Logan Owen (California Giant - Specialized) and Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) took respective victories in the elite men's and women's events during the opening day at Subaru Cyclo Cup on Saturday. UCI C2-level racing returned the Pacific Northwest at Ft. Steilacoom Park in Lakewood Washington.
The venue has hosted many races over the years, including day two of last year’s Waves for Water Collaboration weekend. This year’s course differed in two key ways. The first was a steep muddy run up, instead of last year’s leg-busting, paved and gravel climb. The second was the inclusion of a sand pit located in the venue’s infield, which was brought in specifically for the event.
Throughout the day racers were deluged with rain, making some sections of the course slick and coating others in a thick mud, ideal cyclo-cross conditions to put it more bluntly. The conditions made for ideal spectating, especially at the run up, where the crowd’s cheers could be heard from a distance, and where dollar bills, and a few unopened cans of beer could be found for hand ups.
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Owen took control of the men’s race from the drop of the flag, hoping to do better than last year, when he came up empty-handed on both days. This year the youngster quickly distanced himself from the pack of elite racers and worked himself a comfortable lead. Raleigh Clement’s Jamey Driscoll mounted a chase, and for a majority of the race he was able to keep Owen within his sights.
Jonathan Page (Page/Fuji) followed after Driscoll, but the elder statesman of American cyclo-cross was unable to catch Owen’s pursuer. After an hour and two minutes of racing, it was Owen who took the win, with Driscoll 27 seconds in arrears. Page finished off the podium, coming in less than thirty seconds behind Driscoll.
“It was nice to get my first two UCI wins in a year, with my Tour of Utah win earlier this year, and then today in front of a home crowd, it’s exciting.” The twenty year old said.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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