Aaron Bradford Hops to Victory in Singlespeed USA Cycling National Championship 2012 UPDATED: New Bradford, Fountain Interview Videos

For full coverage, schedules and information on the 2012 Cyclocross National Championships at Badger Prairie County Park in Madison, Wisconsin, visit our 2012 Cyclocross National Championships homepage.

by Chris Bagg

VERONA, WISCONSIN—Aaron Bradford (Rock Lobster / Bay 101) improved upon his 2010 third place finish to take the 2012 singlespeed national championship today. With 2010 winner Adam Craig not attending this year, last year’s second place JT Fountain (Raleigh) entered as the favorite, and on a slick course, as the temperature dropped in Madison, Bradford and Fountain battled for 45 minutes before the Norcal racer escaped on the final lap with a jaw-dropping attack through the barriers. Brady Kappius (ClifBar) was an early force at the front before getting caught in course tape. Fountain’s fellow Idahoan Michael Gaertner (Coeur d’Alene Velo Racers) rounded out the podium.

“It was fast from the start,” Fountain said after the race, referring to Brady Kappius, who took the holeshot and pushed the pace on the first lap. “Brady was pushing a really big gear and I just wanted to stay with him.”

Kappius ran into mechanical difficult after the second lap, however, tangling some course tape in his cassette and falling from contention for the win. Taking up the reins was Aaron Bradford, who rode back to Fountain, beginning a back and forth battle that would last until the last lap. On lap three, Gaertner also joined the front group, setting the stage for a late-race showdown.

Beginning with the fourth lap, Fountain had established a small gap but crashed on his way up the long climb, allowing Bradford and Gaertner to join him. But Bradford himself went down moments later and had to push his bike up the hill. “We all went down at least once,” Bradford said afterwards. “That’s when I gave up,” Fountain said, referring to his crash. “We’d gone so hard early, and I was on my mental and physical limit.”

Still, Fountain established a gap beginning the final lap. Once again Bradford joined him on the climb and began to creep away from the Raleigh rider. Coming down from the course’s summit with just a few seconds lead, Bradford made a final big gamble that paid off: “On the first lap I thought to myself ‘I can hop those barriers,’ but I kept it in the bag of tricks for the final lap.” Hop the barriers he did, and it stretched his lead by five more seconds.

Fountain said that was the moment he lost Bradford for good, and the Rock Lobster racer soloed away to his first singlespeed National Championship jersey. Full results below the video and photos.

VIDEO: J.T. Fountain reflects on his second straight silver medal:
[youtube GU3gWvWWif8 580 380]

VIDEO: Aaron Bradford and his Rocklobster teammates start the celebration:
[youtube SJqF1KcSkgU 580 380]

VIDEO: Brady Kappius, 5th place, talks about his bad luck:
[youtube p4OWlYtwxqE 580 380]

See all of Cyclocross Magazine‘s 2012 USA Cycling National Championships video interviews here! Keep up to date on all of the action at 2012 Cyclocross Nationals on Cyclocross Magazine’s 2012 Cyclocross National Championships homepage.

Photo Gallery by Tim Westmore

Photo Gallery by Andrew Yee

Full Results:

2012 USA Cycling Men's Singlespeed Results

Place	Name	City, State	Time	Bib	Team
1	Aaron BRADFORD	Santa Cruz, CA	44:47	708	Bay11/HRS/Rocklobster
2	JT FOUNTAIN	Moscow, ID	45:01	714
3	Michael GAERTNER	Coeur D Alene, ID	45:03	733	Coeur d 'Alene Velo Racers (CDAVR)/Vertical Earth
4	Scott CHAPIN	Santa Cruz, CA	46:10	734	Bay 11/HRS/Rock Lobster Cyclocross
5	Braden KAPPIUS	Littleton, CO	47:52	738	Team Clif Bar
6	Daniel CASPER	Northfield, MN	48:15	715	Revolution Cycle and Ski
7	Alex WORK	Santa Cruz, CA	48:38	727	Bay 11/HRS/Rock Lobster Cyclocross/Bay 11/HRS/Rock Lobster
8	Kristopher AUER	Baltimore, MD	49:19	718	Charm City Cycling LLC
9	Michael CURTES	Mequon, WI	49:25	711	Twin Six
10	Jeff CURTES	Menomonee Falls, WI	49:28	721
11	Curtis BOIVIN	Rye, NH	50:08	712	Cyclocrossracing.com
12	Michael JAMES	Dahlonega, GA	50:57	716
13	Scott SMITH	Knoxville, TN	51:11	754	TVB Race/ Tomato Head
14	Cole SPRAGUE	Bend, OR	51:22	753
15	Mark BABCOCK	Marietta, GA	51:52	752	Nouveau Velo Cycling Team/Deeds Publishing
16	Gerald CHABOT	Bolton, VT	51:56	751	Cyclocrossracing.com
17	Cale WENTHUR	San Diego , CA	52:19	720	Team Pegasus
18	Greg HECK	Berwyn, IL	52:31	745
19	Daniel STUDLEY	Bothell, WA	52:37	737	Mafia Racing/Pabst/Felt/Mafia Racing
20	Andy SWARTZ	Madison, WI	52:57	743	Brazen Dropouts/Brazen Dropouts Cycling Team
21	Rudy SROKA	N Royalton, OH	53:15	744	Lake Effect Cycling Team
22	Timothy WILLCOX	Madison, WI	53:24	710	Magnus
23	David PRICE	Madison, WI	53:30	725	Brazen Dropouts/Brazen Dropouts Cycling Team
24	David SCHUNEMAN	Duluth, MN	53:37	748	Velo Duluth
25	Ross GIESE	Lake Geneva, WI	54:58	706	Team Velocause
26	Christopher JENSEN	Chicago, IL	55:17	747	ROBOTS <3
27	Anthony (Tony) BILOTTA	Aiken, SC	55:26	704	Van Dessel Factory Team
28	Sasha RESCHECHTKO	Chicago, IL	55:38	723	Team TATI
29	Rory MURPHY	Champaign, IL	55:40	750	Team TATI
30	Ara OGGOIAN	Geneva, IL	58:09	701	Team Bicycle Heaven
31	Kip SPAUDE	Watertown, WI	@1 Laps	756	ISCorp Cycling Team
32	Jeff HUSER	Albuquerque, NM	@1 Laps	736
33	Jon WIENANDT	Fond Du Lac, WI	@1 Laps	742	Team Fond Du Lac/Oshkosh Cyclery
34	Brian MILNICK	Bennett, CO	@1 Laps	749	Routine Leg Works
35	Robert OGREN	Bloomington, MN	@1 Laps	717	Kenwood Racing
36	Joshua ARENDS	Chicago, IL	@1 Laps	719
37	Chad CHEENEY	Durango, CO	@1 Laps	726	Durango Devo
38	Keith ORTIZ	Chicago, IL	@1 Laps	705	Half Acre Cycling
39	Stephen DAVIDSON	De Pere, WI	@1 Laps	740	Titletown Flyers Cycling Team
40	John GROSZ	Waupun, WI	@1 Laps	728
41	John MCNEILL	Belleville, WI	@1 Laps	709	Team Pegasus
42	Timothy STREGE	Racine, WI	@1 Laps	746	Racers Against Childhood Caner
43	Jonah THOMPSON	Albuquerque, NM	@1 Laps	732	High Desert Bicycles Team
DNS	Robert HIGGINS	Chicago, IL		755	Johnny Sprockets
DNS	Zach LAIL	Winston Salem, NC		739	Mock Orange Bikes/SmartStop / Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley
DNS	Walid ABU GHAZALEH	Chicago, IL		730	The Pony Shop
DNS	Charles VON ISENBURG	Winston Salem, NC		722	Mock Orange Bikes
DNS	Michael SEAMAN	Mt Pleasant, MI		713
DNS	Jay THORNTON	Fashion Island, CA		707
DNS	Jon MILLER	Newbury Park, CA		703	Platinum Performance Cycling Team
DNF	Joe CURTES	Milwaukee, WI		741	Twin Six
DNF	Andrew TREWYN	Waupun, WI		735
DNF	Travis BRAUN	Madison, WI		731	Magnus
DNF	Ted BURNS	Madison, WI		729	Bell Lap Racing/Team Bell Lap
DNF	Daniel WHEELER	St. Paul, MN		724	Gopher Wheelmen/Gopher Wheelman
DNF	Sean RUDZINSKY	Agawamagawam, MA		702	Competitive Edge Cycling