Full 2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championship coverage can be found right here.
#CXNats race reports from Wed-Saturday are brought to you in part by Verge Sport.
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina—Benjamin Crismon (Papa John’s Racing Team) is no stranger to the top step of a podium and Saturday the young man earned yet another accolade in his first Cyclocross Nationals performance by taking the title in the Junior Men’s 11-12 category. Though Crismon was the first to admit the course was challenging, his strong racing and technical skills allowed him to claim the crown among his peers.
Jack Spranger (Rad Racing NW) was up and out of the saddle to claim the holeshot but Crismon and Adrian Magun (Cycle U/Apex Racing) quickly jumped into action. By the time the racers rounded the corner to the off-camber preceding the Bike Barn, Crismon and Magun had already created a slight gap on the rest of the field, with Spranger trailing just slightly and last year’s 9-10 national champion, Carden King (Boulder Junior Cycling) leading a chase group of Wesley Haggstrom (Evolution Jr. Devo Team) and Kahill Bailey (Boulder Junior Cycling).
The start line intensity was real in the Junior Men's 10-11 Championship race. 2016 National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine
By the time the riders came down the descent following Heckle Hill, Crismon’s lead was established though Magun, who finished third in this event last year, determinedly barreled after the leader. King and Spranger followed, each trying to establish dominance and give chase to Magun and Crismon.
Benjamin Crismon held off Adrian Magun in the Junior Men 11-12 race. 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine
By the end of the first lap, Crismon was maintaining a steady four second lead over Magun. King and Spranger trailed by 11 seconds while Bailey sat strong in fifth. Magun was fighting hard to make up ground on Crismon but after racers’ second round through Heckle Hill Crismon had stretched his lead considerably. King and Spranger continued the battle for third, starting the bell lap side by side.
Crimson’s final lap further increased his lead, despite momentary hang-ups as Crimson was forced to wait on the wheels of riders he was lapping. Magun was certainly not giving up but Spranger had managed to finally gap King on Heckle Hill and was coming up on Magun quickly.
Adrian Magun guts it out to finish second. Junior Men 11-12, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine
At the finish, Magun was just able to maintain his lead and come in second only four seconds ahead of Spranger. King sat comfortably in fourth while Bailey managed to hold off Haggstrom to take the final spot on the podium.
Watch Benjamin Crismon discuss his race in the interview below. Full results and photo gallery below the video.
https://youtu.be/Sdp7WF_bGK8
2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships Junior Men 11-12 Full Results
| Pl | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benjamin CRISMON | Papa Johns Racing Team | 23:44. |
| 2 | Adrian MAGUN | Cycle U / Apex Racing | 24:21. |
| 3 | Jack SPRANGER | Rad Racing NW | 24:25. |
| 4 | Carden KING | Boulder Junior Cycling | 24:44. |
| 5 | Kahill BAILEY | Boulder Junior Cycling | 25:10. |
| 6 | Wesley HAGGSTROM | Evolution Jr. Devo Team | 25:26. |
| 7 | Paul HALEY | Rad Racing NW | 25:39. |
| 8 | James HAUBNER | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 26:06. |
| 9 | Jack CARTER | NorthStar Development Cycling | 26:42. |
| 10 | Gianni ALLWEIN | Team Handmade | 26:51. |
| 11 | Ean MEALEY | Nuts About Granola/Hoffman DieC | 27:15. |
| 12 | Parker KING | Rad Racing NW | 27:19. |
| 13 | Michael WATKINS | OKCVC Bike Lab | 27:31. |
| 14 | Nicholas BONI | GS Ciao | 28:16. |
| 15 | Nathan CUSACK | Rock Creek Velo | 28:18. |
| 16 | Aidan KANE | Bicycle Heaven / PVA | 28:23. |
| 17 | Phillip EMMERT | Midwest Devo | 28:37. |
| 18 | Matthew SALAZAR GARCIA | 30:18. | |
| 19 | Cj BURFORD | Evolution Jr. Devo Team | 30:38. |
| 20 | William STANFORD | Evolution Jr. Devo Team | 31:19. |
| 21 | Henry PRAZNOWSKI | The Pony Shop | 31:41. |
| 22 | Ryder THOMPSON | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 21:27. |
| 23 | Owen BRAUNECKER | Team Mission Source / NGCA | 21:36. |
| 24 | Henry CONAWAY | Midwest Devo | 22:21. |
| 25 | Aaron ARMON | 23:01. | |
| 26 | Seamus QUIGLEY | 23:17. | |
| 27 | Carmine MILLER | MOVEDADDY.COM RACING | 23:21. |
| 28 | David CAREY | Rogue Velo Racing | 24:23. |
| 29 | Charlie LUNIEWSKI | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 25:02. |
| 30 | Fineas HOWSER | KCOI U20 | 27:23. |
| 31 | Mercer LUNIEWSKI | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 27:58. |
| 32 | Jacob CIMINILLO | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 29:09. |
Be sure to enter Verge Sport's Cyclocross Nationals giveaway, details here.
Junior Men 11-12 - 2016 Cyclocross National Championships Photo Gallery
Wesley Haggstrom showed that the step through lives on through another generation. Junior Men 11-12, 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine
