HARTFORD, Conn. – UMass student Ellen Noble crossed the finish line of the USA Cycling under-23 cyclocross women’s national championship race with her right arm raised and two fingers in the air.
It was a peace sign for a woman at peace.
“Something that I’ve heard a lot is that when you’re the person that’s coming in as the favorite, like the defending champion, all you can feel is relief at the finish line. That’s how I felt at (the Pan-American Championships),” she said. “Now I’m not feeling relieved. I’m feeling happy.”
Noble, who lives in Westhampton, took first in 35 minutes, 13 seconds. She edged Emma White by 30 seconds for the championship Sunday at Riverside Park. It was her third straight title in the U23 category.
White charged out of the gate and led up the first off-camber hill into the woods. Noble saw an opening not long after and attacked as the course wound its way by the river.
“To be able to ride that section and get that gap I went, ‘this is the moment I’ve been waiting for, you need to make the most of it.’ So I tried to make the most of it,” Noble said. “I don’t particularly like riding on people’s wheels on courses like this. Once I caught up to Emma over there in the woods before you go to the river, I knew that I needed to get going soon.”
Noble led White at the end of the first lap, and they were ahead of the rest of the field by 20 seconds when they started the second. The third-place finisher, Hannah Finchamp, was 3:18 back of White and 3:48 behind noble.
“Overall I rode a very clean race, and that was what I aimed for,” Noble said.
The bell rang to signal the last lap with Noble in a commanding lead. Public address announcer Chad Andrews wondered aloud to the crowd, “Where is Emma White?”
She was 20 seconds back by that point.
“You have to focus on yourself and racing the course, not really racing your competitor. At some point it’s you doing the best you can on the course,” White said. “Ellen had a standout season. I definitely didn’t want to come here for a silver medal, but she deserved that.”
Noble, the top-ranked U23 rider in the world and No. 12 overall, and White have battled and traded wins throughout their careers. This was Noble’s last U23 season, as she’ll age up to the elite category next year. White is 19.
“I don’t think that people creating a rivalry between us is over, though I would like it to be because it can be hard on a relationship and a friendship when people are always pitting you against each other,” Noble said.
With the national championship in the bag, Noble will return her attention to Europe. She’s going to Spain to train and will race the last two World Cup events in Rome and Hoogerheide, Netherlands.
The season ends with the World Championships in Schengen, Luxembourg, on Jan. 28 to 29.
“I’m hopefully going to be on the up for worlds,” Noble said. “After winning this whatever happens is going to be great.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com