2009 DCCX results
Arley Kemmerer of Hub Racing and Ryan DeWald of Battley Harley-Davidson won the elite races in the third annual DCCX cyclocross race in Washington, D.C. The race, which is run by the DCMTB biking team with Family Bike Shop as the title sponsor, had a record 533 racers on a course carved into the landscape of the seldom seen Armed Forces Retirement Home.
Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing) go through the barriers
In the women’s race sponsored by Whole Foods Market, Kemmerer powered up the opening blacktop climb to take the head of a lead group, and then pulled away from her chasers Lenore Pipes and Julie Kuliecza at the tricky uphill dismount on the first lap for a convincing win.
“I dropped them by the barriers, and put down the hammer,” Kemmerer said. “I didn’t let up after that.”
Kemmerer takes the victory in the Whole Foods Market Womens 1/2/3 race
To be fair to the her competitors, Kemmerer knew the twists and turns of the DCCX course well after leading a clinic for novice women riders the afternoon before — in a rainstorm — on the tricks of remounts, off cambers and starts. At least for this race, none of her pupils could best her effort.
DeWald leads the front group through the barriers in the Mens 1/2/3 race
DeWald was part of a group of three, including 18-year-old phenom Joseph Dombrowski, which established a gap over the rest of the elite men’s field early on. With three laps to go he powered up that same blacktop climb, riding away from both Dombrowski, who raced cross with the national team in Belgium last winter, and Greg Wittwer. He then rode solo to the finish, putting on a show for the crowd with a spectacular wheelie after the finish.
By the end of the race DeWald had an impressive margin over his chasers
“DeWald is so strong on the road, it’s hard to even sit on his wheel,” Dombrowski said. “He started ramping it up; the gap got big and then it just exploded.”
The race was held again this year on an awe inspiring sunny day following a heavy rainstorm, leaving the course gooey in parts for the first racers of the day. Those early races included a field of 125 racers for the Cat 4 race, and nearly the same for the Cat 3/4 masters race. The sunshine and big fields hammered the course firm by the time the 1/2/3 racers started in the afternoon.
Frites were available through the day for free to racers and spectators
In addition to the racing, riders were treated to fresh pancakes from the Dutch Club of Washington; bananas, all-natural peanut butter packets and other treats from Whole Foods Market and liquid refreshments on tap. Blue Ridge Restaurant, the vegan bakery Sticky Fingers Bakery, Ledo Pizza, the Embassy of Belgium and Family Bikes all donated swag to race winners in the lower categories. In addition to the swag, Family Bikes of Crofton, Maryland donated the purse for the men’s field and Whole Foods donated the purse for the women.
Team Captain Matt Donahue was only one of the DCMTB racers who had a great showing at their home event
Three of the main architects of the race at DCMTB, Matthew Donahue, Jonathan Seibold and Marc Gwadz, each also racked up great results for the day. Gwadz was fifth in the Masters 1/2/3 race. Riding a single speed with flat bars, Seibold was fifth in the masters 3/4 race (earning a prized kiss from the lovely podium girl Sarah Seibold, his wife) and Donahue was 13th in the smoking-fast men’s 3/4 race.
In the end Gwadz credited the volunteer efforts of riders such as Kemmerer and the folks from the Dutch Club for turning the race into cycling social event of the year.
DeWald, who owns Skyline Bicycles in Reading, Pennsylvania, agreed. “It’s a great race. I came down last year for it, and I’ll come back next year,” he said.
Men’s Elite Top 10:
Mens 1/2/3 Podium (L-R: Driscoll, Dombrowski, DeWald, Wittwer, Weaver)
1 Ryan DEWALD Battley HARLEY-DAVIDSON
2 Joseph DOMBROWSKI Haymarket Bicycles/Home Visit
3 Greg WITTWER ALAN North America Cycling Team
4 Adam DRISCOLL Adventures For the Cure
5 Dave WEAVER ALAN North America Cycling Team
6 Jeffrey BUCKLES ALAN / Radio Shack Pro Cycling
7 Jared NIETERS Haymarket Bicycles/HomeVisit
8 Mark BROADNATZ C3
9 Jordan KAHLENBERG Breakawaybikes.com/Giant Bicycles
10 Collin BECKER Walt Works/Fuentes Design
Women’s Elite Top 10:
Womens 1/2/3 Podium (L-R: Sheldon, Kuliecza, Kemmerer, Pipes, Maxwell)
1 Arley KEMMERER (Hub Racing)
2 Julie KULIECZA (Alan North America Cycling)
3 Lenore PIPES
4 Libbey SHELDON (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
5 Jennifer MAXWELL (ATAC Sportswear p/b The Bike Rack DC)
6 Beth MASON (Verge Test Pilot)
7 Elizabeth HARIOW (C3 – Athletes Serving Athletes)
8 Terri SPANOGLE (NCVC/Inova Health System)
9 Lindsey HILLESHEIM (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab)
10 Heidi VON TEITENBERG (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes)
Complete 2009 DCCX results.
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