Highlights: Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival

Many of the top names in U.S. cyclocross converged on the Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival last weekend for two days of racing — the fifth and sixth rounds of the US Cup-CX. On Saturday, racers competed in a UCI C1 event just across the Ohio River at Devou Park in Covington, Ky. — one of the most technically difficult courses in the U.S. even before overnight rain on Friday turned it into the first muddy day of the domestic calendar. The following day, Cincinnati’s Harbin Park played host to a UCI C2 event on a track more suited to tactical group racing. Video recaps of the action are below.

At Devou Park, Kaitie Keough (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) took a dominant win in the women’s race, riding away early and extending her lead to nearly one minute by the finish. Caroline Mani (Van Dessel/Atom Composites) claimed the second podium spot, and Ellen Noble (Aspire Racing) took third. Keough extended her lead in the US Cup-CX competition.

The men’s race saw Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) take a similarly dominant victory by over one minute, with the race shattering on the heavy parcours behind him. Cincinnati-area native Spencer Petrov (Aspire Racing) claimed a strong second place and his Aspire teammate Jeremy Powers rallying for third. With Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz/Donkey Label Racing) finishing outside the top 10, Hyde took a big lead in the US Cup-CX standings.

At Harbin Park on Sunday, a different type of race unfolded on a fast, flowing course. Ellen Noble’s late surge broke free of the dwindling lead group, and she held it to the end, with Emma White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) coming around teammate Kaitie Keough near the line for second place. Keough, then White, remain atop the US Cup-CX standings with one round to go.

In the men’s race at Harbin Park, Gage Hecht and Stephen Hyde broke away from a large group at about the midway point. Kerry Werner, Curtis White, Eric Brunner and Jamey Driscoll chased the leaders and then fought it out for third.

Here are the top 10 finishers from each day of racing.

Devou Park (UCI C1) Elite Women

1. Kaitlin Keough (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
2. Caroline Mani (Van Dessel/Atom Composites)
3. Ellen Noble (Aspire Racing)
4. Emma White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
5. Courtenay McFadden (Pivot Cycles p/b DNA Cycling)
6. Clara Honsinger (Team S&M CX)
7. Amanda Nauman (SDG-Muscle Monster)
8. Crystal Anthony (Maxxis-Shimano)
9. Sunny Gilbert (Van Dessel/Atom Composites)
10. Cassandra Maximenko (Van Dessel/Atom Composites)

Devou Park (UCI C1) Elite Men

1. Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
2. Spencer Petrov (Aspire Racing)
3. Jeremy Powers (Aspire Racing)
4. Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle Company-Groove Subaru)
5. Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
6. Kerry Werner (Kona)
7. Jamey Driscoll (Donnelly Cycling)
8. Jonathan Page
9. Cody Kaiser (LangeTwins/Specialized)
10. Cooper Willsey (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com Devo)

Harbin Park (UCI C2) Elite Women

1. Ellen Noble (Aspire Racing)
2. Emma White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
3. Kaitlin Keough (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
4. Sofia Gomez-Villafañe (Pivot Cycles p/b DNA Cycling)
5. Rebecca Fahringer (Stan’s NoTubes p/b Maxxis)
6. Courtenay McFadden (Pivot Cycles p/b DNA Cycling)
7. Clara Honsinger (Team S&M CX)
8. Caroline Mani (Van Dessel/Atom Composites)
9. Katie Clouse (Alpha Bicycle Company-Groove Subaru)
10. Sunny Gilbert (Van Dessel/Atom Composites)

Harbin Park (UCI C2) Elite Men

1. Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
2. Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle Company-Groove Subaru)
3. Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com)
4. Kerry Werner (Kona)
5. Jamey Driscoll (Donnelly Cycling)
6. Eric Brunner (EVOL Racing)
7. Cooper Willset (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com Devo)
8. Travis Livermon (Maxxis-Shimano)
9. Fernando Riveros Paez (Stan’s NoTubes p/b Maxxis)
10. Lance Haidet (Donnelly Cycling)

Lead photo © 2017 In The Crosshairs.