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Vida Lopez de San Roman (Bear CX National Team) and Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes), both eligible for the under-23 category, came away with the elite titles for women and men on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky for the 2024 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. The rain stayed away, but mud still found its way onto the rolling, technical track at Joe Creason Park, reminiscent of the famed mudder battles at nearby Kentucky Derby’s Churchill Downs.
It was 18-year-old Lopez de San Roman who skipped the U23 competition at the last minute and rained on the parade of Steve Tilford Foundation Racing duo Katie Clouse and Raylyn Nuss, who returned to improve on their silver and bronze medals, respectively, from the year before. Instead, last year’s junior 17-18 winner decided to “gamble”, which paid huge dividends to make the victory “sweeter”.
The California youngster landed on the podium three times in Louisville over the course of the four-day event. On the opening day she won a collegiate gold medal in the women’s Varsity race for Milligan University, and a day later was part of the Milligan relay team for silver. Then Saturday she battled with Clouse at the front of the race for five-and-a-half laps, then pulled away on the back half for a solo victory.
“So exciting to be out with the elites for the first time, and kind of just jump in the mix. “It was a tough battle with Katie out there. I’m super happy with my decision in the end,” Lopez de San Roman said on the FloBikes broadcast after the race.
Clouse, a two-time U23 cyclocross national champion, suffered severe cramping in the closing technical sections of the twisty course, but powered on to secure another silver medal. Nuss, a two-time Pan-American champion, found an extra gear across the second half of the race and rode clear of CCB p//b Levine Law Group riders Natalie Quinn and Lizzy Gunsalus, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Notable riders in the field included Crystal Anthony (Liv Racing), who returned to her “first love” of ‘cross after a two-year absence, which saw her focus on the off-road racing at the Life Time Grand Prix. She finished one spot out of the points in 11th.
Also giving it a go in the elite women’s race as a late entry was multi-discipline US national champion Lauren Stephens. The reigning two-time US gravel champion made the journey to Kentucky after a few local rounds of cyclocross, and finished two spots behind Anthony.
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On the men’s side, it was a three-rider showdown that led to echoes of an exciting Kentucky Derby race call, “and down the stretch they come”. Strohmeyer broke free on the paved straightaway section to claim a one-second win over defending champion Eric Brunner (Competitive Edge Racing). The bronze was then settled when Scott Funston (Cervélo-Orange Living) glided across the line a handful of second later.
“Elite national champion! This one is going to take some time to set in,” the Maryland native said on Instagram. While it was an upset of sorts for the 22-year-old to overpower Brunner at the line, he demonstrated his level of fitness having won five races and the overall at the US Cyclocross Series.
2022 elite men’s winner Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) made it intriguing when he set the fastest time on lap six of seven, and had the lead trio in his sights, dropping Kerry Werner (Groove Off Road Racing) in the process. White could not carve enough into the gap and finished 31 seconds back for fourth, while Werner took fifth.
Significant riders in the men’s elite field included Cade Bickmore (Team Winston-Salem), who broke his collarbone in September at Tour of Britain riding for his road team Project Echelon Racing. He was given clearance a week before US cyclocross nationals to take the start in Louisville and finished 10th.
Lane Maher (JAM Fund/NCC), a junior and U23 Pan-American silver medalist, moved completely out of the sport after 2021 to pursue a college degree and a career as a train conductor. He returned to racing last year and finished 18th at Nationals. This year he finished 14th.
Gage Hecht ( ), the 2019 elite men’s cyclocross national champion and a three-time U23 Pan-American winner, stopped racing ‘cross in 2021 but returned last year for a top 10 finish. This year he was 12th.
Also jumping into the fray was 2018 US Pro criterium champion Ty Magner (L39ION of Los Angeles). He took part in four UCI C2 ‘cross races before nationals but did not go beyond the fourth lap at Joe Creason Park on Saturday.
Here are the sights from the camera lens of Snowy Mountain Photography from the elite races on Saturday in Louisville, from enthusiastic crowds to the spirited battles that unfolded at Joe Creason Park.