Jonathan Page took his fourth career American national cyclocross title – his first in eight years – on a frozen and muddy course in Wisconsin on Sunday. Conversely, Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) grabbed her ninth championship in a row, firmly stamping her name as co-favourite for the world title in Louisville in a few weeks.
For Page, the only elite American male to ever finish on the podium at a cyclocross world championships, a return to the stars and stripes jersey was more than welcome. He held off former under-23 champion Zach McDonald (Rapha Focus) for most of the seven-lap race. McDonald, who would have been eligible but opted not to contend the U-23 race, took one of his best career results with the second place. Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com) nabbed third.
“I got a gorilla off my back today,” Page told interviewers at the finish. “It’s been a long time, but I’m very happy to keep the streak alive here. I think it’s possible to see the same conditions [in Louisville], although I’ve never been there. You have to ride at top level no matter the conditions, and I was able to do that today. [McDonald] rides with complete guts, and that’s a good bike rider. I respect that about him, though the old man got him today,” Page added with a smile.
“I’m super happy, and while it would have been nice to win, there was no way I was catching Page,” McDonald admitted at the finish. “It was an awesome ride for him. He got away at the perfect time, so hats off to Page for sure. The course was different, it was so frozen, but not too different from a muddy race. You still have to get out and ride your own race. I made a few mistakes, but none that would have prevented me from getting back to Page. He was just too strong today.
“It’s nice to have this form going into Hoogerheide next weekend. Hopefully I’ll be able to travel well and then come back strong for Worlds.”
Reigning national champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) grabbed the lead early into the first turn, before Ryan Trebon (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com) and Danny Summerhill (Unitedhealthcare) came around to hit the mud first. Powers quickly dropped back in what would prove to be a day-long struggle, and a four-man group formed at the front, with Summerhill leading it.
The group soon swelled to seven, with three Cannondale Cyclocrossworld riders in Trebon, Page, and Tim Johnson at the front, along with McDonald. Summerhill suffered a rear flat, which would put him far enough behind to end his threat for the victory. Though not in the lead group, Powers had the leaders in his sights with two laps down.
Page began to open a small gap beginning lap three; chasing him were McDonald, Driscoll, Trebon, and Justin Lindine (Redline). Summerhill and Powers joined up behind the first chasing group while Page opened it up ahead, taking ten seconds on McDonald.
As laps ticked by, Trebon lost ground on the rest of the chasers and Page added a few more seconds to his lead. He, McDonald, and Driscoll consolidated enough of a lead with still three laps remaining that, barring mechanical trouble, the podium members seemed to be set.
Eventually, Summerhill found his groove and picked up several spots, though Powers was unable to do so, and the Rapha Focus leader finished outside the top five. Lindine succumbed to the pace, dropping out of the top level as well.
Page maintained his composure and his lead up front, and McDonald eventually cracked on the final lap, securing the win for the veteran.
Yannick Eckmann (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) won the under-23 men’s national title.
Katie Compton cruises to ninth national championship:
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) got away early in the elite women’s race and quickly stamped her authority on the event. It was a war of attrition amongst both the riders and mechanics, as sunny but freezing conditions played havoc with both the equipment and course conditions.
Sunny skies softened up the Wisconsin course just enough to allow for some mud, but temperatures measuring at minus-seven degrees Celsius were freezing up bike components. Quickly alone on course, Compton seemed immune from these problems, and though she pitted every lap for a new bike, she was far enough ahead to avoid traffic in the pits.
Nicole Duke (Alchemy) went ahead early in lap one with Compton next to her, though the World Cup winner quickly moved forward, and Duke dropped back into a chasing group which included Meredith Miller (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) and Katie Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com).
With Compton ahead, Miller, Antonneau, and Duke spread out after the latter suffered a broken shifter and flat tire. As the race wore on, Miller and Antonneau began to suffer, while veteran Georgia Gould (Luna) and relative rookie Jade Wilcoxson (Optum) moved up. Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) moved up gradually as well.
A steaming Compton soloed to the finish, and Duke had recovered well, though she was bested by the speedy Wilcoxson on the line for second. Gould came home fourth, and Anthony was fifth, earning her the under-23 title.
Compton noted the tough conditions in her interview after the finish. “It was maybe worse in the pits than it was for me,” she remarked. “Brakes and cogs were freezing by the end. Overall, everything was great, and I’m happy to win today because it’s such a technical course.
“Now I’m going to go home and get some training in, so I’ll be coming to Louisville feeling the best I can feel. Preparation has been good, and I’ve had great support from Trek, and I’m happy to be riding their bikes. I’m excited to win the World Cup overall, and Nationals is just icing on the cake. I’m going to go to Louisville and do the best I can do.”
The fresh face was Optum’s Wilcoxson.
“I’m a first year pro, so coming into this season, it was my first full ‘cross season, and I had no idea how it would go. My support system was awesome, the staff has been great, and my second place is mainly because of them,” Wilcoxson lauded. “[The race was about] managing to stay upright, and a lot of luck. I felt like I had great legs, but I crashed a lot. I was hoping my finish would come down to a sprint, because that’s what I do on the road, so I was glad with how it finished.”
USA Cyclocross National Championships Elite Men Brief Results:
1 Jonathan Page
2 Zach McDonald (Rapha Focus)
3 Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com)
4 Danny Summerhill (Unitedhealthcare)
5 Tim Johnson (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com)
USA Cyclocross National Championships Elite Women Brief Results:
1 Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective)
2 Jade Wilcoxson (Optum)
3 Nicole Duke (Alchemy)
4 Georgia Gould (Luna)
5 Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com)