Cyclo X series wraps-up with wins for Vestal and Baddick, ushers in state championships

Cyclo X Louisville fields start in the depths of the “Bowl of Death.” Here the women’s elite riders take off followed by the 35+ women.
[updated 11/30/2014]
The 16th edition of the Cyclo X series wrapped up on the weekend before Thanksgiving at the Louisville, CO venue. In the elite races Caitlyn Vestal (Feedback Sports) took her tenth win of season and Chris Baddick (Boulder Cycle Sport) his third. Kristin Weber (Boulder Cycle Sport) and Spencer Powlison (Evol Racing) both earned the overall series lead thanks to their consistently strong performances during the seven race series and the double points on offer at Louisville where they both finished third.
Dubbed the “Bowl of Death,” the course’s main feature is a reservoir-sized depression adjacent to the Louisville Rec Center; it occupies the heart of the course. Ominous as it sounds – and the four dips into and out of it every lap did test riders’ fitness – the winning move in the men’s race happened on a longish paved uphill section that fed into a sandpit off to the east of the bowl.
That’s where Baddick outdistanced Allen Krughoff (Noosa Pro Cyclocross Team) with two laps remaining. After Jingle Cross Krughoff halted his UCI racing schedule. He returned home to Boulder for a period of rebuilding after trying to race back into form following a lengthy mid-season illness.
In the women’s race Vestal broke away from a small group of leaders early in the second of five laps. In a repeat of her win at this year’s Feedback Cup, she steadily extended her lead, in full command of the race and, like Baddick, crossed the finish line solo.
With their recent sets of wins Vestal and Baddick are primed for the state cyclocross championships, which take place in two weeks. Baddick has previously said he’s targeted states since the start of the cyclocross season.
If Krughoff raced in Louisville while still on the upswing, he should be set to attempt to defend the state title which he earned at the same venue as this year’s championships. The Rhyolite Park course in Castle Rock seems to fit his strengths; he also finished second there to Jeremy Powers (Aspire Racing) just before CrossVegas.
For full results from Cyclo X Louisville, the previous six races, and the overall points, see the Without Limits Productions website.
Watch Brady Kappius hop a set of barriers that leads into a run-up.
xxx
Gallery
- Kristin Weber gets the holeshot
- Melissa Barker placed 2nd
- True hand-up
- Runup
- Allison Moorhead, junior in elite race
- Kristal Boni’s race ended early
- Kristin Weber focus Focus
- Happy support
- Caitlyn Vestal solos to win
- Westside women
- Megan Hottman wins 35+ race
- Errin Vito recently cat’d up
- Elite men’s start
- Spencer Powlison leads lap 2
- Lilliput sized spectators
- Ken Benesh rides to series 2nd overall
- Chris Baddick wins Louisville
- Spencer Powlison goes deep
- Elite men’s podium
- Bags of loot cheer
- Men’s 35 plus race podium
- Bowl of Death humor
- Matt Davies 2nd overall, Cyclo X 35+
- Waiting his turn
- Return of Chris Case
- Chris Baddick and Brady Kappius
- A fierce Pete Webber