Team clinches NC Winter Cyclo-cross Series

After three consecutive weekends of racing, the 2009 North Carolina Cyclo-cross Winter Cup Series concluded this past weekend in Charlotte and Greensboro amidst sub-freezing temperatures. The five race series continues to grow in popularity as more and more racers hit the start line in January, some to embrace challenging weather and course conditions, and others to get a jump start on the looming road season that starts in February here in the Southeast.

Deb Whitmore, Christy Blakely, and Laura Wright represented the team for the last series events. The rolling course in Charlotte on Saturday, January 17 featured a number of tricky transitions and a steep run up that helped keep riders' core temperatures up despite the frigid wind chill Whitmore secured the win in the Elite Women's race, with Blakely overcoming a late race crash to secure 5th place. Wright also claimed the top spot in the unisex Juniors category.

On Sunday, January 18, the final series race in Greensboro featured plenty of elevation change and five dismounts, making for a technical and demanding course. In the Juniors category, Wright was the first female finisher placing second. In the elite race, Whitmore scored the double header win for the weekend, with Blakely placing 6th. Whitmore's win clinched her already comfortable lead in the overall Elite Women's series, while Wright's individual results gave her second place in the Juniors category.

The cyclo-cross racing is not over just yet! This weekend, January 24th and 25th, racers travel to Chattanooga, TN for the "Cross-A-Nooga" races, as well as to Ellijay, GA for "Southern Cross", the longest cyclo-cross race in the Southeast.