Andrew Strohmeyer (CXC Trek Bikes) received his first US elite males’s cyclocross title on Saturday, edging defending champion Eric Brunner (Aggressive Edge Racing) on the line in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday. Scott Funston (Cervélo-Orange Dwelling) was a part of the three-rider battle, ending 4 seconds again for the bronze medal at US Cyclocross Nationwide Championships.
The identical trio from final yr’s podium created separation from the remainder of the sector on the second lap and rocketed away to settle accounts for the rostrum in a dash
“I am nonetheless attempting to course of what all occurred,” the newly topped elite males’s champion advised FloBikes on the end. “I believe we have been all hurting. It was whoever had a bit of bit left.
“I hadn’t actually deliberate something going into the race. I had no thought what I used to be going to do on the final lap if we have been all collectively. However all of us knew it needed to lead into that technical part [mansion hill]. I gave it all the pieces to get to that part and from there simply maintain on up these hills. Then it will get tactical.”
Final yr Strohmeyer completed second to Brunner, who made a closing lap cost after a mechanical. Strohmeyer admitted he did not let reminiscences of 2023 trouble him, however discovered what he did incorrect and “be certain I did not make these errors once more at present”.
“After Eric crashed on the obstacles and I attacked and was off the entrance,” he stated about Saturday’s race and a technical error by his adversary on lap three. “Then he began to return again. When he got here again, it was like final yr, how are we going to make this completely different?”
That distinction of 1 second got here along with his highly effective dash, saving sufficient for a closing effort to carry off Brunner, racing within the Pan-American cyclocross champion’s white package. 2022 elite males’s champion Curtis White (Steve Tilford Basis Racing) rode solo in fourth.
Locked and loaded for seven laps, 39 riders bolted into the primary nook with Funston on the entrance. White and Brunner, Kerry Werner (Groove Off Highway Racing), Strohmeyer and Caleb Swartz (ENVE-Ahead Endurance Teaching) trailing to make up the highest six. Attempting to shut the hole have been Jules Van Kempen (Cervelo-Orange Dwelling).
Among the many riders giving chase with 30 seconds to shut down for the beginning of lap two have been Gage Hecht and Cade Bickmore of Workforce Winston-Salem.
Final yr’s elite males’s runner-up Strohmeyer stepped on the accelerator early, inflicting the sector to shatter on the second half of the opening lap. He gave the impression to be in a rush, the 60-minute race anticipated to complete simply forward of a swath of rain headed to Louisville. The course remained muddy from the earlier pounding of 5 races, however was not as slippery within the corners.
Riders did not waste time to point out off their health, Brunner, Strohmeyer and Funston – carrying bib numbers one, two and three – going three-wide at one level to open a niche on the entrance on the off-camber climb previous the mansion. White and Werner skilled a rubber-band impact as they clawed their approach again on the second lap, however then misplaced contact once more.
Brunner misplaced his entrance wheel on the third cross of the obstacles and went down. The bobble allowed Strohmeyer and Funston to hole the defending champion as they pressed forward for the fourth circuit. The technical mistake introduced a 10-second hole, which he closed down on one other half lap to Funston, after which reeled again Strohmeyer, who had tried to maneuver away solo.
On the penultimate lap on a muddy descent, Strohmeyer unclipped with a technical error after which Brunner fell within the mud when his entrance wheel hit a deep rut. Funston rode clear all through, however couldn’t shake both rider because the trio remained intact headed to the ultimate lap. Behind, White started to distance Werner, and the previous males’s champion needed to make up 12 seconds to the leaders when he heard the bell ring.
Funston managed the tempo for a lot of the closing lap, holding off assaults on a number of tight corners. The trio slowed down on a paved part earlier than extra swooping filth corners, no area rising between wheels as they handed cleanly over the obstacles.
Strohmeyer attacked on the entrance because the trio hit the ultimate part of pavement and pulled away for the stars-and-stripes jersey, the 21-year-old returning to victory lane at cyclocross nationals since 2022 when he received the U23 crown.
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