Antonneau scores podium finishes in USGP Cyclocross Derby City

Kaitlin Antonneau, the USA cycling champion from Racine, raced onto the podium twice over the weekend in the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby City Cup and moved into fourth in the series' overall standings.

It was her most successful weekend of cyclocross to date, aside from winning that national championship in the U23 category in December.

"I'm really excited, beyond excited," Antonneau said, in a post-race interview on Sunday.

The 19-year-old finished third behind Katie Compton and Katerina Nash on Saturday, then outsprinted Nash for second place on Sunday. Compton (Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team) won both races in the series' third event and leads the overall standings.

Antonneau (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com) moved into fourth in the overall and within 12 points of Meredith Miller (California Giant Racing) for the third slot.

After scoring her first USGP podium finish on Saturday, she caught onto a small group late on Sunday and set herself up for a sprint for second, behind Compton.

"I wanted to get onto the pavement first, so I tried really hard to get into that last section first," said Antonneau. "When I got onto the pavement I just sprinted as fast as I could.

"I was dangling off the back of them for a while, but then I finally caught them in a sand section with two to go. I went to the front going past the pit the last time, Katerina and I went back and forth a couple of times, and in that last section I went to the front again.

"I was giving it everything I had."

Kaitlin Antonneau races in the Planet Bike Cup. Photo by Bill Meyers.

A sophomore at Marian University, Antonneau will take a Thanksgiving trip to Belgium and expand on her European racing experience.

In the men's racing in Louisville, Sheboygan-area riders Tristan Schouten and Brian Matter both cracked the top 10 on Saturday and finished 10^th and 11^th, respectively, on Sunday.

Schouten (Cyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue Bikes) ranks 8^th in the series overall and Mattter is 12^th.

Jeremy Powers, who scored the weekend double in the Derby City, leads the USGP series.