge of your club renews your club license asap
because USAC goes on break for the year very shortly.
The ECCC took to frigid Fitchburg, MA for the final stop on its
cyclocross season calendar for their Conference Championship race.
With temperatures hovering below freezing for most of the day, the
racers were spared from the New England mud that comes around when the
ground thaws out during the day. With a course that was also being
used for regional championships, racers got to compete with not only
other collegiate racers but some of the top racers in the New England
area.
The Women's A field saw Christina Birch of MIT take not only the race
but enough puts to walk away with the Women's Season overall title
over her own teammate Laura Ralston. Jess Kutz of PSU was unable to
make it up to Fitchburg but had enough puts from previous races to
hang on to the Division I title. In the Men's race, Ben Coleman of
UVM took an early lead in the race but Chris Mondiek of RIT was able
to overcome a slow start and won the race. Andrew Lysaght of MIT rode
a consistent race and eventually passed Coleman to take second place
on the day with Coleman grabbing the last podium spot from Peter
Hagerty of RIT. Peter scored enough points to secure the overall for
the season, with Andrew taking second place, and Patrick Bradley of
Rutgers securing third overall for the season and first for Division
I.
The season overall team race coming into the weekend was tight and the
outcome uncertain, but the teams were equally match and there were no
changes from the previous weekend. Rutgers once again secured the
overall and Division I team title for the season with RIT able to hold
of MIT for the Division II title and second overall for teams. RIT
was able to take away the Division II cowbell from MIT for the first
time in a number of years of ECCC cyclocross, though no one has yet to
take the Division I cowbell or overall team title from Rutgers.
[1] http://www.collegiatecycling.org/eccc/wiki/index.php?n=Calendar.Current
Steve Hopengarten and Tim Manzella
Cyclocross Season Coordinators