Marko LaLonde Wins Singlespeed Race

Marko LaLonde of Madison, Wisc., powered across the finish line first to win the non-championship Singlespeed category race.

LaLonde took the lead midway through the first of five laps and with two laps to go, his lead was 35 seconds. Turning times of just about eight-and-a-half-minutes a lap, LaLonde was within a few seconds of posting the best lap times of the entire event - a mark currently held by Steve Tilford in the Masters 45-49 race.

“The main thing was staying upright because it was so rutted," LaLonde. "You had to stay really light on the handlebars and let the ruts take you. If you tried to fight it, you were going down."

Patrick Morrissey of Albuquerque, N.M., surprised even himself by moving up six places on the final lap to finish fourth.

“I was just thinking I had to put together a clean lap and I did,” Morrissey said.

Singlespeed Race Underway

More than a hundred competitors were registered for the Singlespeed race and it looks like nearly all of them made it to the start line for the first race of the day.

David Meyer of Hudson, Wisc., took the holeshot but Lincoln, Neb., rider Tony Wilhelm moved into the lead by the time the race reached the first trip through the pit area chicane.

Wilhelm, riding a mountain bike, was followed closely by Travis Brown of Durango, Colo., who is riding a cyclocross bike. One woman has even decided to give it a go.

Final Day Of Racing One Hour Away

At 7 a.m., it is still dark here at Wyandotte County Park. But in one hour, the first of six races today goes off.

The singlespeed category is first up, followed by the collegiate women at 9, the collegiate men at 10 and the Masters Men (60-64, 65-69 and 70+ divisions) at 11.

The Elite Women go off at noon, followed by the Elite Men at 1 p.m.

Temperatures will be bitterly cold, but there is no snow in the forecast. It is 14 degrees right now and, with clear skies, the temperature may drop into the single digits before it begins rising later this morning. The good news is that the wind is hardly blowing compared to yesterday's 20 mph gusts.

First word back from competitors pre-riding the course is that it is "very rideable and very fast" at this point.

The Personal Prospective

Many racers are blogging about their experiences at this year's national championships. Here's a sample:

Amy Dombroski, winner of the Under 23 Women
Steve Tilford, winner of the 45-49 Masters
Brandon Dwight, winner of the 35-39 Masters
Chris Locke, Masters 40-44 competitor

Today's Stories Now Posted with Photos

Full stories and photos of today's snowy action are now available on the official website for the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships:

http://www.kccrossnationals.com/NEW_SITE/Photos/news3.html

Sunday's Weather

The final day of the USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships will be a lot like Thursday: partly sunny, with temperatures in the low 30s. However, it will be a very chilly start to the first race at 8 a.m., when the temperature is only expected to be 16 degrees. The wind is not expected to be as brisk as it was on Saturday.

As for the snowfall total at the Wyandotte County Park course, unofficially, it amounted to nearly three inches. (Pictured: Ally Stacher of Lees-McRae, making her way between the flakes in the Under 23 race. Photo by John Peterson.)

Race Added To Sunday's Schedule

In order to offer the best race conditions possible, USA Cycling will re-run three races on Sunday: the Masters Men 60-64, Masters Men 65-69 and Masters Men 70+ age groups.

The race will be a 30 minutes in duration and take place during a break that was originally an open course practice period.

These categories were originally part of the final race of the Saturday schedule.

Taking A Bite Out Of KCCX

Three guys standing near the finish line Saturday afternoon drew a lot of second glances because of their unusual outfits.

They were dressed as sharks.

It was all in fun to help cheer on Masters 50-54 competitor of Chris Clausen.

So what does Clausen have to do with sharks? He rides for the Big Shark Racing Team out of St. Louis.

Ned Overend Takes Another One

Ned Overend added to his already impressive list of achievements with a win in the Masters Men 50-54 division in the final race of the day on Saturday afternoon.

Overend said he never felt quite in control, despite a sizeable lead. The Durango, Colo., resident said he "jacked up" his shoulder in a hard fall early in the race.

“Even in the end, you had to be ready to put your foot down," Overend said. "Your front wheel was just skittering all over the place. There was one line but when we were lapping riders, you had to go outside of that line.”

Ned Overend Leads The Final Race Of The Day

Specialized's Ned Overend of Durango, Colo., scored the holeshot in the final race of the day. Four age categories - 50-54, 55-59, 60-64 and 65+ - are racing on the course simultaneously as the snow continues to fall. Snowfall estimates range from 2-3 inches, though the course itself is mostly hard-frozen mud.

After leading for the first lap, Overend suffered a mechanical and had to run his bike for a time until he reached the service pit.

Mishaps Include Broken Hand

The medical crew on hand at this year's race has been kept busy. Injuries have ranged from hard bumps and bruises to a broken hand and even a leg wound caused by impalement by a plastic course stake. One rider in the Masters 35-39 race even crashed face-first onto the frozen course, cutting his chin.

Alan Coats Wins Masters 40-44

Alan (James) Coats of Campbell, Calif., didn't let a 12th row start get in the way of winning the Masters 40-44 race.

"I was here in 2000 when it was snow and ice and I swore then that I'd never be back," Coats said.

Troy Tucker turned heads by crossing the finish line with his bike on his shoulder. The Nashville, Tenn., rolled his front tire off the rim on the final trip up the stairs and had to run the final 600 meters.

Riding The Course Is Like 'Jumping On A Tram'

So how is the race course at Wyandotte County Park holding up in Saturday's barrage of large fields, sub-freezing temperatures and blowing snow?

Race announcer John Lefler, Jr., an experienced cyclocross competitor, race promoter and president of the Nebraska Cycling Association, provided this assessment:

"It's almost the other side of the spectrum from yesterday," Lefler said. "It got so muddy late in the afternoon with the lines changing on every lap. Today, it's like this hard-packed, snow and ice surface. Amazingly, when you go through the sections that aren't pedestrian crossings, it's almost like riding on a paved surface. The lines are starting to really be developed.

"It's like jumping on a tram. It's grooved in and it goes. As long as you're on the right track, you'll go."

Brandon Dwight Wins Masters 35-39

Brandon Dwight of Boulder, Colo., successfully avoided the traffic of a host of lapped riders to win the Masters Men 35-39 race. The rider who was chasing him for the last two laps, Frank McCormack, crashed into a lapped rider in the final 600 meters, losing out on his chance to contest a sprint with Dwight.

Also, what was supposed to be a field of 170 riders was decimated by a host of no-shows. Only 93 riders - still a hefty field - actually started the race.

Largest Race Of The Event Underway

The Masters Men's 35-39 field - 170 riders strong and the largest field of the entire national championships - blasted out of the starting grid at 1:14 p.m. The sheer number of competitors delayed the start as officials scurried to get the riders in position.

Despite the blowing snow and bitter cold, a good crowd of spectators has turned out to watch the start.