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.
Cyclocross State Championships, 2003 -- A Great Day of Racing!
by Faye Hartmann
What a great cross course yesterday, a big thanks to Travis, John, and Paul for all your hard work. It was worth hanging around to watch Travis Brown in the men's A race. The women's A/B race had only 5 women, where do they all go by the end of the season? The start was good and I managed to stay on Rebecca from triple Xs wheel and put a small gap on the others until the U turn in the pines when I wiped out (Joe King was at the race, I wonder if there is any connection?). By the time I got out from under the bike the rest of the women had caught up and Rebecca was long gone. I pushed over the barriers and up the hills and managed to open a gap again, but, there was no way to catch Rebecca. I ended up 2nd overall and 1st in the Wisconsin championship, a big thanks to everyone cheering me on. It was great to see new faces in the women's races this year and the awesome ability of Megan Monroe and Rebecca from XXX (who is only 17!).
