Now we're talking! New Jersey was expected to be the most telling weekend of 'cross this season, and it didn't disappoint. Finally, West Coast met Rocky Mountain met Mid Atlantic met North East in the same place at the same time. Some took advantage of the big stage to leapfrog up the rankings while others just couldn't handle the pressure. Back this week is the top 10 U23's.

Elite Women 11/16/09
 1. Katie Comton (1) | Won Asper-Gavere this weekend in Europe ahead of current world champion Marianne Vos. One step closer to talked the rainbows for herself. 
 2. Katerina Nash (2) | Untouchable in NJ. 1st and 1st keeps her second on our list.
 3. Amy Dombroski (3) | Came out a little slow on day one but picked up where she left off on day two with 2nd place. First weekend for the new team and on her new bike.
 4. Meredith Miller (7) | Boulder was no fluke for the US National Road Champion. A pair of 3rd places in NJ put her in an elite club of podium finishers in 2009. 
 5. Georgia Gould (4) | 2nd and 4th in NJ. She's said she's racing for fun and not to win this season. That'll tip the advantage to her competitors who are in it to win it. 
 6. Alison Dunlap (5) | 4th and 5th in NJ. After a long stretch of weekly improvement, Alison finally had an "average" weekend. Still a month left to get that little bit faster. 
 7. Mary McConneloug (6) | No racing for Mary this weekend but given her double wins in Northampton 2 weeks ago, she would have likely scored a top 5 in NJ.
8. Mo Bruno (13) | 5th and 8th were huge results at the USGP this weekend! Mo has been cleaning up on the local level and she finally showed her class against all the best. 
 9. Natasha Elliott (8) | Didn't see her this weekend. The Canadian has a long trip to get to most races. We'll see her a few more times before she heads to Europe again this year. 
 10. Alison Sydor (12) | 10th and 6th in NJ. Still just as fast as she was in Sep and October despite the lack of racing. After nearly two decades of racing, she could probably wake up from a coma and still make the top 10. Don't think we'll see her again until Portland.
 11. Laura Van-Guider (9) | 11th and 7th. Like Sydor, with age comes consistency for LVG. With 4 non-Americans in front of her, and 3 others definitely not going to Worlds, she might just make her second ;cross team this January. 
 12. Kelli Emmett (10) | 6th and 20th. A good day on Sunday would have kept her in the top 10. 20th likely had more to do with luck than fitness. 
 13.Deidre Winfield (-) | Her goal to make the Worlds team got a lot closer with her 8th and 11th in NJ. Of the women who want to go, she would just make that last spot.
 14. Sue Butler (11) | Got to feel bad for Sue. 9th Saturday and DNS on Sunday. Things have been going the wrong direction ever since winning NACT #2 in WA. He last shot is to get it together by Dec. when USGP and Nats come to her neck of the woods. 
 15. Kaitlin Antonneau (-) | First appearance in the top 15 here for Kaitlin. Most impressive in making the top 15 Elite list is that she's still a junior! 14th and 10th in NJ turned some heads on the East Cost. There's a stars and stripes jersey waiting for her in December. 


U23 Men 11/16/09
 1. Danny Summerhill (1) | 6th and 12th in NJ... overall. Easily takes the top ranking for U23 going into the final month of US racing. After Nationals, Danny's goals are in Euro.
 2. Zach McDonald (2) | 9th overall on Saturday got him 2nd U23. He slipped back Sunday but no one else came close to matching his top 10 ride in the overall.
 3. Luke Keough (3) | 16th and 3rd U23 on Sunday was good, but he's better. He should be peaked in Bend and ready to stand on the podium. 
 4. Gavin Mannion (6) | 15th on Sunday and 2nd U23 was just the result he needed to put his name in the discussion for U23 Worlds team. His next test wont come until Portland. 
 5. Joshua Berry (-) | 6th and 7th U23 in NJ was not outstanding, but consider that most of his competition was coming from a few hours away, while traveled from OR, and it becomes a bit more level. When USGP and Nationals come to his home state, expect he'll be ready to take his place in the top 5. 
 6. Manny Goguen (-) | 5th U23 on Saturday was an impressive ride. He's one of 6 first years on this list. It's a tough class to stand out in. 
 7. Travis Liverman (9) | 4th on Saturday but 12th on Sunday for U23's. Some of his competition only have one day of racing to his two but like the SAT's sometimes it's better to leave one blank than get one wrong.
 8. Joe Dombrowski (-) | After a big Elite win last weekend in the Mid Atlantic, Joe backed it up in NJ with 8th and 5th U23. The home court advantage was a help.
 9. Ethan Gilmore (-) | Not sure what the plans are for the U23 National Mountain Bike Team rider from VT. NJ was good and if he commits to training and racing, he has the kind of motor to be on the podium in Bend. 
 10. Adam McGrath (7) | With a racing age in 'cross of 23, Adam is not actually a U23. Yet he is listed in the U23 finishers column every weekend. Until someone stops scoring him as such, we might as well keep ranking him here ourselves... 


Elite Men 11/16/09
 1. Tim Johnson (1) | Tim's spot atop this list got a little uncertain on Saturday when Trebon handed it to him in NJ. A rebound on Sunday keeps him number one... for now. 
 2. Ryan Trebon (3) | We said last week we had money on him winning one day in NJ. He did just that. He's ranked 2nd now, but odds are on him for Dec. 13th in Bend.
 3. Jonathan Page (4) | 21st at the Superprestige in Europe. He looks like he's over the illness that kept him out a couple weeks ago. Another week f training and he should be back near top form. He'll be trying to peak for his rip back to the US in December. 
 4. Jeremy Powers (2) | Missed NJ with a cold. He's back on the bike and has shown he gets back to form quick (see: Louisville day 2) We should see him in Long Island. 
 5. Todd Wells (-) | He's back! Every year Todd rolls into the season around Nov. 1 and gets right back to the podium. A nasty saddle sore kept him away a couple weeks later, but he made it to NJ (undertrained) and managed 3rd on Sunday. Ryan and Tim watch out.
 6. Jamey Driscoll (5) | Consistency, consistency, consistency... Perfect teammate. 
 7. Barry Wicks (12) | Looked like the old Barry out there this weekend. The one who won the USGP overall just a few years ago. 7th and 6th against stacked field. Bravo. 
 8. Chris Jones (8) | 4th and 10th in NJ. Just one time it'd be nice to see Chris stand on the podium. He and Geoff have more 4th's and 5th's than anyone. Blame C-dale/CX world.
 9. Geoff Kabush (6) | 11th and 4th. He got out to a great start but couldn't find the legs to hold off the chase. We'll likely see him call it a season after Portalnd USGP. Last chance...
 10. Davide Frattini (17) | Just when we thought we'd seen all he could do, he rides to 5th and 7th at the USGP.  Racing in the Mid Atlantic was a huge advantage for him, but he had the legs to take advantage of it. If he's in Southampton this weekend, he could be 3rd. 
 11. Danny Summerhill (7) | 6th and 12th. Getting it right the first day will pay off when it comes to Nationals and World Cups later in the season. 
 12. Dan Timmerman (9) | 8th on Sunday. A result on Saturday might have kept him in the top 10. At this rate, a top ten at Nationals is very likely. Top 8 if it's muddy. 
 13. Adam Craig (11) | He's taking his time getting his 'cross legs in shape. 12th in NJ is not that impressive for an Olympian and the Short Track National Champion.
 14. Zach McDonald (15) | Top 10 ride in NJ was spectacular. The 18 year old is having as good or better a debut than Summerhill did coming off the Junior Worlds silver medal. 
 15. Nick Weighall (10) | 20th and 13th. It's been an up and down year for Weighall. How can he win a UCI race one weekend and finish 20th the next? As soon as he figures out how to bring his A game every time he races, he'll never leave the top 10. 
 16. Derrick St. John (16) | From last weekend, "...he always finds a way in to the top 15. Hopefully he wont make me look bad for saying that." 16th and 11th takes care of that.
 17. Gavin Mannion (-) | 14th and 15th in NJ. Are you kidding me? We knew he was fast, but that came out of nowhere. If he can carry this form for a month, top 3 in Bend is doable.
 18. Troy Wells (14) | 13th Saturday was good but still not great. It's just a matter of time until he puts it together, but time is not on is side. He's got 4 weeks. 
 19. Carl Decker (18) | 17th and 14th. He'll be in Southampton this weekend against a watered down field. He;ll get some UCI points and maybe a top 5 one of the days. 
 20. Jesse Anthony (13) | 44th and 18th. He wasn't any better last weekend either. Maybe it's the effects from the mono acting up? Maybe something new? It's a shame to see his season going so poorly. This isn't the same rider who won 7 National Championships.
 21. Adam Myerson (25) | 15th and 20th! Every week it's been a controversial call to put him on the list. Not this time! I'd like to see him try for a Masters title in Bend...
 22. Luke Keough (21) | He's ranked ahead of Gavin in U23s, but below in Elite? Yes. Gavin rides well when he's got lots of guys around to keep pushing him. In a U23 only race, with everyone separated by large gaps, I like Luke's chances.
 23. Marko LaLonde (22) | 19th and 23rd. Solid for the Wisconsin local.
 24. Justin Lindine (-) | 23rd and 19th. Like Marko, a solid weekend. 
 25. Andy Jacques-Maynes (19) | No sign of AJM in NJ. Looks like he's calling it a wrap on 2009. It's not impossible that he'll show up in Oregon in December, but you'd think he'd want some racing in his legs. No show next weekend and he's off the list. 

Next stop for North America's Elite will be the NACT series final in Southampton, New York this weekend. Cyclingdirt will be on-site.