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Cyclocross State Championships, 2003, Hartmann Crowned CX Champ! by Joe King
Brazen Dropout Faye Hartmann crashed but came back to take the Womens State Championship. Finishing second overall to Rebecca from Illinois who, at only 17, has been a revelation this season.
On the very first lap Faye and Rebecca were riding off the front together up until Faye slipped off her bike when making hairpin turn. By the time she remounted, Rebecca had a good gap off the front alone. The remaining three starters swallowed Faye just as she started moving the pedals again.
The small field would not contain Hartmann for long. While she furiously tried to make up the ground she lost to Rebecca, the rest of the group fell back and until about three quarters of the race was done it looked like it would finish with Rebecca a half minute up on Faye who was maintaining a gap of about another half minute to the rest.
It looked like that order might be changed with only about five laps to go when Ali Dyer put in a big effort. She quickly dropped her two companions in an apparent effort to catch Faye thirty seconds ahead. Even though thirty seconds is a big deficit, it was a move that had to be taken seriously given Ali's performance on the road. This year she topped the 2003 Wisconsin Cup road series with her closest rival having 297 points to Ali's 385. Perhaps Faye knew Ali was coming because the gap didn't close and Ali gave up the effort and fell back to finish with the others. Rebecca won but the Wisconsin Championship was awarded to Faye because Rebecca hails from Illinois.