Canadian women sweep Rochester Cross Day 2 podium

Organizers reversed the course direction for Day 2 of USCX racing at Rochester Cyclocross and rain, arriving just before the women’s race, did its best to reverse rider’s fortunes. Maghalie Rochette battled through mechanicals and a hard challenge from junior world champion Isabella Holmgren to lead a Canadian sweep of the C2 race in New York.

Canadians sweep USCX Women’s race

Maghalie Rochette (Canyon Cllctv) got off the line fast on Day 2 of racing in Rochester with Sidney McGill (Cervelo-Orange Living) and Lauren Zoerner chasing closest to the former PanAm champ. McGill quickly closed to her fellow Canadian wheel through the technical section, clearly feeling confident in the more trying conditions.

A short while later, Rochette dropped a chain over the barrier and was forced to watch a solid group of racers ride by as she struggled to get the chain back on under the chain guide. With that, it was Zoerner and McGill getting a gap on the field to lead early in the elite women’s C2 race.

As the group came back together, with riders following Rochette’s wheel as she worked her way back to the front of the race, veteran French racer Caroline Mani washed out on a wide-open corner, disrupting the front group. McGill was right on her wheel and, though she stayed upright, was stuck behind the French woman. That let Isabella Holmgren (Stimulus Orbea) and Maghalie Rochelle get a gap. The U.S.A.’s Zoerner and Edmonton’s McGill rushed to try regain contact.

At the front, though, it was Holmgren putting pressure on the more experienced Rochette. The junior world champion worked up a sizeable advantage – as much as 20 seconds – going into the latter part of the race. With conditions changing, steadily getting worse as rain soaked into the course, Rochette went for a bike change and started to close the gap on the younger Canadian.

With two laps to go, Rochette made contact and, as Holmgren struggled momentarily to clip back into the pedals, attacked. That earned the Canyon racer a gap which she pushed hard to extend.

Going out onto the final lap, the gap from Rochette stood at about 10 seconds to Holmgren. Deteriorating course conditions meant the women’s race was running well over the 50-minute target time.

Rochette was able to finish the last lap incident-free, taking her fourth win in four starts this year at the USCX series. It was a hard-fought win with Isabella Holmgren, though, who finished second at 23 seconds back in another thoroughly impressive effort from the young Ontario racer. Sidney McGill held off Zoerner for third to complete the Canadian sweep.

Marie Fay St.Onge was the next Canadian across the line, just missing finishing on the lead lap in 16th. Vanessa Thomsen was 24th, Sarah Hamel 25th and Mia de Martin 28th.

Men’s Race: Belgians battle to the line in New York

In the men’s race it was yesterday’s antagonist, Andrew Strohmeyer again taking the holeshot. Loris Rouiller followed, getting foot-out-flat-out through the first corner in a first sign that the men were also struggling to adapt to course conditions.

Tyler Clark had a great start, sitting sixth on the opening lap. Michael van den Ham was right on his wheel.

Strohmeyer would form a lead duo with Belgium’s Anton Ferdinande that would last for much of the race. Behind, van den Ham and Clark were initially part of a six-rider chase group. That would slowly whittle down to three as they chased down the front pair.

Just as the chase caught Strohmeyer, Ferdinande attacked off the front. At the same time, van den Ham trailed off the back. The Canadian would float just 20 seconds off the front group for the remainder of the race, hoping to take advantage of any discord in the front group.

After the front group came back together a lead group of five formed with three laps to go. It almost looked like van den Ham had a chance to come back. Instead, it was Day 1 winner Vincent Baestaens who would benefit from the lead group’s slowing pace.  The Belgian launched a blistering attack partway through the penultimate lap. Clear of the pack, he steadily earned an advantage to lead onto the final lap solo. Four riders chased, none able to match the Belgian’s pace.

Vincent Baestaens takes his second win of the weekend in Rochester, though in a dramatically different fashion than the dry, fast sprint finish just 24 hours ago. It is the Belgian’s sixth straight win in Rochester.

Ferdinande pushes out of the chase group to take second ahead of Rouiller. Lance Haidet placed fourth and Strohmeyer in fifth.

Michael van den Ham takes sixth ahead of U.S. national champion Curtis White. Tyler Clark finished 13th, Luke Valenti 14th, and Ian Ackert 15th for Canada. Cody Scott was close behind in 18th, Mika Comaniuk 21st, Maxime St. Onge 25th and final Canuck on the lead lap. Benjamin Sweet and Nathan Hauber were 43rd and 44th in Rochester.

Carrier adds another Canadian win in Junior racing

Earlier in the day, Raphaelle Carrier earned a solid win in Rochester’s junior women’s race. The Canadian stormed to a solid 31-second victory ahead of the U.S.A.’s Alyssa White and Lidia Cusack. Lily Rose Marois was just 1:19 back in fifth.  Maude Ruelland joined her in the top 10 by placing eighth.

Aislin Hallahan in 15th, Eve Marie Belzile in 17th, Dorothee Perron in 18th, Ella Smith in 20th and Cait Dawson in 21st round out a strong Canadian crowd taking advantage of having a USCX event close to home.

David Thompson, Miles Mattern and Henry Coote again finished 1-2-3 in the men’s race. Jayden McMullen and Felix Antoine Leclair finished sixth and seventh for Canada.

Filipe Duarte and Nicholas Gauthier placed 14th and 15th, with Alix Brunelle 21st, Lucas Goertz 24th, Tristan Taillefer 27th, Graham Francis 28th, Remi Brisbois 29th, Mathias Lin 33rd, Conner Richardson 36th and Austin Rankl 41st for Canada.