Team USA Recap: Gunsalus and Brunner Win Elite Titles at CX Nationals; Kellerman and Coote Take U23 Victories; Mullins and Brown Earn Junior Wins
(December 10-14) – CX Nationals came to Fayetteville for five days of elite, collegiate, masters and junior racing, with hundreds of cyclists vying for Stars and Stripes jerseys.
Pan American Champion Lizzy Gunsalus (CCB p/b Levine Law Group) won her first Elite Women’s title after battling with the Sarkisov sisters, with Katherine Sarkisov (Trek Bikes) taking silver, and Alyssa Sarkisov (CXD Trek Bikes) the bronze.
Eric Brunner (Competitive Edge Racing) soloed to victory in the Elite Men’s race, coming in 36 seconds ahead of the battle for silver between Ivan Sippy (Colorado Mesa University) and Brody McDonald (Milligan University. It was Brunner’s third elite national title in the past five years.
Makena Kellerman (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) won the U23 Women’s race in a sprint with second-place Kaya Musgrave (Pure Energy Drink/Haro Bikes by Corego). Pan American Champion Mia Aseltine (Competitive Edge Racing) placed third.
Defending National Champion Henry Coote (TRINITY Racing) won the U23 Men’s title, followed 22 seconds later by Jack Spranger (Colorado Mesa University) for second, with Ryan Drummond (Competitive Edge Racing) placing third.
The Junior 17-18 titles were won by Kira Mullins (Bear National Team) and Ethan Brown(Midwest NXT) who both soloed to a win. Tessa Beebe (BYRDS Cycling) was second and Ada Watson (Trek Bikes) was third in the women’s race. In the men’s event, Matthew Crabbe (Finkraft Junior Cycling) and Noah Scholnick (Finkraft Junior Cycling) were second and third.
Lizzy Gunsalus (Marian University) won the Collegiate Varsity women’s title, the first of three national titles the Pan Am champion won over the week. Makena Kellerman came in 8 seconds later for second and Nicole Bradbury (Brevard College) was third.
Alyssa Sarkisov (Purdue University) outsprinted her sister Katherine Sarkisov (University of Maryland College Park) to win the Collegiate Club title by a second, with Elsa Westenfelder (University of Denver) taking third.
Ivan Sippy (Colorado Mesa University) soloed home for the Collegiate Varsity men’s crown, followed by Brody McDonald (Milligan University) and Henry Coote in second and third.
Leif Bryan (UVM Cycling) soloed to a win for the Club Men’s title, with Calvin Conaway(Indiana University Bloomington) and Gavin Lopez (University of Colorado Boulder) taking second and third.
The Collegiate Team Omnium (Varsity) title was won by Colorado Mesa University and the Club Omnium by University of Vermont Cycling. The Marian University squad (Aspholm, Mattern, Gunsalus, Scott) won the Collegiate Team Relay (Varsity). The UVM team (Gares, Sandoval, Coleman, Cusack) captured the Collegiate Team Club crown.
Race Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Results
