The U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross kept on rolling Sunday in West Windsor, NJ with round four of the six-race series. After a Saturday defined by thick mud and warm conditions, the only real factor to change for Sunday's repeat was a drop in temperatures. Overnight rain kept the Mercer Cup course as thick as ever as the elite men's and women's fields lined up for another frantic day of mudslinging.

In the women's event, Georgia Gould put in a repeat performance and took home her second title is two days. Meanwhile, USGP series leader on the men's side, Tim Johnson, was unable to defend his jersey after injuring his knee during the course of his dominating win the day before.

The conditions were so tough that riders routinely called the sand pit the easiest part of the course.

"It felt like there was a little more running today," Gould commented after her second win of the weekend. "Some of the downhill and flat sections we could ride yesterday, it was just faster to run today."

With Johnson absent, the field opened up to any number of contenders including Todd Wells, his brother Troy, Ryan Trebon, Jeremy Powers, and Jesse Anthony. While the Kona team's towering twosome of Trebon and Barry Wicks enjoyed a good start to the race (Wicks took the hole shot off the pavement), both faded in the opening laps as they found the muck and mud too draining to make an impact. Instead, it was Saturday's second place Todd Wells (Team GT) who made the early effort and set the pace for the others to follow.

In the end, only two riders could join the Wells express: his brother Troy (riding for Clif Bar) and Jeremy Powers, who finished one step off the podium in round three of the series. The trio steadily put distance between themselves and the other contenders, but swapped the lead constantly throughout the race as an exuberant crowd reveled in the cold but exciting conditions. While the younger Troy made his mark and looked to be a serious contender for victory, his more experienced brother Todd set the record straight by breaking clear on the final lap. The two brothers enjoyed their success after the finish line as Powers rolled in for a well-deserved third place to round out the podium.

"It's good when you're racing for the win with your brother," a happy Troy Wells explained on the podium. "Who else would you want to race with for a win? But it's harder also, because we're both good in the mud so neither of us had an advantage."

In the women's race, Gould's Luna team once more dominated the event as Katerina Nash took another second place behind her more powerful teammate. In third it was the ever-present Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry) who rounded out the top three. Gould kept her USGP series leader's jersey, while Wells took over from the absent Tim Johnson in the men's standings.

Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross #4

1 Todd Wells, Team GT
2 Troy Wells, Team Clif Bar

3 Jeremy Powers, Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com

1 Georgia, Gould Luna
2 Katerina Nash, Luna
3 Rachel Lloyd, California Giant Berry