Warm temperatures, overcast skies, and low dew points greeted the fourth day of the 2023 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships took place on Friday. The Masters Women, Men’s and Women’s Singlespeed, Collegiate Team Relays, and Non-Champ Team Relay took on the 1.7-mile course with some raucous crowds. Both of the Singlespeed events came down to sprint finishes, with Kylie Small (Centennial, Colo.; Fort Lewis College) and Kerry Werner (Vinton, Va.; Bikeflights P/B Kona Adventure Team) coming out victorious.
Twelve riders lined up for the start of the Masters Women 35-39 race at 8:00am on Friday morning. It came down to a two-person sprint where Clementine Nixon (Philadelphia, Pa.; Team Rock Lobster) outsprinted Andrea Cyr (Carmel, Ind.; Miami Nights). In a valiant effort, Taylor Snider (Portland, Ore.; MediaHaus) rounded out the podium in third.
1. Clementine Nixon (Philadelphia, Pa.; Team Rock Lobster)
2. Andrea Cyr (Carmel, Ind.; Miami Nights)
3. Taylor Snider (Portland, Ore.; MediaHaus)
4. Heidi Wood (Hood River, Ore.; HiFi Sound Cycling Components)
5. Alice Perryman (Birmingham, Ala.)
Racing continued with the Masters Women 40-44 where Christin Reuter (Niwot, Colo.; BikeReg | Share Coffee) won by over 20 seconds in her first-ever National Championship race. There was a major battle for second place between Kim Coleman (Williston, Vt.; Green Mountain CX) and Erin Gordon (Narberth, Pa.; Rare Disease Cycling). Coleman left everything on the courses to claim second.
1. Christin Reuter (Niwot, Colo.; BikeReg | Share Coffee)
2. Kim Coleman (Williston, Vt.; Green Mountain CX)
3. Erin Gordon (Narberth, Pa.; Rare Disease Cycling)
4. Alix Norris (Lebannon, N.H.; BikeReg | Share Coffee)
5. Amanda Schaap (Jenison, Mich.; RocknRoad)
For the Women 45-49, the front riders slowly began to separate into a pack that stayed together for most of the first lap. On the second lap, there was a small fumble in the group where reigning National Champion Melanie Carter (Evergreen, Colo.; Feedback Sports) made her move and continued to pull away from the pack lap after lap. Anne Usher (Portland, Ore.; Team S&M) rode in for a silver medal with Bonnie Symes (South Wales, N.Y.; Campus WheelWorks) taking a close third.
1. Melanie Carter (Evergreen, Colo.; Feedback Sports)
2. Anne Usher (Portland, Ore.; Team S&M)
3. Bonnie Symes (South Wales, N.Y.; Campus WheelWorks)
4. Evie Edwards (Asheville, N.C.; NCCX)
5. Abby Walker (Asheville, N.C.; Industry Nine Masters Cycling Team)
Christina Gokey-Smith (Denton, Texas; Matrix Cycling Club) pulled off an incredible win to add another National Title to her resume. The multi-discipline champion came out swinging, putting a solid gap between her, Kristin Weber (Boulder, Colo.; Lockton Full Cycle Team), and Jane Burlew (Weaverville, N.C.; Motion Makers/ DARC) by the end of the first lap. Weber and Burlew stayed together for the race battling for position until the end, where Weber crossed the line first to claim silver.
1. Christina Gokey-Smith (Denton, Texas; Matrix Cycling Club)
2. Kristin Weber (Boulder, Colo.; Lockton Full Cycle Team)
3. Jane Burlew (Weaverville, N.C.; Motion Makers/ DARC)
4. Colette Sexton (Lamertville, N.J.; NJCX Project)
5. Julie Phelps (De Pere, Wis.; Gryphon Velo Racing)
In the Masters Women 55-59 race, Stacey Barbossa (Mountainside, N.J.; NJCX Project) dominated the eleven-rider field winning her fourth championship title. By the end of her first lap, had nearly 25 seconds on the next rider, and only grew her lead through the remaining four laps of the race. Samantha Brode (Akron, Ohio; Freddie Fu), the second-place rider, found her pacing in lap three, securing her silver medal.
1. Stacey Barbossa (Mountainside, N.J.; NJCX Project)
2. Julie Robertson Zivin (Seattle, Wash.; PNW Colavita Factor)
3. Samantha Brode (Akron, Ohio; Freddie Fu)
4. Lynn Weller (Carrboro, N.C.; NCTC)
5. Victoria Cane (Kalamazoo, Mich.; Team Clark Logic)
The Collegiate Team Relay had thirteen teams compete for the overall title in both the Club and Varsity categories. Leading the charge through the first lap was Jack Spranger (Sammamish, Wash.; Colorado Mesa University) from Colorado Mesa University. In a back-and-forth battle with Brevard College, Colorado Mesa University was the team that ended the day on top, finishing in a time of 26:29 with the team of Spranger, Ivan Sippy (Durango, Colo.), Cassidy Hickey (Parker, Colo.), and Katie Clouse (Park City, Utah).
1. Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.)
2. Brevard College (Brevard, N.C.)
3. Marian University (Indianapolis, Ind.)
4. Fort Lewis College (Durango, Colo.)
5. SCAD Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.)
The University of Colorado Boulder dominated the Club race with their squad of Anthony Hilligoss (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Allison Crow (Golden, Colo.), Gavin Lopez (Englewood, Colo.), and Tegan Brown (Boulder, Colo).
1. University of Colorado at Boulder (Boulder, Colo.)
2. University of Vermont (Burlington, Vt.)
3. Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colo.)
4. University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.)
The Team Relay concluded the overall team omnium competition to crown Colorado Mesa University and University of Colorado at Boulder as the Cyclocross Team Omnium National Champions. CMU dominated the weekend with Clouse winning the Women’s Varsity event, and their Team Relay Squad taking the top step of the podium in that event. Taking top point in both the Men’s and Women’s individual points led to them claiming the coveted omnium title.
In the Club category, CU Boulder won the points scoring in the Women’s race putting three riders in the top five. They scored second in the Men’s race, then won the Team Relay putting them in the lead for the overall National Title.
1. Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.)
2. Brevard College (Brevard, N.C.)
3. Fort Lewis College (Durango, Colo.)
1. University of Colorado at Boulder (Boulder, Colo.)
2. Colorado State University (Fort Collins, Colo.)
3. University of Vermont (Burlington, Vt.)
With a fully stacked field, the Non-Champ Mixed Team Relay brought some of the largest crowds to Joe Creason Park. After a hefty early lead, Team Booger – Snot Rockets won by an overwhelming amount. Reid, Hsu, Connolly, and Bressler finished with a total time of 27:30.
1. Team Booger – Snot Rockets
2. Donovan Racing Development Speed Team
3. WisCXin’ Cheesehammers
4. Donovan Racing Orange Aramada
5. Boulder Junior Cycling 13-14
In a two-up battle, Kylie Small (Centennial, Colo.; Fort Lewis College) and Jennifer Malik (Carroll, Ohio; Smanie p/b Paradise Garage) battled it out during the 40-minute race. On lap four, Malik and Small separated, leaving room for Small to gain an 18-second gap. Small went on to win the race, Malik finished in second, and Taylor Snider (Portland, Ore.; MediaHaus) rounded out the podium in third.
Small said, “It was a very dynamic race with some tactical strategy at the front. It’s crazy to become a national champion. And a shout out to my coach, Chad, for keeping the singlespeed tradition alive in Durango."
1. Kylie Small (Centennial, Colo.; Fort Lewis College)
2. Jennifer Malik (Carroll, Ohio; Smanie p/b Paradise Garage)
3. Taylor Snider (Portland, Ore.; MediaHaus)
4. Caitlin Neuman (Madison, Wis.; Neff Cycle Service)
5. Erin Gordon (Narberth, Pa.; Rare Disease Cycling)
A massive field of over 70 riders started the race in their fake mustaches, sparkling skinsuits, and jorts. Reigning National Champion Kerry Werner (Vinton, Va.; Bikeflights P/B Kona Adventure Team) and Lance Haidet (San Luis Obispo, Calif.; L39ion of Los Angeles) went in as the race favorites and quickly took control of the front of the field. It was a battle all the way to the finish line with both riders trying to make a move before hitting the pavement. Werner was in front protecting his lines the whole way to the finish.
Werner said, “When you're evenly matched fitness-wise and technical-wise, it makes for an exciting race, and I knew it was going to be a nailbiter. I knew that if I could stay in front of Lance to the barriers, I figured I could get him in the sprint.”
1. Kerry Werner (Vinton, Va.; Bikeflights P/B Kona Adventure Team)
2. Lance Haidet (San Luis Obispo, Calif.; L39ion of Los Angeles)
3. Max Judelson (San Diego, Calif.; Rock Lobster International)
4. Isaac Neff (Madison, Wis.; Neff Cycle Service)
5. Frederick Junge (Pinckney, Mich.; Broom Wagon Works)
Saturday’s racing focuses on riders aged 11-18, along with the Non-Binary event in the afternoon. Weather forecasts are predicting rain beginning around noon, so the older Juniors and Non-Binary racers should see a brand-new course emerge with the precipitation. All races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday will be livestreamed on USA Cycling’s official media partner, FloBikes. You can find information on how to watch the stream here.
