Miller, Bosmans rack up repeat victories on Day Two of 2015’s Nittany Lion Cyclocross
Day Two of competition at the Nittany Lion Cross saw some familiar faces from Day One's podium, with Amanda Miller and Wietse Bosmans both pulling off their second wins in as many days.
After a messy start to the 2015 Nittany Lion Cyclocross on Saturday, the overnight conditions were no more agreeable, weather-wise. Torrential downpours all but flooded the course, but by morning, the weather had cleared enough for the Sunday sun to break through and the winds to change, with a light, comfortable prevailing breeze. For the terrain, though — and for a field of riders in for a messy, tricky haul — the damage had essentially been done.
It was sticky, it was messy, and by some reports, the only time the grounds may have been worse was in 2011, after a hurricane ripped through the area. Nevertheless, day two’s riders were determined as ever to put it all under their tires where it belongs.
The Elite women’s race, starting the day’s competition, hit the mud hard and fast.
Making up for lost time seemed to be on the mind of Arley Kammerer, who, after an identical start to Saturday’s competition, barely wasted a single crank in making an early drive for the front — perhaps out for blood after day one’s conditions dropped the Level Eleven rider from a lead position to 9th place, leaving the field open for Amanda Miller to take the lead. For Miller, meanwhile, Sunday was also no different, as she immediately found herself part of a lead group alongside Gabby Dirrin, riding for Neon Velo Cycling, Jena Greaser of JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria, and Kemmerer.
Even after a quick hike-a-bike dismount, Miller’s power was too much for the rest of the bunch to put a dent in her ride. Later, after about a hundred yards, Miller and Durrin broke off from the group and built a commanding gap over the others, which she managed to extend and maintain to the finish. Betwen the two riders, the remainder of the course found Durin and Miller taking advantage of the course’s obstacles, with Miller riding along logs, Durrin running it, and their roles reversing on the last lap.
Durrin used those moments to her benefit, but in the final turns, Miller regained the lead to take her second win of the competition in as many days. In third place was Rebecca Fahringer, riding for Amy D. Foundation, with Kemmerer — who collapsed due to back issues after the race and was carried awau — riding like hell to get into fourth place.
Canada was represented in the top 10 as well, with 17-year-old Ruby West, riding for Centurion Next Wave, turning in an impressive performance at the finish.
Belgian powerhouse Wietse Bosmans makes it two in a row
The men’s competition also saw a repeat of Saturday’s winning fortunes, with Belgium’s Wietse Bosmans, riding for BKCP-Corendon, pulling off another powerful win after being the first to launch a holeshot from the start. Also off to a roaring start were Cameron Dodge, Cannonade p/b Cyclocrossworld.coms Curtis White, Anthony Clark of Squid Bikes/Voler, Scott Smith of JAM/NCC/Vittoria, and Ben Berden, riding for Wcup-Stoemper.
Dan Timmerman (Stan’s NoTubes), the Elite men’s rider who powered to a second-place finish on Saturday, was absent along with Neon Velo’s Jeremy Durrin.
Bosmans’s ride paralleled Miller’s in ways that went beyond simply repeating his day one win. In the first lap, Bosmans already had a bike change, with the lost time putting him at the back of the bunch — although not for long. Half a lap later, the Belgian rider was ahead once again, keeping it going with one fast, soaring leap after another over the course’s high-sped barriers. His advantage was built even more by the loss of Clark from the lead bunch, when the Squid Bikes/Voler rider lost a tire to an obstacle hidden in one of the mud pits, unexpectedly damaging it beyond repair. Still a few laps from the finish, Bosmans shredded through the terrain to the cheers of specators. When the BKCP-Corendon rider cruised to victory, it was by a wide, comfortable margin.
While Bosmans was rocketing out ahead, White found himself in the lead of the chase group, earning a solid second. Dodge took third, meanwhile, with Berden taking fourth after the race’s conclusion. Smith, Clark, Jack Kisseberth, Robert Marion, Cole Oberman and Greg Witter were also in the top 10.
Next up for U.S. pro cyclocross riders is CrossVegas, coming up this Wednesday. Bosmans, however — who started last season with no points, after contending with illness — won’t be attending. Despite his strong repeat wins this weekend, the Belgian rider doesn’t qualify.
