Lopez de San Roman, Sarkisov, and Cusack Finish Top 10 in the U23 Women’s Race at the 2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships

The 2026 UCI Cyclocross World Championships wrapped up Sunday with racing in the Junior Men, U23 Women, and Elite Men categories. Persistent rain throughout the day made for slick conditions, making clean riding, smart decisions, and minimizing mistakes important as the races unfolded.

Andrew Strohmeyer (Mount Airy, Md.; CXD / Trek Bikes) had a great start riding in 11^th after the first two laps. As conditions deteriorated, Strohmeyer faded later in the race and ultimately finished 31^st.

Results: 

1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED)

2. Tibor Del Grosso (NED)

3. Thibau Nys (BEL)

31. Andrew Strohmeyer (USA)

With 30 riders on the start line, the U.S. had seven athletes in the field. Vida Lopez de San Roman (Sebastopol, Calif.; Trinity Racing) earned a front-row call-up but had a tough start after missing her pedal, forcing her to fight back from the back of the race. She steadily worked her way forward and rejoined the battle for fifth alongside teammates Lidia Cusack (Chevy Chase, Md.; CXD / Trek Bikes) and Alyssa Sarkisov (North Potomac, Md.; CXD / Trek Bikes).

Lopez de San Roman stayed in the mix through the final laps, eventually finishing sixth after a sprint to the line. Cusack rode strongly in the first half of the race and was part of the lead group before an unfortunate crash on the final lap, holding on for eighth. A. Sarkisov also put together a solid ride, overcoming an unlucky starting position and early congestion to find her flow, move up through the field, and finish seventh.

Speaking on the technical nature of the course, Sarkisov pointed to the importance of “clean transitions, timing your dismounts to keep momentum on the run-ups, and staying safe by avoiding mistakes.”

Results:

1. Leonie Bentveld (NED)

2. Viktoria Chladonova (SLO)

3. Celia Gery (FRA)

6. Vida Lopez de San Roman (USA)

7. Alyssa Sarkisov (USA)

8. Lidia Cusack (USA)

13. Katherine Sarkisov (USA)

25. Lyllie Sonnemann (USA)

26. Kaya Musgrave (USA)

DNF. Mia Aseltine (USA)

The race was hectic with more than 60 starters on the line, making positioning critical from the opening laps. Ethan Brown (Fishers, Ind.; Midwest NXT) got off to a solid start and quickly found himself in the fight for the top 15. As the rain continued to fall and the course grew slicker throughout the race, Brown made a smart bike change for more aggressive mud tires, allowing him to claw back several positions. He ultimately finished 16^th, marking one of his best performances to date. 

Results:

1. Delano Heeren (NED)

2. Filippo Gigolini (ITA)

3. Giel Lejeune (BEL)

16. Ethan Brown (USA)

30. Matthew Crabbe (USA)

43. Porter Melvin (USA)

60. Jacob Hines (USA)

After the weekend, National Team Coach Grant Holicky said, “We had a really strong weekend, with the highlight obviously being the U23 women, three in the top ten at any World Championships is pretty spectacular. It’s a very young group with the juniors and U23s, and I’m excited to bring them back and see what they can do next year. I’m also really proud of the team culture we built. Cyclocross is such an individual sport, but teammates make a huge difference, from sharing lines and riding techniques to feeding off each other’s energy. After a disappointing team relay on Friday, the group did an excellent job staying motivated and supporting one another throughout the weekend.”

Cyclocross is not an Olympic discipline; therefore, it is fully funded by generous contributions to the MudFund. During the Cyclocross World Championships, all donations up to $25,000 will be matched until February 3, 2026. Double your impact and consider making a donation to the MudFund, here.   

USA Cycling's supporting partner for this event includes HOVERAir, who shares our mission to elevate the sport and inspire the next generation of cyclists.