Ben Gomez Villafañe Powers to Victory in Junior Men’s 15-16 Race – Full Results, Video

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#CXNats race reports from Wed-Saturday are brought to you in part by Verge Sport.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—Saturday’s Junior racing kicked off with the Junior Men’s 15-16 event under overcast skies and a slight breeze. With no rain overnight, the course had firmed up and 85 riders lined the grid ready to race for the gold.

Before the first call up the name of Ben Gomez Villafañe (Cycle Sport-Specialzied p/b Muscle Milk) was on many spectators’ lips. His sister Sofia won the day prior in the Women’s Collegiate D1 race and word outside the tape was that he typically bests many if not all comers in the Men’s Elite races in his local scene of NorCal.

Even his coach, Chris McGovern of Cycleution, was confident in Gomez Villafañe’s chances. McGovern has coached a lot of kids, especially through the Rad Racing program, he shared with Cyclocross Magazine the day before the race that Gomez Villafañe is a special talent and predicted his client would win.

From the gun though it was Nolan Stephenson (Boulder Junior Cycling) leading the charge through the first turn as the tight pack saw elbows clash and three riders fall. Aside from the running trio, the eldest racers to take the course today, aside from the afternoon college relay, charged onwards.

Andrew Schmidt and Nolan Stephenson race for the holeshot. Junior Men 15-16 race start, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

Gomez Villafañe, with no USA Cycling points to speak of started in the seventh row. “The plan was to move up as soon as possible,” said Gomez Villafañe after the race. And he set about to do just that.

But up ahead in the race’s opening minutes, heading to the first off-camber section, it was Andrew Schmidt (True Veterinary Care Cycling p/b Gryphon) on the front with Gaelan Kilburn (Cyclocrossworld.com) and last year’s winner Scott Funston (Rad Racing NW) on his wheel. Gomez Villafañe was nowhere to be seen, and was back in traffic outside the top twenty.

Andrew Schmidt rolls through the steep drop-off. Junior Men 15-16, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

Kilburn, Schmidt and Funston traded the lead a few times and were separated by inches with a chase group of six containing pre-race favorite Gomez Villafañe just three seconds back as the race wore on. By the halfway point, Gomez Villafañe had made contact and taken to the front on the flat before the first off camber section where he opened a gap with Schmidt making the initial response.

Gaelen Kilburn took an early lead before Gomez Villafane connected. © R. Riott / Cyclocross Magazine

As Gomez Villafañe delighted the crowd hoping the barriers, it was Kilburn who ultimately gave chase and put the leader into difficulty. Gomez Villafañe led at one to go, it was by just five seconds and Kilburn was coming on strong. Adding to the drama up front was Gomez Villafañe falling in a couple spots, relinquishing some, but not all, of his lead each time. “I’ve just got to get up and keep going,” was what he thought each time he hit the deck.

The race between Ben Gomez Villafañe and Gaelen Kilburn in the Junior Men 15-16 race was one of the more exciting races of the day. 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

On the final pass of Ingles Heckle Hill Kilburn caught Gomez Villafañe flat-footed. As Gomez Villafañe ran, Kilburn rode the climb passing Gomez Villafañe and briefly leading the race again heading towards the last half lap.

But on the technical descent it was Kilburn who was caught and distanced as Gomez Villafañe let it all hang out. “The descent was tricky,” said Kilburn as he knew he had to answer the surge from Gomez Villafañe, Kilburn responded, and for a moment it looked like it might come down to the barriers before the final turn to the finishing straight. But it was not to be for the second year cyclocross racer.

Ben Gomez Villafañe leading Gaelen Kilburn with one to go. Junior Men 15-16, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

Playing it safe, Gomez Villafañe ran the boards for the last time and held his slim lead to the line with Kilburn, at his first ever Cyclocross National Championships taking a fine silver medal. Last year’s winner Funston was 19 seconds off of Kilburn in third with his teammate Calder Wood in fourth and Henry Jones rounding out the podium.

Gomez Villafañe’s sister Sofia told Cyclocross Magazine after winning her Collegiate National Championship the day before that her brother Ben used to hate bikes just five years ago. But the constant pressure from the Sofia and sister Caro eventually got him riding and then racing. The winning followed soon enough, as he raced to Junior and then B Men podiums and victories in Northern California.

“Winning races at whatever level helps build confidence,” Gomez Villafañe said afterwards when asked about his success in his local scene leading to his championship today. Surely a National title helps too.

Full results, interviews and photo gallery below.

2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships Junior Men 15-16 Full Results

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Junior Men 15-16, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships Photo Gallery