Wells Wins Stars-and-Stripes Jersey #3

Todd Wells’ win at USA Cycling’s cyclocross national championships over the weekend gave him three U.S. titles in three tries this year.

Wells, from Durango, Colorado and winner of mountain biking’s 2010 Pro Cross-Country Tour, said last week that though he didn’t win a ’cross race all season before nationals, the jersey sweep would make his year. He accomplished that in Bend, Oregon on Sunday. For 2010, Wells collected Stars-and-Stripes jerseys in mountain bike cross-country and short-track.

“This has been the best season of my life domestically,” said Wells, of Specialized Factory Racing. “It’s never come together for me like this where I could get all three jerseys… It was a goal of mine. I didn’t have the best ’cross season up until now, but now it’s the perfect ’cross season. If I can only win one race, this is the one I want to win.”

After the elite field thinned out due to crashes and dabs, Wells found himself with another mountain bike stalwart, Bend homie Ryan Trebon of Kona/FSA. But Wells made no mistakes.

“I could hear the time checks, but I knew for me that if I didn’t make any mistakes I could go through the corners faster than (Trebon), even if he was gaining on me in the power sections,” said Wells, who saw Trebon close five seconds in a lap with four to go.

“I was a little worried, but I figured he probably had to put in a big effort to do that. I kept steady and didn’t panic and really tried to push it in the corners. I was pushing it in the flats too, but I knew the corners were where I was keeping my gap.”

Indeed, as the Specialized rider hit the line for the bell lap and roared into the first corner, he had managed to extend his advantage over Trebon.

The two men could see each other as the course bent back and forth on itself. But the gap held steady as the seconds ticked off.

“I didn’t want to go too deep because I knew at that point it was mine to lose,” said Wells. “At that point I was taking some risks in the corners and then just trying to make it through the power sections without losing too much time.”

Wells was out of the saddle and punching it every chance he had. So, too, was Trebon. Neither man was giving up. With a half lap remaining Wells still clung to his advantage, and Trebon was running out of course.

Finally, Wells gave a two-handed salute as he collected his third national ’cross title, the others were 2001 and 2005. His wife, Meg, met him with open arms — in a white down jacket, no less —beyond the finish.

A dejected Trebon held on for the silver, while Powers — once a clear front-runner — found himself settling for the final step on the podium.

Wells dedicated his win to former team manager and close friend Jerry “Hutch” Hutchinson, who passed away in November at the age of 40.

“I had a good friend and my old team manager pass away over the (U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross) Fort Collins weekend,” said Wells, choking back the emotion just 45 seconds after crossing the line. “I really wanted to dedicate the race to him there and get a victory. I want to dedicate this race to my good friend Jerry Hutchison from Tucson. He passed away six weeks ago. I was thinking about him the whole time and I felt like he was with me out there.”

Check out all the cyclocross national championship coverage at VeloNews.com.

Homepage photo by Wil Matthews

FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Cyclocross / national champion / Todd Wells