Day five of the 2022 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships brought a mountain full of spectators to Winter Park. Having short track and cross country racing in the morning set the stage for an exciting afternoon of amateur downhill and elite dual slalom racing.
The mountain was popping during the evening’s dual slalom races. Kenneth Gustafson (Arvada, Colo.) was the top qualifier for the night, winning every lap. That was until Collin Hudson (Grand Junction, Colo.) made up the differential on the very last lap of the night.
Hudson has been vying for this win for several years. When asked about his performance, he said,
“It feels great. I've been going for this one for three years. I got third last year, and I’ve just wanted to win this one so much, especially to do it in Colorado. This one means a lot.”
Taking home the stars and stripes jersey on the women’s side was former BMXer Jordan Scott (St. George, Utah). When asked about how she felt about claiming the title, she said, “I am really happy to get this done. I think it’s been 13 years since I've won one of these back in the day of BMX. It’s nice to get that jersey again. I am really happy I didn’t choke in the last run again.”
After an incredibly competitive quarterfinals and semifinals, it was a race all the way until the last gate dropped. Winning the Junior Men 15-18 race was Ryder Lawrence (Menifee, Calif.).
The Junior Women 17-18 started the racing for the day. The first of the UCI cross-country categories took on the 5.2-mile course. Lauren Aggeler (Durango, Colo.; Team Segment28) dominated the race from the beginning, pulling away from her competitors early in the first lap. She would continue to increase her lead over the 69-rider field each lap. In the end, Aggeler finished almost four minutes ahead of the next rider. When asked about her early lead she said, “When I heard I was 5 seconds ahead, I was like okay I have a pretty good gap. That definitely gave me a confidence boost.” Later sharing that having won very few races this season today’s win was extra special. Ellie Krafft (Prescott, Ariz.; Bear National Team) and Kellie Harrington (Pittsfield, Mass.; New England Youth Cycling) followed Aggeler’s lead, slotting into second and third early on and never relinquishing their positions.
In the Junior Men 15-16, 120 riders lined up for the start. By the end of the first lap, riders were stretched from the 180-degree turn on the backside of the course to the finish straight. As the leaders approached the finish of the first of their three laps, Nicholas Konency (Breckenridge, Colo., Bear National Team) attacked to take the lead position, which would turn out to be the winning move. Hot on Konency’s heels through the second lap, Luke Harris (Daniellsville, Ga.; USA Cycling Olympic Development Academy) and Keegan Field (Flagstaff, Ariz.; Hatch Toyota Racing) would keep each other in sight but were never able to reel the leader back. In the last lap, Konency put on the afterburners and would take his lead from 30-seconds to almost two minutes, ultimately claiming the title. Harris finished second, 24-seconds ahead of Field.
Another record-setting field, the Junior Women 15-16 had 69 starters take the line. Like in the Junior Women 17-18, the ultimate winner of the race took a commanding lead early on and never relinquished it. In her first lap Andie Aagard (Highland, Utah; Bear National Team) put one minute and twenty-eight seconds on the closest rider. By the end of the race, Aagard put a total of 3:31 on second place. Sydney Drevlow (Golden Valley, Minn.; Donkey Label Racing), who placed second, also was putting some distance on the rest of the field, finishing 3:07 ahead of third. Aagard’s teammate, Vida Lopez de San Roman (Sebastopol, Calif.; Bear National Team), rounded out the podium.
The final Junior Men 17-18 also saw a massive field toe the line, with 117 riders. The Bear National Team duo of Cayden Parker (Hot Springs, Ark.; Bear National Team) and Jack Spranger (Sammamish, Wash.; Bear National Team) took an early lead, putting fifteen seconds on the field by the end of the first lap. By the second lap, Parker had pulled ahead of Spranger. Parker charged through the final lap of the race, growing his lead to two minutes. With his monumental effort, he claimed the stars and stripes in a time of 1:06.26. Spranger maintained his position and claimed the silver. Marcis Shelton (Mill Valley, Calif.; WSX) earned bronze, finishing just thirty-two seconds behind second.
The Junior Women 11-14 short track was the first race of the day, with Kira Mullins (Littleton, Colo.; Avout Racing) taking the win. The Junior Men 11-14 was one of the best races of the day between Michael Ziomek (Albuquerque, N.M.; Baring Performance) and Thatcher Naeve (Boise, Idaho; Byrds). Naeve attacked on the last half lap right before the descent. Ziomek stayed on his wheel and tried to sprint for the line, but Naeve took the National Championship win.
Then it was time for the Master Men to take to the short track course. The Masters 40+ riders Janson Turner (Littleton, Colo.) and Cody Waite (Lakewood, Colo.; WE Development) took an early lead and battled it out until the end of their race, sprinting to the finish. Turner edged out Waite, claiming the national title by just eight seconds. In the Master Men 30-39, Roger Arnell (Las Vegas, N.M.) pulled to an early lead in front of the pack of ten riders, holding on to claim the title. The Senior Men 19-29 closed out the short track racing for the day. A group of four, made up of Blair Perkes (West Bountiful, Utah; Kuhl Elite), Andrew Conover (Highlan, Utah; Spry Cycles), Hayden Christian (San Antonio, Texas; Fasthouse), and James Roloff (Boise, Idaho; Saint Alphonsus Cycling Team), established themselves by the second lap. Perkes and Conover pulled away from the group and fought for the top step of the podium. Perkes edged out Conover in a sprint.
After yesterday’s seeding runs, multiple master and junior categories would kick Friday morning off with their final runs on the amateur downhill track. The first downhill national title of the morning was awarded to Jon Strickler (Avon, Colo.), who won the Master Men 55-59 downhill race. The next masters winner was Dennis Foster (Murrieta, Calif.; Intense Cycles), who won the Master Men 60-64 downhill race after finishing in a time of 5:48.0. Winning the Master Men 65-59 race was Russell Asleson (Colorado Springs, Colo.; Matheny Endurance). Asleson beat second by over a minute. On the women’s side, Texas native Christine Tucker (Richardson, Texas; Matrix Cycle Club) dominated the Master Women 55-59 downhill race and claimed the title. Taking gold in the Master Women 60-64 downhill race was Ellen Guthrie (Salt Lake City, Utah; Guthrie Bicycles). On the junior’s side, Sophie Gregory (Riverton, Utah; DHarco/Fox) and Aletha Ostgaard (Selah, Wash.; Fasthouse/Schwalbe) would win the Junior Women 11-12 and 13-14 races, respectively. Taking home the stars and stripes jersey in the Junior Men 13-14 downhill race was Cash Shaleen (Acton, Calif.; DVO Suspension/Fasthouse Bikes). Lastly, after an incredibly strong performance, Christopher Simeur (Bellingham, Wash.; Galbraith Gravity Racing) rode to a national title in the Junior Men 11-12 downhill race.
