Who is the better cyclocross racer: Emma White, Maghalie Rochette, or Kaitlin Keough?
It’s the question that could be answered this coming weekend at Baltimore’s Charm City Cyclocross, which serves as the second race weekend of the new US Cup-CX series. After one weekend of racing, the three women are tied for first place in the series’ points standings.
The series is composed of seven total races (three UCI C1 and four UCI C2) spread out over four race weekends. The series awards 75 points to the winner of each C1 race and 70 to the winner of each C2 race, respectively.
The winner-take-all series pays out $10,000 to the winner of both the men’s and women’s standings.
Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com teammates Keough and White posted identical results during the KMC weekend; Keough won Friday’s C1 race and finished third during Sunday’s C2 event, while White finished third and first. Canadian champion Rochette (Team CLIF) was second on both days, giving her an identical points total.
All eyes will be on Tobin Ortenblad in Baltimore after the 23-year-old won both rounds at the KMC Festival. Ortenblad (Donkey Label-Santa Cruz) holds a commanding lead over Stephen Hyde (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) in the men’s standings.
Weather could be a factor in the Baltimore races, which in 2016 featured thick, chunky mud and driving rain. The current weather report calls for sunshine and warm temperatures for Saturday’s C1 race and rain for the C2 race on Sunday. Stay tuned to velonews.com for news and updates from the US Cup-CX/Charm City Cross race weekend.
Sho Air US Cup-CX Standings
Elite Women Top-10
Emma White, Cannondale-Cylocrossworld.com, 135 points
Maghalie Rochette (Can), CLIF Pro Team, 135
Kaitlin Keough, Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com, 135
Rebecca Fahringer, Stans NoTubes-Maxxis, 105
Crystal Anthony, Maxxis-Shimano, 105
Christel Ferrier-Bruneau, Sas Macogep Aquisio, 105
Ellen Noble, Aspire Racing, 85
Arley Kemmerer, Fearless Femme, 65
Katie Clouse, Alpha Bicycle Co, 51
Allison Arensman, JA King-BRC, 50
Elite Men Top-10
Tobin Ortenblad, Donkey Label-Santa Cruz, 145 points
Stephen Hyde, Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com, 125
Kerry Werner, Kona Factory Team, 110
Curtis White, Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com, 105
Spencer Petrov, Aspire Racing, 90
Bjorn Selander, Borah, 85
Cooper Willsey, CCB Velotooler, 85
Jack Kisseberth, JAM Fund-NCC, 76
James Driscoll, Donnelly Racing, 75
Denzel Stephenson, Boulder Junior Cycling, 50
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