Saturday afternoon brought a bit of rain to Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, NY, setting the stage for the Rochester Cyclocross C1 UCI Women’s and Men’s Elite races. Undeterred by the weather, riders faced the demanding course, which featured two flyovers, a rock garden, the challenging Belgium staircase, Full Moon Vista barriers, The Jungle, and the infamous Double Trouble.
The first lap of the race saw a strong lead group form early, consisting of Sidney McGill, Helene Clauzel—fresh off two wins at Go Cross—Manon Bakker driving the pace, and eight-time Rochester Cyclocross winner, Maghalie Rochette, making her 2024 season debut. Just five seconds back, Caroline Mani led the chase, towing collegiate national champion Katie Klaus of the Steve Tilford Foundation along.
As they came through the third lap, McGill, Bakker, Clauzel, Rochette, Mani, and Klaus were all pushing hard, with lap times ranging between 7:00 and 7:30. The intensity was high, but the group stayed largely intact.
With three laps to go, the front group remained steady: Rochette, Bakker, Clauzel, and McGill, while Mani struggled to stay connected, feeling the pressure from repeated attacks. Sitting at the back, Mani and McGill fought to hold their positions as the laps ticked down.
The leading trio—Rochette, Bakker, and Clauzel—tried to break away, leaving Mani and McGill about 10 seconds behind. While not gaining, the two chasers weren’t losing ground either. Bakker, however, began to fade, slipping a few bike lengths back as they hit the flyover. McGill led the chase with French multi-time champion Mani close behind, both fighting to rejoin the leaders.
Heading into the final lap, McGill managed to bridge back to the front, reuniting with Rochette, Clauzel, and Bakker. Carolina Mani, who had been with McGill moments earlier, couldn’t maintain the pace and fell off the back, struggling to regain contact.
As the leaders approached the finish, Rochette launched a late attack in a bid to outpace Clauzel. However, Clauzel responded with a powerful final effort, securing the win. Rochette followed in second, with McGill rounding out the podium in third.
The men's race saw Tobin Ortenblad make his first appearance in the TREK USCX series this season, returning to cyclocross after focusing on gravel racing. Kerry Werner, racing for Groove Off Road Racing Team, lined up after a successful weekend at Go Cross, though he struggled off the start line. Werner fought his way up through the field and eventually finished in 5th.
A standout performance came from U23 rider Henry Coote of Competitive Edge Racing. After the race, he thanked his coach Curtis White for the training that helped him keep pace with the elite field. Coote gained speed with every lap, ultimately finishing 4th. However, a dropped chain in the final laps cost him a podium spot, as Ortenblad passed him. Despite the setback, Coote remained thrilled with his result and credited his team, coach, and family for their support. Coote’s progress has been a highlight for the UCI developmental program, managed by Tyler Samson, who has been working with him since his second year as a junior.
The men’s race was a battle of technical skills and patience. Strohmeyer maintained a steady presence at the front, using a strategic approach and pushing hard in the technical sections. His efforts paid off in the second half of the race, where he opened a gap on Scott Funston and Ortenblad. Curtis White, who had been riding well early on, dropped back and finished 10th. Strohmeyer’s calculated approach allowed him to dominate the flat sections, increasing his lead as the race progressed.
In the opening laps, Curtis White, Funston, Strohmeyer, and Ortenblad formed a leading group. Ortenblad drove the pace, while Kerry Werner, after a slow start, floated between 12th and 15th place. By the third lap, a split had formed, with Strohmeyer and Funston leading, and White and Ortenblad trailing about 10 seconds behind. Werner steadily moved up, though still 15 seconds back from the leaders.
At the halfway point, White had fallen off the pace after pushing into the red zone, while Strohmeyer and Funston continued to lead. Werner, now in the top 10, worked his way up to 6th place by the 7th lap, though the gap to Strohmeyer had grown to 45 seconds. Strohmeyer continued to extend his lead in the technical sections, particularly through The Jungle and Double Trouble, pulling away from Funston in the final laps.
In the closing laps, Coote and Ortenblad battled together until Coote’s dropped chain allowed Ortenblad to secure 3rd place, while Coote finished just behind in 4th. It was a hard-fought race, with Strohmeyer emerging victorious after a well-executed performance.
Day two of Rochester Cyclocross in the UCI Elite Women's C2 kicked off with Sidney McGill and Nadine Zoerner securing the hole shot, quickly setting the pace. McGill, Raylyn Nuss, Manon Bakker, and Helene Clauzel were the first over the flyover, aggressively leading the front of the race.
As the group approached the Double Trouble section, Nuss had a bobble, causing a shuffle behind McGill, who capitalized on the tangle to push the pace throughout the first lap. Maghalie Rochette sat closely behind, with Zoerner not far back. By the end of the first lap, a lead group of Clauzel, McGill, Zoerner, and Bakker had formed, with Caroline Mani chasing just behind.
The riders took turns testing each other's legs on the straights, exchanging attacks to gain an early advantage. However, in the second lap, Bakker had a fall at the barriers, momentarily disrupting the rhythm. As they headed into the jungle, Clauzel, Bakker, McGill, Rochette, and Mani were all still in the hunt, though Zoerner started to lose contact with the group.
By the end of the third lap, Clauzel began to distance herself from the rest of the leaders in the technical sections, asserting her dominance. As the race progressed, a clear lead group of Clauzel, Bakker, and McGill formed, with Rochette and Mani chasing to close the gap.
Heading into the final lap, the three leaders remained tightly together. Clauzel made her move at the Belgium staircase, launching an attack that gapped McGill and Bakker. In the second half of the final lap, Clauzel maintained her advantage to take the win, with McGill finishing second and Bakker rounding out the podium in third.
Photo Credit: USCX Media
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