(Race facts from Liberty Mutual. Todd Wells photo by Liberty Mutual/Chris Milliman.)
Providence, Rhode Island served up cyclocross conditions that couldn't have gotten any better. The snow blizzard was so harsh on opening day that it forced the afternoon Master's program to be rescheduled for the weekend. Conditions more or less returned to normal on Saturday and Sunday. That is as long as you consider riding on ice, slush and mud normal. These are the conditions that bore the winter sport of cyclocross, and as such, the playing field was as good as it gets.
Prior to the weekend's headlining elite event, ex mountain biker Troy Wells executed a technically solid race to take the win. Defending champ Jesse Anthony lost significant time due to a first lap flat. Anthony succeeded in working back up to second place at the finish.
By taking his first national win, Troy had set the stage for his older brother. Prior to the start of the big show, the two had actually discussed the possibility that Todd would earn the Wells family its second national title today. But to do his part Todd had to beat three-time defending champ Jonathan Page and 2000 champ Tim Johnson, not to mention do good cyclocrossin' mountain bikers Adam Craig, Barry Wicks and Ryan Trebon.
The afternoon start meant that course conditions had turned from slushy to icy. These are the technical riding conditions that mountain bikers live for. Once the early race confusion subsided, Ryan Trebon and Todd Wells proved it by riding away from also front runners Jonathan Page and Fordi Fruitta teammates Michael Cody and Matt White. "Right away Trebon and I got off to strong starts," recalls Todd. "Then I crashed running up the stairs and broke my handlebar. I had to ride a lap with broken handlebars and once I got a new bike, Trebon slipped up in a section and I passed him. In the final few laps you're just praying for the lap counter to go down. I was digging deep and I saw Trebon -- he must have figured out some of the lines on the course because he had more power on the pavement sections but he wasn't riding the technical stuff as well."
Jonathan Page arrived at the race after a trip to the hospital the day before. A stomach illness had relegated Page from the favorite to a question on whether or not he would even start the race. But the ex champ weathered on to ride a strong, steady race to finish an impressive third place.
To ice his championship Todd Wells also dominated the Liberty Cup grand finale. The Liberty Cup was a non-national, dash for cash that included mixed category national champs and other notables. Todd's last National Cyclocross Championship title came in 2001.
2005 CYCLOROSS NATIONAL RESULTS
1. Todd Wells...GT-Hyundai...59:03...2nd at U.S. ST & XC Nat's
2. Ryan Trebon...Kona...at 0:14...Top 5 NMBS XC & ST rider
3. Johnathan Page...Liberty Mutual...1:52
4. Adam Craig...Giant-Pearl Izumi...2:13...U.S. Nat's SD & ST Champ
5. Tim Johnson...cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau...3:11
6. Barry Wicks...Kona...3:34...Won Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic
7. Erik Tonkin...Kona...4:33...10th at the U.S. National XC Champ's
8. Tristan Schouten...Trek-VW...5:00...3rd at Iceman Cometh
9. Mark McCormack...Clif Bar...5:16
10. Jonathan Baker...Primus Mootry...5:34
12. Steve Tilford...Verge-Shimano...6:18...1983 National XC Champ, Fat Boy Criterium legend
17. Carl Decker...Giant-Pearl Izumi...7:17...U.S. Nat's Sng Spd Champ
27. Chris Horner...Saunier-Duval...lit 2005 Tour de France up
48. Charlie Storm...Inland Construction-Back To Dirt...-1...6th at Snowmass NMBS MA
ELITE WOMEN
1. Katie Compton...39:55
2. Ann Knapp...Kona...at 1:32
3. Maureen Bruno-Roy...Independent Fabrication...2:38
4. Rhonda Mazza...S&M-Vanilla Bicycles...3:05
5. Melissa Thomas...Tokyo Joe's-GoLite...3:23...14th in MA World Champ's
5. Barbara Howe...Velo Bella...4:02
7. Georgia Gould...Kona...4:24...U.S. National ST #6 & XC #8
8. Brigette Stoick...Revercity Bicycles...6:11
9. Amy Wallace...Verizon Wireless Wheelworks...6:35
10. Josie Beggs...Starbucks-CA Giants-Specialized...6:39
LIBERTY CUP RESULTS
1. Todd Wells...GT Hyundai...59:45...2nd at U.S. ST & XC Nat's
2. Tim Johnson...cyclocrossworld.com-louisgarneau...at 1:22
3. Adam Craig...Giant/Pearl Izumi...2:01...U.S. Nat's SD & ST Champ
4. Mark McCormack...Clif Bar...2:21
5. Erik Tonkin...Kona...2:22...10th at the U.S. National XC Champ's
6. Jeremy Powers...Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team...3:20
7. Carl Decker...Giant...3:38...U.S. Nat's Sng Spd Champ
8. Jonathan Baker...Primus Mootry Cyclo Cross Team...3:41
9. Michael Gallagher...U S Armed Forces...3:48
10. Steve Tilford...Verge/Shimano...4:45...1983 National XC Champ, Fat Boy Criterium legend
12. Chris Horner...Saunier-Duval/Prodir...5:42...lit 2005 Tour de France up
16. Matt Shriver...Kona/Easton...6:36...lit 2005 Tour de France up
U23 RESULTS
1. Troy Wells...TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar
U23 WOMEN
1. Clara Beard...Diet Cheerwine...3rd at Collegiate MTB Champ's Division II individual women overall
COLLEGIATE
1. Brent Bookwalter...Lees-McRae College...2nd at Collegiate MTB Champ's Division II individual overall
COLLEGIATE WOMEN
1. Melodie Metzger...UC Berkeley
MASTER 30-34
1. Justin Robinson...California Giant Strawberries-Specialized
MASTER WOMEN 30-34
1. Maureen Bruno-Roy...Independent Fabrication...2nd at Global 24 solo women champ's
MASTER 35-39
1. Shannon Skerritt...Vanilla Bicycles
MASTER WOMEN 35-39
1. Marianne Stover...Independent Fabrication
9. Cristina Begy...Spot-Gofast...at 4:11...2nd at Global 24 solo women champ's
MASTER 40-44
1. Dale Knapp...Kona
3. Mark Noble...Amgen...at 1:47...placing XC semipro
13. Charlie Storm...Inland Construction-Back To Dirt...4:37...6th at Snowmass NMBS MA
MASTER WOMEN 40-44
1. Audrey Huffman...Mad River Rivers
2. Dorothy Wong...Kelly...at 1:10...XC Pro Wmn
MASTER 45-49
1. Steve Tilford...Verge-Shimano...1983 National XC Champ, Fat Boy Criterium legend
2. Kevin Hines...E Line Accessories...at 2:02...Multi National Enduro Champion
MASTER WOMEN 45-49
1. Patti Kaufmann...Team Wisconsin
MASTER 50-54
1. Paul Curley...Gearworks-Spinarts
MASTER WOMEN 50-54
1. Tove Shere...Ochsner
MASTER 55-59
1. Dan Norton...Redline
MASTER WOMEN 55+
1. Betty Jordan...Velo Bella
MASTER 60+
1. John Elgart...Webcor-Alto Velo
B CLASS
1. Brad Cole...Team X Cycling
B WOMEN
1. Rhonda Morin...Portland Velo Club
35+ B CLASS
1. Keith Gauvin...Benidorm-Createx
JUNIOR 17-18
1. Danny Summerhills...TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar
4. Chance Noble...Scary Fast...at 0:53...top XC Junior
JUNIOR 17-18 WOMEN
1. Arielle Filiberti...Bike Alley-NERT-Phillips Academy Andover
JUNIOR 15-16
1. Alex Coelho
JUNIOR 15-16 WOMEN
1. Samantha Schneider...Endeavour
JUNIOR 13-14
1. Benny Swedberg...Rad Racing
JUNIOR 13-14 WOMEN
1. Kaitlin Antonneau...Nova IsCorp
JUNIOR 10-12
1. Logan Owen...Redline
JUNIOR 10-12 WOMEN
1. Elizabeth White...NEBC
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