Trebon takes USGP Derby City Cup #1

National cyclocross champ Ryan Trebon of Bend won the first round of the Derby City Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, today in a two-up sprint with Cannondale's Jamey Driscoll. Tim Johnson (Cannondale) finished third. Trebon's Kona teammate Erik Tonkin of Portland experienced tire troubles but finished 16th and won the day's prize for most-aggressive rider.

Katerina Nash won the women's race in front of Luna teammate Georgia Gould and Ricard Sach's rider Amy Dombroski. Portland's Sue Butler (Monavie/Cannondale) finished 8th.

The Derby City Cup is the second round of the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross, which culminates in Portland Dec. 5-6.

You can find a complete report on VeloNews.com HERE.

RESULTS
Derby City Cup #1
Saturday, Oct. 24

Men
1. Ryan Trebon (KONA)
2. Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale/CyclocrossWorld.com)
3. Tim Johnson (Cannondale CyclocrossWorld.com)
4. Jesse Anthony (Team Jamis Bikes)
5. Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis/Rocky Mountain)
Women
1. Katerina Nash(LUNA)
2. Georgia Gould (LUNA)
3. Amy Domboski (Richard Sachs/RGM Watches/Radix)
4. Alison Dunlap (LUNA)
5. Meredith Miller (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)

Sheppard out for October with broken finger

Canadian citizen and Bend resident Chris Sheppard said Tuesday that he'll have to miss this weekend's Canadian national championships as well the upcoming U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross and North American Cyclocross Trophy series races. The Santa Cruz/Shimano/WTB rider was putting the final touches to his form when he crashed descending some singletrack.

Sheppard has been a familiar face in the Oregon racing scene since taking up residence in Bend, and he was recently the top Oregon finisher at the second NACT series race in Washington, chasing from the back of the pack at the UCI Rad Racing GP to finish 8th in a race won by former world champion silver medalist Jonathan Page.

X-rays confirmed a fracture of the proximal bone in Sheppard's ring finger on his left hand. The injury has left him in a soft cast for a month, and Sheppard said he won't risk re-injuring the finger because he could face surgery if another mishap were to occur.

"My entire 'cross season revolved around the October races", Sheppard said via e-mail. "Santa Cruz Bicycles stepped up to continue what has really been a fun, successful season. Yes, missing nationals while being fit hurts, but I am more disappointed for letting down my sponsors."

Sheppard hopes to make a return to cyclocross action at the Boulder Cup UCI weekend.

(Photo courtesy of Chris Sheppard)

Wisconsin's Planet Bike Cup Sunday races wrap up USGP opening weekend

The first two races of the U.S. Grand Prix of Cyclcocross are in the books. Three-time world champion Erwen Vervecken of Belgium leads the men's race. Katie Compton of Colorado leads the women.

The next set of weekend races will be the Derby City Cup Oct. 24 and 25 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Knapp's Cyclery Mercer Cup follows Nov. 14 and 15 in Mercer County, New Jersey. And the series culminates in Portland with the Stanley Portland Cup Dec. 5 and 6 at Portland International Raceway.

RESULTS
U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross
Madison, Wisc.
Sunday, Sept. 27

ELITE WOMEN

1. COMPTON, Katherine (Planet Bike)
2. NASH, Katerina (Luna)
3. GOULD, Georgia (Luna)
4. BUTLER, Susan (Monavie/Cannondale.com)
5. SYDOR, Alison (Maxxis/Rocky Mountain)
6. DUNLAP, Alison (Luna)
7. DOMBROSKI, Amy (Richard Sachs-RGM)
8. WINFIELD, Deidre (C3/Athletes Serving Athletes)
9. WENTWORTH, Kristin (Planet Bike)
10. HASKELL, Devon (Velo Belo)
18. PLAYMAN, Erin (Gentle Lovers)

ELITE MEN

1. VERVECKEN, Erwin (Revor/Baboco)
2. TREBON, Ryan (KONA)
3. PAGE, Jonathan (Planet Bike)
4. KABUSH, Geoff (Maxxis/Rocky Mountain)
5. HEULE, Christian (Rendementhypo)
6. POWERS, Jeremy (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld)
7. DRISCOLL,, Jamey (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld)
8. SCHOUTEN Tristan (Planet Bike)
9. WICKS, Barry (Kona)
10. JONES, Christopher (Champion System)
25. SKERRITT, Shannon (Vanilla Bicycles)
27. HULICK, Kevin (Vanilla Bicycles)
32. BLACKWELDER, Mark (Gentle Lovers)

Three-time World Champ Vervecken will compete at USGP kick-off in Wisconsin

PHOTO: Jeremy Powers, Tim Johnson and Ryan Trebon celebrate success on the 2008 USGP Portland Cup podium.

The U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross announced today that three-time World Cyclocross Champion Erwin Vervecken will compete at the inaugural 2009 USGP Planet Bike Cup Sept. 26 and 27 in Sun Prairie, WI.

The Wisconsin races are the latest addition to the USGP series, which is expanding for 2009 from three weekends to four and culminates Dec. 5 and 6 at Portland International Raceway with the Stanley Portland Cup.

Racing for the Belgian squad Team Revor-Baboco-Champion System, Vervecken will headline the strongest field of racers ever assembled for the USGP, according to series director Joan Hanscom.

"We are thrilled to have Erwin compete at the USGP Planet Bike Cup," Hanscom said. "He is a superstar of unparalleled talent and is sure to animate every moment of racing. For him to be so enthusiastic about competing in the US and at the USGP speaks to the growing importance of the U.S. 'cross scene. We are excited to see how U.S. riders stack up against him early in the season -- especially with the depth of the fields racing here."

Vervecken will face off against Planet Bike super power and World Championship Silver Medalist Jonathan Page; the rising European duo of Christian Heule and Tim Van Nuffel; and a field rich with domestic superstars including former and reigning USGP and National Champions like Cannondale/ CyclocrossWorld.com rider Tim Johnson and teammates Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll; Kona’s Ryan Trebon, the current national champion, and Barry Wicks, Todd and Troy Wells, and Geoff Kabush.

Hanscom said the women’s fields for the Planet Bike Cup and the rest of the series are no less stacked with talent. Planet Bike’s Katie Compton -- herself five-time National Champion and World Championship Bronze medalist -- will make one of her few U.S. appearances before heading off to Europe to focus on the World Cup circuit. Compton will face off against the LUNA Chix juggernaut of USGP Champions Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould, alongside their newly un-retired LUNA teammate Alison Dunlap. Alison Sydor and Portland's own Sue Butler should also be on hand. Women’s cross has never looked so powerful.

Visit the USGP website HERE.

USGP of Cyclocross expands series categories, registration opens today

The 2009 U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross opened registration today for all four weekends of racing.

The eight race series is comprised of the Planet Bike Cup in Madison, WI, on Sept. 26 and 27; The Derby City Cup in Louisville, KY, Oct. 24 and 25; The Mercer Cup presented by Knapp's Cyclery in Mercer County, NJ, Nov. 14 and 15; and The Stanley Portland Cup in Portland Dec. 5 and 6.

New for 2009, each Saturday of the USGP weekend has received a UCI C1 designation, and each Sunday will be C2. Of the six UCI races currently on the U.S. calendar, four are USGP races.

Also new for 2009, the USGP has expanded the categories that will be included in the overall series scoring. Overall series competitions will now include Masters Men 35+, Masters Men 45+, Elite Men, U23 Men, Elite Women and Junior Men 17/18.

Register online for the USGP Portland Cup HERE.