Maghalie Rochette earned her third-straight cyclocross win Saturday, on a fast, dry course in New York. The St.-Adele, Que. racer dominated Day 1 of Rochester Cyclocross, leading a very strong Canadian showing in the United States.
Behind Rochette, Sidney McGill and Isabella Holmgren dueled for podium positions, with Canucks taking three of the top four spots.
How the race unfolded
Off the line, it was Caroline Mani (Groove Off-Road) taking the hole shot. The veteran French racer wouldn’t lead for long, though, as Rochette (Canyon Cllctv) attacked up a steep embankment just two minutes into the women’s race to take over the lead.
Rochette quickly established a gap and never looked back. After separating herself from the field, Rochette would build her advantage all the way to the finish line.
Behind, Caroline Mane fell into a duel with Edmonton’s Sidney McGill (Cérvelo-Orange Living) for second. Mani attacked through the finish line with four laps to go moving clear of the Canadian and into second place. Behind, junior cyclocross and mountain bike world champion Isabella Holmgren (Stimulus Orbea) was keeping the pressure on in fourth. Last year’s dominant racer and Pan Am champ Raylyn Nuss, was holding fifth place.
At the finish line, Rochette would take the win with a 1:07 advantage to Mani. It is Rochette’s third win in three USCX starts after doubling up at the Go Cross season opener last weekend.
Sidney McGill held off Isabella Holmgren for third and the final podium spot, but couldn’t catch up to the French racer. Holmgren finished fourth, 1:39 back from Rochette.
Junior racing
There were another three Canadians in the top five of the junior women’s race in Rochester. Lidia Cusack of the U.S.A. kept the win local. Raphaelle Carrier and Maude Ruelland flanked the American on the podium, finishing second and third. Lily Rose Marois followed close behind in fifth.
In the junior men’s race, Jayden McMullen was close to putting Canada on the podium but could not disrupt the U.S. sweep of David Thompson, Miles Mattern and Henry Coote.
Next weekend, USCX racing moves to Charm City CX in Baltimore.
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