2023 US Nationals
Revisit Louisville 2023 with us, thanks to the images of our photographer Adam Koble, resident of Portland - East, MN. Accounts from each of the women’s team riders (Madeline, Annie, Brenna, and Clara) are mixed in with the images. Please enjoy and celebrate the US’ annual biggest, emotion-filled day of CX.
Sunday’s events kicked off with the U23 Women, with Madeline Stover setting the tone for our team that day. Madeline is a senior in high school and a first year U23, just turning 18 a couple weeks ago, young in her category. She’s a technical powerhouse and forever energized by each new CX race day, bringing a level of clear-eyed enthusiasm to each start line.
With a second row call-up, she kicked hard off the line, moving up early off the pavement and holding her own within the top-10 as the race lined out through its fast and sweeping grass corners, winding its way to the flyover. The day before, the course had been doused through multiple sudden downpours followed by thunder and lightning and steadily plunging temperatures for a cold overnight environment that maintained a soft track—plenty of mistakes to be found lurking in unassuming corners and cambers. As Sunday’s first event, the U23 women were exploring yet undetermined levels of slippery lines as Saturday’s recon quickly became redundant. Their event confirmed that seizing an early advantage would be a smart plan on this subtly tricky, ever-curving course.
In a field stacked with talent, Madeline fought to an awesome 14th place finish. “It was so much fun to be out there with everyone, the stoke was high and the course was sweet! I’m happy to end the season on a high note!”
Part II: Cyclocross is a family affair. Look to the European start lines and the pits, and moms and dads and siblings are everywhere, supporting their rider. Along with being our life-long, incredible jock of all sports, our rider @anniedavisusher is also a team mom and a real-life mom. It’s common for her son Alex and daughter Hattie to join us on team travel weekends, and it makes the experiences so much more joyful.
For 2023, Annie decided to target the Elite Women’s race and, for the first time, also her Masters age group, where she brought home a silver medal! “The course on Friday was dry and fast. I had not had a hard race effort since end of October so the start of the race was a shock to the body. Luckily, I had so many amazing Oregon racers around the course cheering me on, along with my son Alex who covered at least 5 spots per lap, yelling, ‘GO MOM.’ That energy got me back in the race, and in the middle I was able to move up to 2nd and stay there. Having not done a Masters event at Nationals, I had no idea what to expect. I had a good time, and it got me ready for Sunday.”
Annie was the very last call-up for Sunday’s Elite Women. Starting from the back, she had nowhere to go but forward, and as a ‘crosser with a background in elite running, she made good work of the course, finishing lucky P13. “Louisville is one of my favorite Nationals courses. It’s a good mixture of technical spots, running spots, some straight flats for passing, and room for lots of cheering from spectators. Having the last call up and starting on the last row, I reminded myself to stay steady and consistent, and not to burn my matches trying to make bad passes. The course would open up in a few areas that made it easy to move forward. I was able to get up to the top 15 by lap one and then kept moving up the next few laps. Again, the cheering from the OBRA community was epic, and every time I felt tired, I had one of them, and my son Alex, yelling at me to ‘GOOOOO!’ What a great Elite Women’s race for Team S&M!!”
Part III, from Brenna:
“It was emotional for me to get to line up on the front row of Elite Nats this year—something I did not expect to get to do at any point in my CX racing career. Louisville is already an emotionally loaded site for me: it was the first place I worked a race with Beth Ann way back in 2014 at the Eva Bandman Derby City Cup, learning on the fly in a parking lot how to exchange a bike. It hosted the 2017 PanAms at Joe Creason in our first proper season running this program. It was where Clara won her first National title in the U23 race in 2018 with Sophie taking a bronze medal. Not to mention 2018 was a bar-setter for conditions for any pit staff, and after working several races that day, I left the venue exhausted and utterly in love with this team and the sport.
“The build up to any team race weekend is a slow burn of detailed logistical juggling for me, making the day of the actual event sometimes feel less big than it really should, which is maybe for the best. When Sunday arrived, I had handed off the operational keys to our exceptional crew. I felt quiet and already satisfied, unconcerned. I did some hot laps with Clara and Erik as close to race time as possible—as Erik has been encouraging me to—to turn off my roadie habits and brain, then went through the necessary fiddling of pre-race ritual and warm up. I arrived at the line relaxed and already happy with what would come. Just so dang happy. Honored to be lining up and proud of what our program represents. I think that state allowed a level of presence I can’t always find. And maybe that relaxed state stunted my start slightly, as the green lights caught me a little off guard, but it didn’t matter. I made up what I lost on the first proper straight, drawing on a depth of fitness from a big year. I had confidence in what I had that day, perfection be damned. I maintained the confidence, staying in the present, rebounded from a little second lap lull, and stayed in striking distance of 5th all day, ultimately finishing 8th. I’m proud of my progress this year, and I think the work showed on the day.”
And lastly, Part IV, from The Champ, Clara:
“This fall, I took a different yet familiar approach to the cyclocross season. I stayed home in Oregon, finishing my final classes of undergrad in Nutrition Health Sciences at OSU. It was a similar focus as when I won nationals in 2019 and taking these classes made me feel balanced and engaged with cycling and life. Plus, I’m totally in love with riding in the woods around Corvallis.
“However, the week leading up to the race was incredibly challenging in ways I had not experienced before. Emmett’s father passed away on Wednesday and the grief struck heavier than I expected. Luckily, I had the support of my family and team to help me focus when I needed to most.
“I felt both the pressure and excitement to perform. I haven’t had many race days this season, so I was nervous and eager to race. I spent a lot of time with Tonkin visualizing the course and how the tactic should play out.
“It was also reassuring to have Gary Wolff tuning my bikes and there for me in the pit. It gives me confidence to know I’m in such good hands. On the startline, I let the adrenaline run through me and channeled that forward. I wanted to take charge of the race from early on, because all the other races that day had been won solo with a big gap and I knew Katie Clouse could drop me in a sprint. It played out well—I caught Katie halfway through the first lap after her explosive start. I took charge through the technical sections and then dug where I knew it would make it hurt. On the stairs of lap two, I heard the crowd gasp as Katie slipped and I seized the moment to attack (although a voice in my head asked if that was the nicest thing to do). I got a good gap, but I could feel Katie chasing close the entire race. Any mistake or bobble could bring her right back, so I dug in and followed the mantra: ‘Smooth is fast.’
It wasn’t until the finish straight I felt secure I had won and the emotions poured over me as I saw Erik at the line. I’m super proud of this small yet mighty team. I may be the one wearing the special costume, but we all earned this jersey.”
Clara: you emulate the character & heart of #TeamSandMCX. We love you.
