Shmidt and Knibb Earn Elite Time Trial Titles on the First Day of 2026 Pro Road Nationals
The 2026 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships kicked off on Tuesday morning with the Individual Time Trials.
Twenty-five athletes took to the streets of Charleston, each battling the clock for a shot at the national title. As afternoon temperatures started to rise, riders completed 33.4 kilometers alongside the Kanawha River. Lawrence Warbasse (Traverse, Mich.; Tudor Pro Cycling Team) settled into the hot seat early on with a time of 38:32.06. After the second wave of riders, William Barta (Boise, Idaho; Tudor Pro Cycling Team) clocked an intermediate split of 19:09.41 and joined his teammate at the top of the results board, finishing just 5.43 seconds behind Warbasse. All eyes were on reigning champion Artem Shmidt (Cumming, Ga.; Ineos Grenadiers) as the last rider to roll out. Shmidt took the course by storm, posting the fastest intermediate split of the day and crossing the line with a 10-second gap to take the victory with a blistering time of 38:21.88. This marked back-to-back Elite National Titles for the 22-year-old.
Results:
1. Artem Shmidt (Cumming, Ga.; Ineos Grenadiers)
2. Lawrence Warbasse (Traverse, Mich.; Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
3. William Barta (Boise, Idaho; Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
The Elite Women’s Time Trial was stacked with 29 riders ready to take on the 33.4-kilometer, two-lap course in pursuit of the Stars and Stripes jersey. Paige Onweller (Bella Vista, Ark.) set the bar high in the first wave, stopping the clock at 43:51.42. She held the top spot in the hot seat until the final two riders rolled out: Triathlon and Time Trial Olympian Taylor Knibb (Boulder, Colo.), and reigning Elite Women’s National Champion Emily Ehrlich (Slater, S.C.; Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28). Ehrlich was flying through the course, clocking the fastest intermediate split of 21:25.83. However, Knibb’s momentum went into overdrive through the second half of the course, finishing in a time of 42:37.30 and earning herself the national title. Ehrlich rode a strong race, finishing 45.16 seconds behind to claim silver. Onweller’s impressive ride earned her the bronze medal.
Results:
1. Taylor Knibb (Boulder, Colo.)
2. Emily Ehrlich (Slater, S.C.; Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28)
3. Paige Onweller (Bella Vista, Ark.)
Thirty-one athletes lined up for the Under-23 Men’s Time Trial to race two laps for a total of 33.4 kilometers. Kade Kreikemeier (Fort Collins, Colo.; Meridian Racing p/b de la Uz) delivered the ride of the day, clocking the fastest intermediate split of 19:35.74, and edging out Owen Cole (Chapel Hill, N.C.; Team Winston Salem - Flow) by 4.04 seconds to win the national title. Paris 2024 Paralympic Track Medalist Elouan Gardon (Acme, Wash.; Above and Beyond Cancer Cycling Team) clocked the second-fastest intermediate split and finished 7.13 seconds off of first place to claim the bronze medal.
Kreikemeier was in disbelief when he was announced as the National Champion. He said, “I can’t believe I just won the U23 National Championship Time Trial. I just accomplished a childhood dream, I can’t believe it. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this sport, and I didn’t know about my future, and oh my gosh, I feel so blessed to be here today and to have won.”
Results:
1. Kade Kreikemeier (Fort Collins, Colo.; Meridian Racing p/b de la Uz)
2. Owen Cole (Chapel Hill, N.C.; Team Winston Salem - Flow)
3. Elouan Gardon (Acme, Wash.; Above and Beyond Cancer Cycling Team)
Eleven Under-23 Women raced one lap of the 16.7-kilometer time trial course. Kylee Hanel (Portland, Ore.; Aegis x Leaders of Enchantment) was the first and only rider to break the 22-minute mark, stopping the clock at 21:42.12 and claiming the Stars and Stripes jersey. Jorja Bond (Golden, Colo.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group) improved last year's third-place performance, finishing with a time of 22:18.60 to secure silver. Alyssa Sarkisov (North Potomac, Md.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group) rounded out the podium with bronze.
Results:
1. Kylee Hanel (Portland, Ore.; Aegis x Leaders of Enchantment)
2. Jorja Bond (Golden, Colo.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group)
3. Alyssa Sarkisov (North Potomac, Md.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group)
Forty-three Junior Men raced one lap of the 16.7-kilometer time trial course. Kashus Adamski (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team) was the first rider to break the 20-minute mark, stopping the clock at 19:18.27 and winning the national title. Enzo Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.; Redbull/Bora/Hansgrohe) crossed the line in 19:49.15 to earn the silver medal. Sylvan Garrelts (Brooklyn, N.Y.; Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team) put down an impressive ride, claiming bronze with a time of 20:38.19.
Results:
1. Kashus Adamski (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team)
2. Enzo Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.; Redbull/Bora/Hansgrohe)
3. Sylvan Garrelts (Brooklyn, N.Y.; Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team)
The Junior Women raced 16.7 kilometers on the flat, fast course. Reigning Junior Women’s National Champion Liliana Edwards (Washington, D.C.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group) was one to watch heading into the event, and she did not disappoint. Closing it out with a blistering pace and finishing in 22:03.71 to once again take the top step of the podium. Emma Jimenez Palos (Miami, Fla.; City Bikes Miami Racing) finished 35 seconds off first place to claim the silver medal. Tessa Beebe (Boise, Idaho; BYRDS Cycling) rounded out the podium with bronze.
Results:
1. Liliana Edwards (Washington, D.C.; CCB Kenetik p/b Levine Law Group)
2. Emma Jimenez Palos (Miami, Fla.; City Bikes Miami Racing)
3. Tessa Beebe (Boise, Idaho; BYRDS Cycling)
Racing continues tomorrow evening in downtown Charleston with the Junior and Under-23 Criteriums for both men and women. Click here for the full event schedule.
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