Mugging in Massachusetts: The Jonathan Page - Tim Johnson crash video

This video, captured by Colt at Cyclingdirt.com, shows Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com rider Tim Johnson moving inside Jonathan Page at the NACT race in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and cutting out the Planet Bike rider's front wheel while passing. Page is obviously less than pleased with the maneuver, and you can hear what sounds like Jeremy Powers (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) instructing his teammate Jamey Driscoll, "We're waiting."

Page will now be heading off to Europe for his world cup campaign while Johnson focuses on the NACT and the USGP, but it will be interesting to see if this incident fuels a longer feud between two of America's best cyclocross riders.

Oregon's Sue Butler leads women's NACT series; Page earns leader's jersey in men's competition

GLOUCESTER, Mass. -- Maybe there was magic in the mud in Gloucester as the second round of the North American Cyclocross Trophy saw Jonathon Page’s U.S. finale, Tim Johnson’s return to form, and Natasha Elliott’s stamp of dominance.

With previous NACT leader Christian Heule back in Europe, Page (Planet Bike) moved comfortably into the red jersey with his win on Saturday and second place on Sunday.

The Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com team has three riders in the top 10 with Jamey Driscoll in third, Johnson in fourth and Jeremy Powers in sixth. With Page heading back to Europe, the green and black onslaught of Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com will look to take control of the series as the NACT crosses the border into Toronto.

Bissell rider Andy Jacques-Maynes' fifth-place finishes on both days put him in – you guessed it – fifth place overall. Newcomer to ‘cross Chris Jones kept his eye on the podium with third- and sixth-place finishes. The Champion System rider sits in seventh overall, ahead of Danish champion Joachim Parbo and Jesse Anthony (Jamis). Russell Stevenson of Washington rounds out the top 10.

The Kona contingent was noticeably absent from Gloucester this past weekend, as they headed to Portland to help christen the 2009 Cross Crusade at Alpenrose, but a return of the bright orange boys could contribute to some more jostling in the series standings.

Portland's Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale) had her work cut out for her as she raced to keep her NACT leader’s jersey. Although top rival Helen Wyman (Kona) has returned to Europe for World Cup racing, Louis Garneau rider Natasha Elliott’s back to back wins moved her into second place overall, only 25 points behind Butler. With the series moving to Canada, Elliott may use the hometown crowd to wrest the jersey from Butler.

Although she didn't race in Gloucester, Luna's Alison Dunlap moved down one position into fourth overall. Laura Van Gilder (C3 Athletes Serving Athletes), Mo Bruno-Roy (Mm Racing/Seven Cycles), and Amanda Carey (Kenda/trainwitheric.com) all used Gloucester to move into fifth through seventh. Though Wendy Williams stayed in Oregon to race, the Hudz-Subaru rider kept her ninth place behind the also absent Kari Studley. Rebecca Wellons (Team Plan C) rode her way to 10th overall with two top 10 finishes at Gloucester.

With Elliott headed for the home-field advantage in Canada, and both Powers and Johnson past winners in Toronto, the 2009 GNC Toronto International Cyclo-Cross will ensure the NACT series continues as a points battle. Organizers also have some extracurricular events planned. On Friday, Oct. 17, Urban Male Magazine in conjunction with Cameron’s Brewing Co will host the TICC pre-race party at downtown Toronto’s iconic Brunswick House (481 Bloor Street West).

Registration is open at www.bikereg.com and more information can be found at www.ontariocycling.org and www.torontocyclocross.com. With the largest cyclocross purse in North America, racers’ eyes are on the prize as the series hits its halfway point. For more full standings and information, see http://www.nacyclocross.com. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NACT.

(Submitted by the NACT)

NACT heads for Massachusetts this weekend

PHOTO: Helen Wyman (Kona), Sue Butler (MonaVie/Cannondale) and Wendy Williams (Hudz-Subaru) wait for the start at Star Crossed Sept. 19 in Redmond, Wash. Wyman's return to Europe should help shake up the NACT standings.

The North American Cyclocross Trophy cowbell train makes its first East Coast stop at the Great Brewers Gran Prix in Gloucester, Mass., this Saturday and Sunday.

British national champ Helen Wyman and Swiss national champ Christian Heule walked away with the series-leader jerseys after the first weekend of racing in Washington at Star Crossed and the Rad Racing GP Sept. 19 and 20, and then the big show at Cross Vegas Sept. 23.

But with Wyman and Heule headed back to Europe, leading U.S. riders Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com), Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) and Jeremy Powers (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) will be looking to take advantage of the empty top spot and move up.

Likewise Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com), Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing/Seven Cycles) and Lyne Bessette (October Factory Racing) will try to leave their first impression on the series and earn some points. Both Johnson and Bessette have won at Gloucester in the past. Look for the married couple to try and make it a family affair atop the podium once again.

There are some dark horses, however, after Chris Jones’ (Champion System) strong showing in Washington State last weekend followed by second place at Cross Vegas, the road rider turned ‘cross racer shouldn’t be a surprise to his competitors. Bruno Roy took fifth and seventh at the Gran Prix in 2008 and will be looking to improve on her past results in front of the partisan New England crowd.

(Submitted by the North American Cyclocross Trophy series).