Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series
Round 6 (Series Finals) - December 8, American Express Financial Advisors
Cyclo-Cross, Merrimack, NH. UCI Category 3



Gully wraps series, Groesbeck wins final round.

Five inches of snow in Southern NH couldn't stop the hot racing at the
American Express Financial Advisors Cyclo-Cross, the Final Round of the 2002
Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series. Calling the Verge Series
a priority for him, New Paltz, NY native Marc Gullickson flew to New England
for the final time this year from his Boulder, CO home to put his stamp on
the overall series title. In fact, the Mongoose/Hyundai rider won all five
of the Verge Series races he started, with Johannes Huseby becoming the only
elite male other than Gully to win a Verge Series race this season.

The elite men's race started with Jonathan Page (Richard Sachs) winning the
start and immediately pulling clear of the field, along with U23 rivals Josh
Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Jeremy Powers (Balance Bar/Devo). Behind
them, Gullickson was mired in a large second group for the first few
corners, until a spill on a hard-packed snow corner took him further back -
outside of the top 10. As Gullickson spent the next two laps battling back
to the lead group, Page demonstrated why he is considered a contender for
the US National Championship next week in California, by driving himself and
his two companions farther in front of the rest of the field.

Gullickson was not to be deterred however, and by lap three he had used the
selective climbs of the American Express Financial Advisors course to make
his way back past several groups, and up to the lead group - now being led
by Josh Anthony. Less than a minute after making contact, Gullickson
attacked on the flatter fields of the course, and while Page and Powers
could not respond, Anthony doggedly clung to the leader for the next
half-lap. It was on the steep paved climb nearing the finish of the lap
though, where Gullickson finally accelerated away from Anthony for good. The
Mongoose/Hyundai rider was on his own for the remainder of the race, just as
he likes it. "I felt really good today. As soon as I got back up to the
leaders I just went."

For the rest of the day, Gullickson's only competition was the difficult
course conditions, conditions which claimed pre-race favorites Page and
Shaun Snodden (Je James). Page retired after a hard crash in the "shredder"
section of the course, a difficult downhill off-camber sweeping turn which
was thick mud for the elite mens race. Page later revealed he started a bit
under the weather, and was on a course of antibiotics.

Behind Gullickson, tight battles for the remaining spots went into the final
lap. Following Page's retirement mid-race, Anthony was left on his own in
second for much of the race. He was caught with two laps to go however by
the 2001 Verge Series Champion, Saturn Professional Mark McCormack. The two
rode together for a lap, until a vicious counterattack from McCormack
through the finish line at one to go immediately dropped the
Cyclocrossworld.com rider. McCormack rolled in for second, while Anthony
hung on for third just in front of a tight battle between NH rider Justin
Lillie (Trek/VW) and Johannes Huseby (Independent Fabrication). One of the
early leaders, Jeremy Powers finished seventh overall, and was the second
U23 rider on the day behind Anthony.

McCormack finished second in the overall Verge Series, while round 5 winner
Johs Huseby finished third.

The women's race started fast, with US 40+ Champion Jodi Groesbeck
(Putney/West Hill) taking an early lead along with Gearworks/SRP rider
Marianne Stover. As Stover's teammates Anna Milkowski and Shauna
Gillies-Smith struggled to stay close, Stover rode at the front with
Groesbeck thinking of the win. Indeed, Stover had in fact beaten Groesbeck
the day before in Durham, NH.

By midway through the race, Gillies-Smith overcame her poor start and was
back up with Groesbeck in the lead. Just in time too, as Stover fell off the
pace as her teammate arrived, and eventually fell to fourth. So the battle
on the fanal two laps was between rivals Groesbeck and Gillies-Smith, the
two riders also battling for the second and third spots in the 2002 Verge
Series standings as well. On the final lap, a fall by Gillies-Smith heading
into the shredder gave Groesbeck all the advantage she needed to cruise in
for her first Verge Series win of the season. She joins Carmen D'Aluisio and
Series Champion Mary McConneloug as the only women to win a Verge Series
race in 2002.

Normally a fast starter, Kathryn Roszko (NCC/BikeReg.com) overcame a poor
first lap to charge up through the field for a fine third place - her best
result in a Verge Series race to date. Roszko's ability to ride the muddy
uphills right after the shredder proved to be the advantage she needed to
overcome strong challenges from fourth placed Anna Milkowski, and fifth
placed Stover.

With her second place on the day Shauna Gillies-Smith held onto second in
the overall series, ahead of Groesbeck, and behind overall winner Mary
McConneloug (Seven).

U.S. junior national champion Jesse Anthony (Saturn Development) took
another solo victory in the junior race, over GMBC's Jamey Driscoll and
CCB's Konrad LeBas once again. Kevin Wolfson (NEBC/CycleLoft) picked up
fourth, with Chales Marzot (Corner Cycle) in fifth.

Anthony won the Verge Series convincingly, like Gullickson he won all five
races he started. He was followed by the steady LeBas, with Driscoll in
third.

Sam Morse repeated his Round One victory in the 35+ race, vaulting himself
to the overall Verge Series win in a tiebreaker over Round Four winner Mike
Bernard. Round Five winner Tim Haitz finished third overall. Paul Curley
finished fourth in the combined 35/45+ race, which was enough for him to
take the overall 45+ title with nearly twice the points of second placed
David Schacte. Dave Genest moved up into third.

Series leader Matt Hersey also repeated his Round One win in Men's B, taking
the series title as a result. Along with Curley, Hersey wore the Verge
Series Leader's jersey from start to finish in 2002. Curtis Boivin and Noah
Taylor finished second and third.

Kenneth Hamel won the C Men's Race, Ryan Barlow took the Cub Juniors race,
and host-club rider Lori Whynot (NEBC) won the C Women's race.

With over $25,000 in prize money, six internationally sanctioned rounds in
five states, and all events world-class, the Verge New England Championship
Cyclo-Cross Series was once again the premier cyclo-cross racing series in
the U.S. Verge, the title Sponsor of the New England Cyclo-Cross Series
produces custom jerseys, shorts, knickers, tights, armwarmers and other
cycling-related accessories.  Look for the Verge New England Championship
Cyclo-Cross Series jersey on the backs of the Series Leaders, and look for
the Verge truck at the races.

Race sponsors included American Express Financial Advisors - Physical
fitness, financial fitness; Cycle Loft - Your first source; Breakstone,
White-Lief & Gluck, PC - Don't get taken for a
ride; Dominos Pizza; and Allegra Print and Imaging. Supporters were Pedros
Racing Service, and Northeast Shires.

Other series supporters included Cycle-Smart coaching, promotions &
management; Time Sport USA, designer and manufacturer of cycling pedals,
shoes and forks; The Ride Magazine, exhaustively covering East Coast Bike
Culture; Honey Stinger, convenient honey-based energy foods; Maxxis
International, committed to delivering high performance tires to the world;
and BikeReg.com, the premier on-line registration company for cycling
events.



Race Results:
Elite Men

Place Time Rider  Hometown  Team
1 58:28 Marc Gullickson Boulder CO Mongoose/Hyundai
2 @ :46 Mark McCormack N.Easton MA Saturn
3 U23 1:26 Josh Anthony Beverly MA Cyclocrossworld.com
4 1:31 Justin Lillie W. Lebanon NH Trek / VW
5 1:47 Johannes Huseby Medford MA Independent Fabrication/CCB/VW
6 2:07 Curt Davis Sandy Hook CT Wheelworks / Cannondale
7 U23 2:43 Jeremy Powers  Niantic CT Team Devo
8 3:02 Chris Peck Southbury CT Wheelworks  / Cannondale
9 3:15 Adam Hodges Myerson Northampton MA NCC/BikeReg.com
10 3:17 Brian Astell Hampstead NH CCB/ Volkswagon
11 3:46 Jon Bruno Somerville MA Quad Cycles
12 4:15 Rob Hult Harvard MA O'Neils
13 5:01 Alec Donahue Northampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
14 5:15 Mathew Svatek Carlisle MA Wheelworks / Cannondale
15 5:25 Nathan Rice Burlington VT Catamount Cycling Club
16 5:38 Jeff Craddock West Barnstable MA CCB/ Volkswagon
17 5:39 J.D. Bilodeau Northampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
18 6:58 Jeff Leake Bennington VT NCC / BikeReg.com
19 7:14 Amos Brumble Westerly RI CCB/ Volkswagon
20 8:23 Mukunda Feldman Northampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com

Elite Women
1 38:36 Jodi Groesbeck Keene NH Putney/West Hill
2 @ :30 Shauna Gillies-Smith Somerville MA Gearworks/SRP
3 :48 Kathryn Roszko Northampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
4 :54 Anna Milkowski Putney VT Gearworks/SRP
5 1:07 Marianne Stover Portland ME Gearworks/SRP
6 1:28 Susan MacLean Plaistow NH Gearworks/SRP
7 1:48 Becky Sox Wakefield RI Dansko
8 1:55 Alicia Genest Amherst MA Richard Sachs/UMass
9 2:03 Kathy Sarvary Lunenburg MA Midstate Cycling Club
10 2:56 Sara Cushman North Grafton MA Gearworks/SRP
11 3:36 Katrina Davis Sandy Hook CT Richard Sachs
12 3:58 maryann martinez Concord MA NEBC Cycleloft
13 6:08 Litka Kerry Sanbornton NH NHCC
14 8:54 Stephanie White Bedford NH NHJCA
15 -1 lap Kristen Osborn Somerville MA
16 -1 lap Jane Hayes Somerville MA

Juniors
1 40:26 Jesse Anthony Beverly MA Saturn Development
2 @ 1:09 Jamey Driscoll Jericho VT GMBC Invensys
3 2:39 Konrad LeBas Ansonia CT CCB International
4 5:20 Kevin Wolfson Belmont MA NEBC / CycleLoft
5 5:55 Charles Marzot Middleboro MA Corner Cycle Cycling Club
6 -1 lap Peter Stetson Falmouth ME Portland Velo
7 -1 lap Tom Sylvia Auburn NH NHJCA
8 -1 lap Ethan Tieger Manchester MA Essex County Velo
9 -1 lap Daryl Wilson Amherst NH NHJCA
10 -1 lap Tucker Olander Windham NH Peerless/HNECC

Masters 35/45+
1  42:15 Sam Morse Cohasset MA Mass Bay Road Club
2  @ :16 Michael Bernard Millbury MA Arc-en-Ciel
3  :42 tim haitz charlestown RI Team Dupont
4 45+ 1:03 Paul Curley Taunton MA Gearworks/SRP
5  1:28 mark stotz easthampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
6  2:01 Jonny Bold Marstons Mills MA CCCC/Corner Cycle
7  2:02 paul lynch marshfield MA missing link bicycle club
8  2:32 Joel Brown Wakefield RI Cox Communications Cycling Team
9  2:35 James Walsh Wakefield RI Cox Communications
10  2:46 Brian Sweeney Sterling MA Gearworks
11 45+ 3:05 David Rath Williston VT Team GMBC/Invensys
12  3:41 Christopher Smith Roslindale MA Rage/Harpoon/Int.bike
13  3:58 gene petrella North Andover MA Bean's/Lite Bites/CCCF
14  4:10 eric marro nashua NH Team BOB/Skofield Builders
15 45+ 4:23 david schachte woonsocket RI Providence Velo Club
16  4:33 Chris Milkman Lyme NH Putney/West Hill Shop
17  4:45 John Grenier Lewiston ME Rainbow Bike/Maine Cycling Club
18 45+ 4:46 William Sawyer Lexington MA Gearworks
19  4:50 Paul Nyberg Avon CT Eastern Bloc Cycling Club/ Benidorm Bikes
20  5:30 Jeff Gauthier Burlington VT GMBC/Invensys
21  5:32 Wayne Cunningham Wayland MA NEBC
22 45+ 5:55 David Genest Providence RI Richard Sachs
23 45+ 6:02 Hunt Barrons Harrisville NH SACHS
24   Tom Stevens Saco ME Gearworks/SRP
25  6:08 Paul Weiss Falmouth ME Portland Velo Club
26  -1 lap Theo Kindermans Waltham MA CycloCrossWorld.com
27  -1 lap Derek Griggs Seabrook NH Recycled Sports
28  -1 lap Timothy Shea Amherst NH BOB
29 45+ -1 lap William Keith Jr New Fairfield CT Bethel Cycle-Cannondale
30  -1 lap Michael Oster Narraganset MA Swamp Yankee Road Club
31 45+ -1 lap Timothy Bailey Bridgewater MA Bicycle Linnk
32 45+ -1 lap Steven Heath Woonsocket RI Masters Velo Club
33 45+ -1 lap Richard Costa Brimfield MA N/A
34  -1 lap Mathew Brown Wakefield RI Cox Communications
35  -1 lap Wayne Barlow Lyme NH Coyote Hill
36  -1 lap Randy George Clinton MA Wheelworks
37 45+ -1 lap Peter Wilson Springfield MA Cyclonauts
38 45+ -1 lap Jim Quinn Marhsfield MA bicycle link
39  -1 lap Stephen Cruickshank Medfield MA Boston Road Club/ATA Cycles
40  -1 lap Kenneth Hamel Warwick RI AFD/OSVC
41 45+ -1 lap Richard Sachs Chester CT Richard Sach/CYBC
42 45+ -1 lap Garabed Minasian Nashua NH
43 45+ -1 lap Jim Titone Seabrook NH
44 45+ -1 lap Anthony Laproto Stoddard NH HNECC
45  -1 lap Bill Hurley Needham MA BRC/ATA Cycles
46 45+ -1 lap Vincent Donohue Worcester MA Worcester Cycling Club
47 45+ -1 lap John Clark Merrimack NH

B Men
1 42:10 Matt Hersey so. portland ME liquid motion
2 @ :32 Noah Taylor Peterborough NH
3 :36 Conor Coffey Westerly RI CCB / VW
4 :53 Christopher White Windham NH BOB
5 :54 Brant Hornberger Stow MA NCC / BikeReg.com
6 1:04 Curtis Boivin Providence RI Providence Velo Club
7 1:14 maxwell kullaway Medford MA BRC/Seven Cycles
8 1:40 Aaron Malloy Manchester NH Plymouth State College
9 1:46 Brendon Sullivan Somerville MA Boston Cross
10 2:11 John Burns Hingham MA
11 2:25 Alan Starrett Portland ME Bikeman/Bath Cycle
12 2:28 Tom Hopper Medway MA REI/Team Novara
13 2:30 Ryan Rumsey Portland ME Team Liquid Motion
14 2:53 Michael Cole Ashland MA Landrys-Litespeed
15 3:04 Daniel Abbe Warren MA Team Mountain City
16 3:12 Brian Rutter Belchertown MA RB's Bait Shop
17 3:21 Zac Daab Somerville MA Seven Cycles
18 3:28 Jonathan Lawrence Portland ME
19 3:39 David Connery Watertown MA Boston Bicycle Club
20 3:41 Tom Giordano Somerville MA NEBC/Cycle Loft
21 3:42 David Keefe Newton MA Boston Bicycle Club
22 3:44 Peter Rubijono Jamaica Plain MA Boston Bicycle Club
23 3:55 Orion Berryman Newmarket NH Team/Redhook
24 3:59 Ethan Parsons Westhampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
25 4:03 Chris Harnish East Falmouth MA People Cycle-Green Team
26 4:14 bernard georges jamaica plain MA seven cycles
27 4:28 Wade Summers Southington CT WebEvent.com / HVVC
28 4:34 Jeffrey Capobianco Concord MA
29 4:37 Richard Brown plaistow NH
30 4:52 Eric Jensen Falmouth MA K2/Pedros
31 4:57 keith button nottingham NH
32 4:59 Larry Bettencourt Peabody MA CCB / VW
33 5:01 David Fredrickson Stoneham MA unattached
34 5:03 Euclides Amado Pawtucket RI Cox Communications
35 5:10 Brad Shuford Easthampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
36 5:14 Matt Montross Red Hook NY Verge Test Pilot
37 5:28 Brian Dahlmann Boston MA B2C/Community
38 5:44 Andrew Parsons West Roxbury MA BRC/Vintage
39 6:01 Rory Mason New Milford CT Stage 1
40 6:08 Richard Battaglia Arlington MA Southern Maine CC
41 6:47 Joe Rodriguez Springfield MA Bike Alley
42 6:50 Darrin Beek Jamaica Plain MA
43 6:55 Mike Salvatore Belmont MA unattached
44 7:01 Mark Wysocki Worcester MA Pedro's
45 7:03 John Wright Arlilngton MA Boston Road Club
46 8:00 Mark Robson Willington CT Team Bicycle Alley
47 8:01 John Frey Northampton MA NCC / BikeReg.com
48 8:11 Mathew Crews Peterborough NH
49 -1 lap Mike Hoover Woolwich ME Bikeman
50 -1 lap David Schachte Woonsocket RI Providence Velo
51 -1 lap Nathan Mealey Westfield MA NCC / BikeReg.com
52 -1 lap David Harrison Cambridge MA BRC/ATA cycles
53 -1 lap Joseph Libee Nashua NH

C Men
1 24:38 Kenneth Hamel Warwick RI AFD/OSVC
2 @ :02 george benington south ME portland Velo
3  Wayne Maceyka W. Newton MA Boston Road Club
4 :25 Bill Doonan Cumberland RI NBW
5 :34 Francis Blake-Dillon Brookline MA REI / TEAM NOVARA
6 :35 John Reilly Somerville MA Boston Road Club
7 :39 Peter Rondinone Goffstown NH NHCC
8 :44 Don Marsh Concord MA Blues City Riders
9 :52 Jason Arcelay Arlington MA NEBC
10 1:10 Brian Gillmore Walpole MA
11 1:18 Matt Evans Charlestown MA
12 1:25 Brian Dicki Chepachet RI Team Hawiian
13 1:30 Bob Connors Yarmouth MA Bike Zone Inc
14 1:32 Paul Brais Chepachet RI Team Hawiian
15 1:33 Ryan Belanger Manchester NH Alternative Bike
16 1:37 Rich Norford Merrimack NH Alternative Bike
17 1:40 Sean Lebas Ansonia CT Laurel Cycle Club
18 1:42 Corey Richards Manchester NH
19 1:59 Shawn Corbett South Portland ME Portland Velo Club
20 2:06 Chip Kent Upton MA Bike Alley
21 2:12 Gary Cundiff Sandwich MA Cape Cod Pedros
22 2:25 Randolf Ruffin Charles City VA
23 2:32 Alan Douglass Wilbraham MA
24 2:50 Jeff Bousfield Manchester CT Thread City Cyclers
25 3:12 Josh Austin Milford NH
26 3:41 Mark Powers Candia NH
27 4:16 Herbert Bates Milford NH
28 4:28 James Stumpf Goffstown NH Alternative Bike
29 4:50 Carl Ring Rumney NH NHCC/ Team NH

C Women
1 28:10 Lori Whynot Arlington MA NEBC
2 @ :09 Donna LaCajje Lamesboro MA BCA
3 1:56 Amy Burrer Bedford MA Bike Alley
4 4:15 samantha slattery Bedford MA
5 5:10 Jean Cunningham Wayland MA NEBC

Cub Juniors
1 26:39 Ryan Barlow Lyme NH Coyote Hill
2 @ 3:29 Edmund Ruffin Charles City VA
3 -1 lap Harrison Ruffin Jr Charles City VA