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.
by Ricoh Riott
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina—On a course dampened by morning rain, Clara Honsinger (University of Portland) won the 2016 Collegiate Women D2 race to become a National Champion. Kaysee Armstrong (King University) and Katherine Shields (Wake Forest University) arrived second and third after all three riders had spent time at the front of the race.
With the morning showers that dogged the Men’s races clearing, 26 women lined up for the D2 Collegiate event.
At the start whistle Shields took the holeshot guiding the pack around the first corner and onto the grass. On the off-camber before the Bike Barn, Armstrong, wearing a distinctive black face mask, had taken to the front with Shields slotting into second and Honsinger not far behind, watching the pair in front.
Clara Honsinger holding her lead in the Women’s Collegiate D2 race as she heads into the Ingles climb. 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. © Cyclocross Magazine
As Honsinger told us after the race, she doesn’t see herself as a strong starter. “I had a first place call up, but even off the front I’ll usually sit third wheel. I didn’t get a good pre ride this morning so it was good to sit back and follow other people’s wheels and get comfortable with the course.”
By the time the leaders reached the barriers towards the end of the lap, Armstrong had removed her mask and had Hosinger hot on her heels, with Shields nowhere to be seen. And by the time the next lap started, Honsinger had taken the lead and started to move away from Armstrong and the further distanced Shields.
From there it was all Honsinger as she pulled away and slowly but steadily built on her lead and by the finish had over 30 seconds on Armstrong and nearly a minute on Shields.
The race for fourth was a close one. Allison Jones (Warren Wilson College) took that spot just a single second ahead of Julie Vanderhoop (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Honsinger felt the Asheville course was similar to the courses back home in Portland, Oregon. “There’s a lot more elevation here, but otherwise it felt just like home.”
2016 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships Collegiate Women's Collegiate D2 Full Results
| Pl | Name | School | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clara HONSINGER | University of Portland | 37:15. |
| 2 | Kaysee ARMSTRONG | King University | 38:22. |
| 3 | Katherine SHIELDS | Wake Forest University | 39:50. |
| 4 | Allison JONES | Warren Wilson College | 40:28. |
| 5 | Julie VANDERHOOP | Massachusetts Institute of Tech | 40:48. |
| 6 | Emily NORDAHL | North Dakota State University | 41:29. |
| 7 | Leslie LUPIEN | Dartmouth College | 41:47. |
| 8 | Anna MILTON | Franklin and Marshall College | 42:02. |
| 9 | Alex CHRISTOFALOS | Mars Hill University | 42:03. |
| 10 | India WALLER | Warren Wilson College | 42:33. |
| 11 | Hannah SWAN | Milligan College | 43:09. |
| 12 | Emily COX | King University | 43:19. |
| 13 | Victoria GATES | King University | 44:05. |
| 14 | Danielle CLARK | Furman University | 44:34. |
| 15 | Victoria KANIZER | Milligan College | 45:02. |
| 16 | Corrie OSBORNE | Ripon College | 45:16. |
| 17 | Jennifer CAICEDO | King University | 46:44. |
| 18 | Stephanie CUCAZ | Milligan College | 48:09. |
| 19 | Zoe MULLINS | Milligan College | 48:37. |
| 20 | Virginia PSZCZOLKOWSKI | Warren Wilson College | 50:48. |
| 21 | Josie RITCHIE | Mars Hill University | 36:48. |
| 22 | Corey TUCKER | Massachusetts Institute of Tech | 36:59. |
| 23 | Morgan MILLER | Milligan College | 40:00. |
| 24 | Miranda GOODMAN | King University | 28:03. |
| 25 | Paige SHOOK | Mars Hill University | 28:54. |
| 26 | Jinny YAN | US Military Academy | 31:50. |
Be sure to enter Verge Sport’s Cyclocross Nationals giveaway, details here.
Collegiate Women D2 start line. 2016 National Championships. © R. Riott / Cyclocross Magazine
