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Nash sweeps Jingle Cross weekend

November 17, 2013
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Iowa City, IOWA – Katerina Nash of team Luna Chix dominated the Jingle Cross race weekend in Iowa City, claiming her third victory in as many days to sweep the event. Smart riding on the first lap proved to be the decisive factor in Sunday’s race.

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“The second half of the course I moved up because I sort of anticipated this one little section, this little off camber climb, and people were struggling there pre-riding it. I had to practice over and over to find a good line,” said Nash, who was third off the line before moving into the lead. “I knew that if I could be there first, I could probably clear it, and that’s what happened. I think someone just took everybody else out.”

Nash pressed her advantage on two of the climbs, and continued to open the gap over second place, riding alone and uncontested to the finish. Nash had a perfect weekend, wining every race she started.

Luna teammate Catharine Pendrel had her strongest start of the weekend, sprinting along the front straight. But when she sat down on the bike, her seat shifted.

“[It was] pointing straight up, and I had to ride that to the pits, which was exciting when I had to remount after the logs,” said Pendrel.

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After grabbing a spare bike in the pits, Pendrel pushed to make up for lost time and positions, at one point riding in approximately 14th place.

“I was maybe a little impatient trying to move up and went down, tumbling with a girl,” said Pendrel. “I was able to make my way up, and got back on my bike, and just digging as hard as I could and felt strong and fast.

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“It was a good course for me, and everything was going well, but I needed one more lap to make up for the first lap.”

The Jingle Cross weekend marked the second U.S. cyclocross event Pendrel has done, following Cross Vegas last month. While results are always important for the World Cup mountain biker, this weekend was as much for practice ahead of Canadian cyclocross national championships, in two weeks, in Surrey, B.C.

“It’s good, getting that reminder of how critical the start is, and just being through the variety of dismounts that are here, because I haven’t done that much variety of ‘cross racing. It’s nice to see the flyover and steep run ups,” Pendrel said.

“It’s hard to beat three 40 minute races in a weekend for practicing starts, responding, group riding.”

 

The women’s podium Sunday was rounded out by Elle Anderson of California Giant Strawberries/Specialized in second place, one spot improved over Saturday’s race. Amanda Miller finished third for TIBCO/To The Top.

In the final men’s race, Tim Johnson of Cannondale powered by Jeremy Powers of Cyclocrossworld.com. Johnson took first and prevented Powers from sweeping the weekend. Powers finished nearly a minute back for second, edging Ben Berden who claimed third.

 

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