Story Courtesy Lyne Lamoureux

Photos courtesy Mia Sullivan/StudioMProductions.com

     The moon was full, the Las Vegas lights shimmered in the distance, the

crowds were noisy and the racing was hot at CrossVegas.  In a show of

force, Czech National Cyclocross Champion Katerina Nash (Luna Pro

Team) soloed to victory, her first at the race after taking second the

past two years.

    “This is one of my favorite races and it's a good crowd tonight.” Nash

said. “Every time you win it's super exciting it wasn't easy out

there, it's a super tough course. I just put in a good effort maybe

half-way through the race, the gap kept growing. I had teammates back

there, they were super strong but they weren't going to let me go so I

put my head down and Mary was riding  extremely strong today.

CrossVegas is a big deal and it's exciting to win out here.”

    From the start of the race, the women of Luna Pro Team were in total

control of the 40-minute race.  Nash and her teammates Georgia Gould,

and Amy Dombroski went immediately to the front and established a fast

paced tempo. Joining the lead group was former US National cross

country champion, Mary McConneloug (Kenda/Seven Cycles).

    With three laps to go Nash attacked hard and established a huge lead.

The battle was on for the remaining podium slots.

    “I knew where my race was and I had to be smart about it. I was pretty

much soft-pedaling on the front, neither of them would come around.

Finally a little bit of help on windy sections but got a little

blocked off on the last hillclimb“ McConneloug.

    Though McConneloug pressed the Luna Pro Team riders, Dombroski timed

her attack in the final lap and prevailed to take second.

    “Last year that was where I was able to get out of the group that I

was with." Dombroski used her knowledge of the course to attack on the

climb. "You have to attack where it's hard, I think that's probably

one of the hardest part, because it's a steep hill, the grasses are

real dry, I just of gave it everything there and tried to keep turning

the pedals over even though I was totally inside out.”

    McConneloug came in third, with Gould finishing fourth.

Complete Results HERE