Capitol Velo Club dominates Prairie Cross

With temperatures at 80 degrees and the sun beating down it was a hot day for Prairie du Chien's inaugral cross race sponsored by the Prairie Pedaler.  The course at La Riviere Park started with a fast roll out on a gravel road that lead to the mostly grass course.  The first major challenge was a tight turn to a sandy climb.  A little respite was had after that was a fast section with fast turns where a confident rider could let off the brakes and fly.  A few more climbs lead you up to the top of the course to some tight chicanes where the local fans were out cheering.  Then downhill towards the tough run up.  A long power sucking grass section lead to a double barrier at the base of a long, hard uphill run-up.  Once at the top it was around a tight hairpin turn and down a sandy section and back into another grass section. Around a turn and through a wide open bumpy field.  Then another steep little climb in the blazing sun before entering a twisty turny section through the trees before you hit the finish area.

In the Elite Women's race Capitol Velo Club riders, Renee Callaway and Michele Ericsson, took control of the elite women's race from the start.  Callaway took the lead early but Ericsson  was on her wheel for most of the first lap and second lap and they were virtually side by side at times.  On the second time up the run-up Callaway was able to put some distance into Ericsson which she held through the 45 minute race to take the win with Ericsson, fresh off a Saturday adventure race, just behind for 2nd.  In the men's race Viroqua promoter Chris Newlin used his familiarity with the course to his advantage to establish a gap partway through the race which he held to take the win.  In second place David Bell (Chainsmokers) overcame a bad start that saw him sitting at the back of the pack to hold on for second.  John Ericsson (Brazen Dropouts) rounded out the top three.

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