NCGP Features Fast and Furious Racing | Pro CX Winners Announced

Day 1:

Saturday, November 20, 2021—Hendersonville, NC: Dry conditions on day one of the Hunter Subaru North Carolina Grand Priz (NCGP) provided elite racers with the opportunity to test their limits in pursuit of the last ProCX ranking points before USA Cycling Nationals.

In the Elite Women’s field Hannah Arensmen (Sycamore Cycles) took an early lead with Lizzie Gunsalus (Marian University) and Anna Megale (Trek Cyclocross Collective) in the lead pack. After a spill in a dusty corner, Gunsalus and Megale broke away as Arensman made her way to the pit. A chase group of Erica Zaveta (The Pony Shop p/b KPMG), Taylor Kuyk-White (RSCX - House Industries) and Emily Werner (Emmy's Sweets pb Ken's Bike Shop) formed and held off the rest of the field. An attack from Megale as the leaders neared two laps to go sealed the deal for Megale in first and Gonsalus in second, while a battle for third place formed in the chase group. Werner attacked as the group headed towards pit two on a slight climb but Zaveta answered and took Kuyk-White with her. As the racers completed the wooded section Zaveta clinched the third podium spot. Full results can be found at http://legacy.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2021-6749.

The Elite Men’s field followed suit with a fast start and early lead out by McGill (Aevolo), Werner (Kona Maxxis Shimano CX Team), and Hecht (Aevelo). As Werner and Hecht traded spaces, Cody Cupp (Riders Inc) worked the field to move into third position with a solid lead over the rest of the chase group three laps into the race. Hecht moved into the lead position and held a several-second lead over Werner for the majority of the race before a strong, solo finish. Werner finished second, with Cupp in third. Full results can be found at http://legacy.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2021-6749.

Day one of the NCGP also marked race #3 in the GOCX/NCGP Cup. After race #3 current series leaders are Zaveta, Werner, and Megale in the Elite Women, and Werner, McGill, and Fix in the Elite Men. The GOCX/NCGP will be decided after day two of the NCGP.

Written By: Laura Rice | lmusselwhiterice@gmail.com

Day 2:

Sunday, November 21, 2021 – Hendersonville, NC: Day two of the Hunter Subaru NCGP brought another sunny and dry day, breaking the streak of wet weather that played heavily into the last three editions of the NCGP. Course changes removed one of the slight grassy climbs that aided Hecht in his dominating ride on Saturday and added an off-camber straightway followed with 180 turns along the bank.

In the Women’s elite race, Arensman went from the gun, determined to make up time from her Saturday mechanical and run to the pit after wrecking on a dry corner. A group of Arensman, Gunsalus, Ava Holmgren, and Zaveta formed to lead the race after lap one. Aresnman and Gunsalus quickly broke away, trading work to create a 23 second gap over the chase group, using their cooperation to aid with a headwind heading out of pit one towards the back of the course. Megale slipped a pedal at the start and after a rough first lap settled into a rhythm to move up into third, picking up Holmgren after she lost contact with the leaders, and dropping Zaveta back to fifth position. A flying chase group of Runnels, Kuyk-White, and Werner picked up Zaveta, as Arensman tested Gunsalus and started to create a gap with two laps to go. Arensman continued to grow her gap, while Megale picked up a few seconds on Gunsalus but remained in third place. Arensman, Gunsalus, and Megale finished one, two, three, with Ava Holmgren riding to a solid uncontested fourth place. The chase group of Runnels, Kuyk-White, and Werner had grown to include Killips and Shea. The last woods section before the paved finish stretch shook out the group, leaving Runnels and Zaveta to sprint for 5^th with Runnels just taking it at the line, leaving Zaveta in 6^th for the day. Full results can be found here: https://legacy.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2021-6750

The elite men wasted no time in shaking out the leaders on course. Traversing the elite-only off-camber section, McGill, Werner and Hecht set the pace with Cupp, Orschel, Fix, Clark and others working to stay with the leaders. An early bobble resulted in Fix going down on a worn off camber right-hand corner, giving Clark some time to settle into fourth. The remainder of the chase group got away while Fix attempted to repair his shoe damaged in his wreck. With two laps to go, McGill started to test Werner as Hecht remained chasing in third. McGill and Werner continued to play on the last lap, heading into the woods section back to back, emerging with McGill in front. As soon as they hit the pavement, McGill and Werner put the gas down and put the final sprint in, with a bike throw at the line just taking the win for Werner, leaving McGill with second. Hecht finished third. Full results can be found here: https://legacy.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2021-6750

The final race of the NCGP also concluded the inaugural GOCX/NCGP Cup. After the inclusion of race #4, the GOCX/NCGP Cup champions are Erica Zaveta and Kerry Werner. The women’s overall is Erica Zaveta at 193:59:00, Emily Werner at 195:41:00, and Anna Megale at 195:43:00. The men’s over is Kerry Werner at 235:07:00, Scott McGill at 239:04:00, and Andrew Dillman at 243:15:00.

The GOCX/NCGP Cup is a partnership series between GO Cross and NCCX to offer a total payout of $1,000 to the top three men and women based on time across the four races. GO Gross kicked off the Pro CX series in September, with the NCGP being the final race of the 2021 series.

Written By: Laura Rice | lmusselwhiterice@gmail.com

Pro CX Winners

What a fantastic few months of racing. The NCGP was the last race weekend of the series, which means we get to announce this year's Pro CX winners! This year in the Elite Men's field, Kerry Werner dominated all season long earning a total of 545-points and the overall win. In the Elite Women's field, early-season success paid off big for Caroline Mani. She ended up taking gold!

Elite Men:

Elite Women:

For more information and for the full list of results click here.

Photos By: Weldon Weaver | @fotoweaver