Week three rankings come on the heels of a down week in North American racing. The VERGE UCI races in Northampton, MA was the big show with the ICEMAN mtb race in Michigan getting the next best field of cross talent. The World Cup happened in Nommay, France, but that didn't do much to the rankings. Compton won, again. We still can't rank her any high than first.

This weekend the circus heads to New Jersey for the USGP. All signs point to this being the best weekend of 'cross so far. A lot of people's rankings depend on it. 

 

Elite Women 11/09/09
 1.  Katie Compton (1) | France got a taste of KFC this weekend as she stormed to her second consecutive World Cup win of the season. 83 days to World Champs. I think MC Hammer said it best: can't touch this. 
 2.  Katerina Nash (2) | Nash raed her first World Cup of the season Sunday finishing 5th in Nommay, France at 1:30 behind Compton. Hopfully she finds that extra gear that can get her on the podium when the Worlds come to her home country this Jan. 
 3. Amy Dombroski (4) | Amy took the weekend off and stayed in Colorado to finish details for her new team. She moves ahead of Gould this week despite not racing. The time to train and the new lighter bike and wheels should give her a boost.
 4. Georgia Gould (3) | With a weekend off, nobody knows what to expect from Gould in NJ this weekend. Te rest might be just what the doctor ordered to see her back at the front. Or she'll come out stale and un-trained. It's just a matter of time until Gould gets her legs back and starts winning some races. 
 5. Alison Dunlap (5) | With each week that passes, competitors should fear Dunlap more and more. Each training race and workout that she gets in her legs brings her closer to the form that once saw her win a record six National Cyclocross titles. Winning this weekend's Iceman MTB race shows she's on the right track. And $3,000 richer. 
 6. Mary McConneloug (8) | It's official, MM is racing cyclocross this season. She's been winning UCI races left and right in the North East for the last month. She took another pair of wins this weekend in Northampton and looked good doing in. She'll finally see the highest level this weekend at the USGP's in NJ. Top 5 would be a good start.
 7. Meredith Miller (6) | The Cal-Giant rider showed her cards in Boulder two weeks ago with a pair of 4th places. She'll head to NJ this weekend for he next big test at the USGP.
 8. Natasha Elliott (-) | We left her off the list last wee after a poor showing at some New England races. A week off looks to have given her form a bost back to where it was a month ago. A very good second in Northampton on Saturday was impressive. She heads to her first National level race this weekend in NJ. 
 9. Laura Van-Guilder (13) | LVG keeps moving up on this list. This weekend it was a second and third at the VERGE UCI races in MA. The fact that she drove up for these when there was a MAC series race locally shows that she's series about earning UCI points and being a contender late in the season. 
 10. Kelli Emmett (10) | Kelli showed good form this weekend on the mountain bike at the Iceman in Michigan finishing second to her training partner Dunlap. We knew she was good on the mtb, but can she translate that into 40 min. at maximum. We'll see in NJ. 
 11.  Sue Butler (11) | Sue made the trip to France this weekend for her first World Cup of the season. 17th place earned her some solid UCI points, but it's nothing to write home about. She'll need to get back to the top 5 in NJ to have a chance at Worlds. 
 12.  Alison Sydor (7) | Another weekend off for the Canadian. She should be at the USGP's this weekend, but the time away could have a negative effect. 
 13. Mo Bruno (9) | Tough weekend for Mo. She holds her lead in the VERGE New England series but doesn't make the podium either day. Working a full time job makes her performances from week to week unpredictable. With her goal of going to worlds, she'll need a good ride in NJ this weekend. Top 7 would be enough. 
 14. Kari Studley (12) | She was great in Louisville at the last USGP's. We'll see her again in New Jersey, this time against all the new players. A top 10 would be a great ride but we think 12-14 is more likely. 
 15.  Barbara Howe (15) | The top ten has never been harder to crack than in 2009. Howe has always been a lock for 6-10th but with so many players this year, it's going to take a really good ride.


Elite Men 11/09/09
 1. Tim Johnson (1) | TJ took a deserving break this weekend after his string of dominating performances in the month of October. Now that he's tasted the top spot, he wont give it up without a fight. Wins in NJ wont be easy, but he's got a better chance than anyone. 
 2. Jeremy Powers (2) | Powers looked good with a win on Saturday in the UCI race in Northampton. He took Sunday off to ride in a charity even in CT. The extra day of rest should make him that much better in NJ this weekend. 
 3. Ryan Trebon (4) | Trebon came out swinging at the Cross Crusade/ SS world championships in OR this weekend. He lined up and won the SS race, then the Elite race, then raced the world championships. I've got money on him winning one day in NJ.
 4. Jonathan Page (3) | He slipped last weekend after having to sit out with an illness. He came back this weekend but managed only 40th at the World Cup in France. Another week to recover should see him back near the top. Hopefully... 
 5. Jamey Driscoll (5) | 2nd on Saturday and winner on Sunday at the VERGE UCI races in MA. You want so badly to rank him higher than 5th, but who's spot does he take?
 6. Geoff Kabush (6) | No sign of kabush this weekend. He's shown that he can hold his form without racing and at this point in his season, the time off should only help.
 7. Danny Summerhill (7) U23 | He'll try and back up his two 7th place finishes from Boulder this weekend at the USGP. Coming down from altitude might take a little away from his advantage, but he should still be top 10. He'll also face a full field of U23.
 8. Chris Jones (8) | Weekend off. He's been in top 8 shape all season, a little rest shouldn't change that. 8th in NJ sounds about right.
 9. Dan Timmerman (13) | Timmerman moves back into our top 10 after an impressive weekend in Northampton. Sunday was unlucky, but 3rd on Saturday in front of a good field was enough to give him a boost in the rankings. 
 10. Nick Weighall (12) | 4th and 2nd this weekend in MA. He's loving 'cross and riding a wave of great results over the last three weeks. NJ will be his first time against everyone since Louisville. A top 10 will legitimize his success at the b-level races. 
 11. Adam Craig (9) | The 4th in Boulder was too good to be true. 5th and 9th this weekend in Northampton in what should have been an easy pair of podiums for him. You know he's going to pull it together, it's just a matter of time.
 12. Barry Wicks (8) | Second place to Ryan at the Cross Crusade on Sunday before dressing up and handing out beer during the SS World Championship race. 
 13. Jesse Anthony (11) | Jesse is hanging on to this 13th place ranking by a thread. He looked downright awful on Saturday in Northampton and was a DNS on Sunday. That said, chances are he'll pull it together enough to be top 15 in NJ. Top 5 even if he's on. 
 14. Troy Wells (15) | Troy raced at home in Durango this weekend. NJ is a good course for him and frankly, he's due for a big weekend. Intuition: another difference between our rankings and the UCI's. 
 15. Zach McDonald (17) U23 | Being a full time student in WA, we're not going to see Zach out at the big races every weekend. Boulder showed he's got his shit together. He'll be in NJ to face a full field of U23's. They'll all be gunning for him. 
 16. Derick St. John (-) | He's been one of the hardest guys to leave off our rankings the past two weeks. 6th and 3rd in MA this weekend made him impossible to ignore. Head to head, he's not faster then everyone ranked below him, but he always finds a way in to the top 15. Hopefully he wont make me look bad for saying that.
 17. Davide Frattini (14) | Weekend off. NJ will be pretty local for him so a good day isn't out of the question. He seems to be slipping a bit from the form he had in September. 
 18. Carl Decker (18) | Raced the Iceman MTB Saturday and did well. a close 4th. The after party probably took more out of him then the race. With only Boulder to judge him, he's maybe the biggest unknown coming in to NJ. He could be anywhere form 8th-25th. 
 19. Andy Jacques-Maynes (16) | After the first month of the season, AJM would have featured prominently in the top 10 on our rankings but no-shows for the past few weekends keep him sliding backwards. He's been doing it for so many years, it's easy to understand the lack of motivation to travel every weekend. Will we see him again?
 20. Brian Matter (21) | Very good ride at Iceman, a race that he's done very well in for years. Hopefully he was getting in shape for that race and will have some fitness left over for cyclocross these next couple weeks. 
 21. Luke Keough (19) U23 | A couple of good rides in MA this weekend at the VERGE UCI races. He's got the legs to be with the leaders for 45 of the 60 minutes. Not unexpected as a first year Elite coming strait from the Junior ranks which race only 40 min. When he figures out that extra 15 min, look out.
 22. Mark LaLonde (20) | Weekend off for Marko. Thought we would have seen him at Iceman but I didn't see his name on the results. Maybe I missed something?
 23. Josh Dillon (-) | Finds his way back on this list after a good weekend in MA. He'll need a top 20 in Jersey to keep it. I think 20-30 is more likely. 
 24. Jerome Townsend (-) U23 | Ok, fine. He makes the list. He didn't blow anybody away in Northampton but he showed he's at least one of the 25 best guys out there.
 25. Adam Myerson (24) | His results were average to sub-par in Northampton, but considering he was putting the race on himself on top of racing, we'll cut him some slack. 


With a lack of information to go by, the U23 rankings take a week off. They'll be back next week with a much clearer picture of where we're at. 

Wha'd you think? Biggest weekend of the year coming up in New Jersey. Who are your picks?