In a thrilling battle, Makena Kellerman (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) outsprinted Kaya Musgrave (Pure Energy Drink / Haro Bikes) to win the U23 women’s title at the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships presented by The Meteor on Saturday.
Kellerman, Musgrave and Pan-American U23 women’s champion Mia Aseltine (Competitive Edge Racing) pulled away from the field after one lap and were locked into a tight battle on the Centennial Park course. Kellerman and Musgrave took turns attacking but never managed to pull away as Aseltine bobbled on the final lap, leaving the other two riders to battle it out for the gold.
Kellerman led the duo onto the pavement and held off Musgrave to win the title after finishing second in last year’s chaotic finish.
“I know both of them come from really strong road tactics. And so my biggest thing I was a little nervous being on the front so much, because I knew there were a lot of tactics going down,” Mullins told FloBikes announcers Brad Sohner and Ellen Noble after her win.
“With our first couple laps going, we honestly were going like a tempo pace for a few when we came through the start/finish, and it was a lot about who’s gonna go and who’s gonna pull. So I think I was really weighing in my mind, okay, I do want to set the pace, because I feel for mountain bike, I can hold a longer, higher intensity, but I didn’t want to go out too soon and end up blowing so but it ended up being a really good ride.
“Mia and Kaya are so talented, and they used to race mountain bike, and I’ve had so much fun racing a little cyclocross with them, and getting that experience.”
“It hurt pretty bad,” Kellerman said of the long stairway on the course. “I just knew I was going into the race after doing collegiate team relay yesterday in the collegiate race, I knew the stairs were definitely one of my stronger suits. And I don’t know why I don’t actually run stairs ever, but getting out there was actually pretty cool. So I was like, Okay, I feel really good on these tow – either pass or get a gap again.”
Kellerman had a chance to race on the course during the collegiate Varsity event on Friday, and though she made mistakes in the xx-minute race, which she was able “to clean up” in the u23 race.
Kellerman’s palmares include two titles in cross-country mountain biking, one collegiate title with Colorado Mesa University from two years ago and one in the U23 women’s category this summer in Roanoke, Virginia.
A total of 25 U23 women lined up first for five laps on the fast 3.1-mile course in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on the third day of racing, which started with the junior 17-18 women’s race.
Musgrave took the lead immediately from the start, and briefly pulled away solo before being caught by Kellerman and Aseltine. The trio already had a 27-second gap on chasers Sonneman and Elsa Westenfelder (Team Stampede/Five Valley Velo) and 31 seconds on Bridget Wilson (JAM Fund / NCC) and Knight.
On the second lap, Kellerman and Musgrave battled to to go to the front, each using different sections on the course to take over the pacemaking as Kellerman was stronger on the long stairway while Musgrave used her strong skills on off-camber sections to try and pull away. Meanwhile, Aseltine seemed happy to stay in third wheel, biding her time.
With two laps to go, Kellerman, Musgrave, and Aseltine were still together at the front with 1:25 to Knight and Sonnermann. Aseltine attacked on the stairs and moved briefly into the second spot behind Musgrave, who bobbled immediately in the next off-camber section, leaving Kellerman to once again take the front.
Kellerman was driving the pace as the trio started the bell with Musgrave putting in the first big attack, but Kellerman, once again, used the stairs to get an advantage. Musgrave tried once again to pass on the downhill off-camber section but couldn’t make it. Aseltine bobbled on a long section, leaving the other two to battle it out for the victory.