USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships 2015

excerpts from USA Cycling 

A day following the 24-hour postponement of the 2015 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships,Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Trek Factory Racing) and Jeremy Powers (Easthampton, Mass./Aspire Racing) added another chapter to their decorated careers when they won the elite national titles Monday at Austin’s Zilker Park.

One day removed from the 24-hour suspension mandated by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, who cited the need to protect the exposed root systems of 100-year-old heritage trees after excessive deterioration of the soil beyond anticipation as reason for the postponement, Compton collected her 11^th women’s elite cyclo-cross championship on the restructured course.
 
“The course was still technical and still hard, and it definitely wore on you,” said Compton after the win. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t go too hard. I always had the people behind me in mind, but it helped having a gap because that way I could relax and focus on the lines.”
 
Compton started the contest outside the top 10, but quickly found her groove as she ascended through the field. By the time she was given the bell, Compton left little doubt that she would repeat again, crossing in 41:01. Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wis./Cyclocrossworld) assembled a strong 41:26 run, chased byRachel Lloyd (Fairfax, Calif./California Giant Cycling) in 41:40.

photo credit @ Trek Factory Racing 
 
Like Compton, Powers found a familiar place atop the men’s podium, finishing his seven-lap campaign in just over an hour to defend his title and earn his third cyclo-cross national championship in the last four years. In a continuous battle with Jonathan Page (Shelburne, N.H./XcelLED-Fuji), Powers was able to pick up some distance early on after Page flatted coming out of the pit, and Powers never looked back, taking the win in 1:00:33. Page, who won the 2013 title over Powers, placed second in 1:01:04, trailed 41 seconds later by Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Cycocross Project 2015) in 1:01:45.
 
“You’ve got to really stay on top of it and you can’t look back,” Powers said. “You’ve got to stay in your own race, and I never looked back. I was just trying to mark (Page) as much as I could, but I wasn’t thinking about it; I was just looking forward to my own race.”
 

Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./California Giant Cycling-Specialized) remained perfect in his career at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, making it two straight U23 men’s national titles and 10 championships overall. He stepped off and hoisted his Specialized bike at the finish line at the 56:06 mark after pacing teammate and silver medalist Yannick Eckmann (Boulder, Colo./California Giant Cycling-Specialized), who finished in 57:15, and bronze medalist Curtis White (Delanson, N.Y./Cannondale Cyclocrossworld), who crossed in 57:31.
 
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Owen said. “I was really, really motivated to get an even number (of national titles) and get double digits. I’m really excited. I went out there and rode my hardest, and it just turned out that I was the best on the day.”
 
In the women’s U23 division, Ellen Noble (Kennebunkport, Maine/JAM Fund-NCC) assembled a convincing 42:48 run, which was the sixth best time on the course amongst the elite and U23 divisions, which raced simultaneously. Hannah Finchamp (Altadena, Calif.) took silver nearly three minutes later in 45:30, and Emily Shields (Advance, N.C./Hearts Racing Club) finished third in 47:41.
 
“I started second row and just went really hard at the start because I knew there was going to be some traffic,” Noble said. “Racing with the elites is so amazing because everyone is so fast and you can trust the lines. I love racing out there with girls like Katie (Compton). It’s phenomenal.”
 
Gage Hecht (Parker, Colo./Alpha Bicycle Co.-Vista Subaru) continued a strong year by adding the men’s 17-18 title to his resume, finishing in 39:24. Gavin Haley (Santa Rosa, Calif./Red Zone Cycling) earned silver in the closest contest of the day, crossing in 39:42, trailed closely by Cameron Beard (Bend, Ore./Cyclocrossworld) in 39:50. Emma White (Delanson, N.Y./Cannondale Cyclocrossworld) finished in 35:43 to win the women’s 17-18 title, pacing the field by more than two minutes. Victoria Gates (Southampton, Mass./JAM Fund-NCC) picked up silver in 37:52, while Hannah Arensman’s (Rutherford College, N.C./K-Edge Felt Cyclocross Team) 38:39 effort netted bronze.
 
In men’s 15-16 action, Scott Funston (Black Diamond, Wash./Rad Racing NW) stood atop the division, finishing in 31:00 flat, as Evan Clouse(Park City, Utah/Canyon Bicycles-Shimano) took second in 31:29 and Denzel Stephenson (Broomfield, Colo./Boulder Junior Cycling) claimed third just six seconds later in 31:35. Turner Ramsay (Rutland, Vt./KMS Cycling-Killington Mountain School) turned in the top women’s 15-16 time in 26:12, while Kennedy Adams (Stow, Ohio/WAS Labs Cycling) ascended the second step of the podium with a 27:04 effort, and Alijah Beatty (Washington, Iowa/NorthStar Development) rounded out the top three in 28:13.

Men Pro/1/2 Elite 23+

1.  Jeremy Powers (Easthampton, Mass.)   ASPIRE RACING   1:00:33 

2.  Jonathan Page (Shelburne, N.H.)   XcelLED/Fuji   1:01:04 

3.  Zach Mcdonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash.)   Cyclocross Project 2015   1:01:45 

Women Pro/1/2/3 Elite/U23

1.  Katherine Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo.)      41:01 

2.  Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wis.)   Cyclocrossworld   41:26 

3.  Rachel Lloyd (Fairfax, Calif.)   California Giant Cycling   41:40 

Men U23 19-22

1.  Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash.)   California Giant Cycling   56:06 

2.  Yannick Eckmann (Boulder, Colo.)   UCI CT: ROTH – Skoda   57:15 

3.  Curtis White (Delanson, N.Y.)   Cannondale Cyclocrossworld   57:31 

Women U23 19-22

1.  Ellen Noble (Kennebunkport, Maine)   JAM Fund / NCC   42:48 

2.  Hannah Finchamp (Altadena, Calif.)      45:30 

3.  Emily Shields (Advance, N.C.)   Hearts Racing Club   47:41 

Men 1/2/3 Junior 17-18

1.  Gage Hecht (Parker, Colo.)   Alpha Bicycle Co.- Vista Subaru   39:24 

2.  Gavin Haley (Santa Rosa, Calif.)   Red Zone Cycling   39:42 

3.  Cameron Beard (Bend, Ore.)   Cyclocrossworld   39:50 

4.  Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.)   NCCF/ Team Specialized Juniors   39:57 

5.  Cooper Willsey (Hinesburg, Vt.)   Cyclocrossworld   40:03 

Women Junior 17-18

1.  Emma White (Delanson, N.Y.)   Cannondale Cyclocrossworld   35:43 

2.  Victoria Gates (Southampton, Mass.)   JAM Fund / NCC   37:52 

3.  Hannah Arensman (Rutherford College, N.C.)   K-Edge Felt Cyclocross Team   38:39 

4.  Mackenzie Green (Mason, Ohio)   Red Zone Cycling   38:57 

5.  Tiziana Dehorney (Albuquerque, N.M.)   Laughing Dog Team   38:59 

Men Junior 15-16

1.  Scott Funston (Black Diamond, Wash.)   Rad Racing NW   31:00 

2.  Evan Clouse (Park City, Utah)   Canyon Bicycles – Shimano   31:29 

3.  Denzel Stephenson (Broomfield, Colo.)   Boulder Junior Cycling   31:35 

4.  Andrew Schmidt (Lake Geneva, Wis.)   Hincapie Development team   31:58 

5.  Calder Wood (ANACORTES)   Rad Racing NW   32:21 

Women Junior 15-16

1.  Turner Ramsay (Rutland, Vt.)   KMS Cycling-Killington Mountain School   26:12 

2.  Kennedy Adams (Stow, Ohio)   WAS Labs Cycling   27:04 

3.  Alijah Beatty (Washington, Iowa)   NorthStar Development   28:13 

4.  Ashley Zoerner (Highlandsranch, Colo.)   Alpha Bicycle Co.- Vista Subaru   28:13 

5.  Anya Malarski (DULUTH MN)   NorthStar Development Cycling   29:13