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Vida Lopez de San Roman (Bear CX Nationwide Crew) and Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes), each eligible for the under-23 class, got here away with the elite titles for ladies and men on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky for the 2024 USA Biking Cyclocross Nationwide Championships. The rain stayed away, however mud nonetheless discovered its manner onto the rolling, technical observe at Joe Creason Park, paying homage to the famed mudder battles at close by Kentucky Derby’s Churchill Downs.
It was 18-year-old Lopez de San Roman who skipped the U23 competitors on the final minute and rained on the parade of Steve Tilford Basis Racing duo Katie Clouse and Raylyn Nuss, who returned to enhance on their silver and bronze medals, respectively, from the yr earlier than. As a substitute, final yr’s junior 17-18 winner determined to “gamble”, which paid big dividends to make the victory “sweeter”.
The California teen landed on the rostrum 3 times in Louisville over the course of the four-day occasion. On the opening day she gained a collegiate gold medal within the ladies’s Varsity race for Milligan College, and a day later was a part of the Milligan relay workforce for silver. Then Saturday she battled with Clouse on the entrance of the race for five-and-a-half laps, then pulled away on the again half for a solo victory.
“So thrilling to be out with the elites for the primary time, and sort of simply bounce within the combine. “It was a troublesome battle with Katie on the market. I am tremendous proud of my determination ultimately,” Lopez de San Roman mentioned on the FloBikes broadcast after the race.
Clouse, a two-time U23 cyclocross nationwide champion, suffered extreme cramping within the closing technical sections of the twisty course, however powered on to safe one other silver medal. Nuss, a two-time Pan-American champion, discovered an additional gear throughout the second half of the race and rode away from CCB p//b Levine Legislation Group riders Natalie Quinn and Lizzy Gunsalus, who completed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Notable riders within the discipline included Crystal Anthony (Liv Racing), who returned to her “past love” of ‘cross after a two-year absence, which noticed her give attention to the off-road racing on the Life Time Grand Prix. She completed one spot out of the factors in eleventh.
Additionally giving it a go within the elite ladies’s race as a late entry was multi-discipline US nationwide champion Lauren Stephens. The reigning two-time US gravel champion made the journey to Kentucky after just a few native rounds of cyclocross, and completed two spots behind Anthony.
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On the boys’s facet, it was a three-rider showdown that led to echoes of an thrilling Kentucky Derby race name, “and down the stretch they arrive”. Strohmeyer broke free on the paved straightaway part to assert a one-second win over defending champion Eric Brunner (Aggressive Edge Racing). The bronze was then settled when Scott Funston (Cervélo-Orange Residing) glided throughout the road a handful of second later.
“Elite nationwide champion! This one goes to take a while to set in,” the Maryland native mentioned on Instagram. Whereas it was an upset of types for the 22-year-old to overpower Brunner on the line, he demonstrated his stage of health having gained 5 races and the general on the US Cyclocross Collection.
2022 elite males’s winner Curtis White (Steve Tilford Basis Racing) made it intriguing when he set the quickest time on lap six of seven, and had the lead trio in his sights, dropping Kerry Werner (Groove Off Highway Racing) within the course of. White couldn’t carve sufficient into the hole and completed 31 seconds again for fourth, whereas Werner took fifth.
Vital riders within the males’s elite discipline included Cade Bickmore (Crew Winston-Salem), who broke his collarbone in September at Tour of Britain using for his highway workforce Undertaking Echelon Racing. He was given clearance every week earlier than US cyclocross nationals to take the beginning in Louisville and completed tenth.
Lane Maher (JAM Fund/NCC), a junior and U23 Pan-American silver medalist, moved fully out of the game after 2021 to pursue a university diploma and a profession as a practice conductor. He returned to racing final yr and completed 18th at Nationals. This yr he completed 14th.
Gage Hecht ( ), the 2019 elite males’s cyclocross nationwide champion and a three-time U23 Pan-American winner, stopped racing ‘cross in 2021 however returned final yr for a prime 10 end. This yr he was twelfth.
Additionally leaping into the fray was 2018 US Professional criterium champion Ty Magner (L39ION of Los Angeles). He took half in 4 UCI C2 ‘cross races earlier than nationals however didn’t transcend the fourth lap at Joe Creason Park on Saturday.
Listed here are the sights from the digicam lens of Snowy Mountain Pictures from the elite races on Saturday in Louisville, from enthusiastic crowds to the spirited battles that unfolded at Joe Creason Park.
