Magnus Sheffield (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) went wire-to-wire to win the Junior Men's 15-16 National Championship. Nick Carter (Northstar Devo) took second and Jared Scott (Boulder Junior Cycling) third.
Weight the downhill foot, look where you want to go, dig in and don't freak out when you start to slide. It's common instructions for new skiers.
Magnus Sheffield (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) arrived in Reno fresh from ski camp, and applied the same logic to master the Reno Nationals’ off-camber descent and carve up his competition late in the race.
Magnus Sheffield had a plan to lead into the sand, and executed it perfectly. Junior Men 15-16. a2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine
When most cyclocross racers were competing in series finales, Sheffield took a break from cyclocross late in 2017 to train with his ski team and prepare for ski racing. Would he have heavy legs from all the training or be fresh for another title run?
Sheffield won the 13-14 title in Asheville, but had a disappointing race in Hartford.
Junior Men 15-16 took different approaches to the barriers. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazinedd
Off the line in Reno, it was clear Sheffield's edge was sharpened at ski camp, and wasn't at all rusty. He hoped to lead into the sand and ditch, and executed his plan to perfection.
Behind, defending champ Carter was doing his best to interfere with Sheffield’s glide to the 2018 title. Carter chased, reeled him in after one lap, but Sheffield applied the pressure entering lap two. Suddenly, Carter was looking back, focused on keeping silver over his chasers.
Nick Carter hops back on in the chase of Sheffield. Junior Men 15-16. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine
“Magnus rode a perfect race,” Carter admitted after falling one place short of defending the title he won in Hartford.
Sheffield finished 29th in the same 2017 race. "My huge upset in Hartford, that was pretty hard to surpass today, but I just had to remember all the hard days of training, bundled up in the cold."
A rare bobble by Sheffield at the barriers didn't derail his title chances. Junior Men 15-16. a2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine
Whether it's on the snow or on the bike, Sheffield has been putting in the work to get stronger, and today in balmy, snowless Reno, it all paid off.
Magnus Sheffield won the Junior Men's 15-16 race in Reno. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine
https://youtu.be/wsfhzQ53tR0
Photo gallery below the results.
Junior Men's 15-16 Results: 2018 Reno Cyclocross Nationals
| Place | Bib | LAST | First | Team | City ST | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 364 | SHEFFIELD | Magnus | Pittsford NY | 29:44 | |
| 2 | 324 | CARTER | Nick | NorthStar Development Cycling | Minneapolis MN | 30:11 |
| 3 | 367 | SCOTT | Jared | Boulder Junior Cycling | Boulder CO | 30:29 |
| 4 | 337 | VAN KEMPEN | Jules | Tri-Cyclists BRC | Chapel Hill NC | 30:30 |
| 5 | 340 | POGGEMEYER | George | Avout Racing | Littleton CO | 30:37 |
| 6 | 370 | POWERS | Wren | GS Forza Cycling | Englewood CO | 30:47 |
| 7 | 327 | CAMPBELL | Ryan | Clif Bar Development Cross Team | Lakewood CO | 30:49 |
| 8 | 319 | VASQUEZ | Jonah | Bear Development Team | Piermont NY | 31:12 |
| 9 | 309 | UETRECHT | Ryder | Top Club | Bend OR | 31:19 |
| 10 | 341 | ZAKRAJSEK | Dylan | Lake Geneva Youth Camp Cycling | Lake Geneva WI | 31:23 |
| 11 | 361 | STIERWALT | Lucas | Lionhearts Junior Racing | Maineville OH | 31:32 |
| 12 | 336 | NEWMAN | Tydeman | Woodland Hills CA | 31:42 | |
| 13 | 332 | STOWERS | Ryan | Boulder CO | 31:49 | |
| 14 | 350 | JOHNSON | Kyle | Elevate PHW / Bikeworks ABQ | Albuquerque NM | 31:54 |
| 15 | 311 | THALHAMER | Nate | Santa Rosa CA | 31:55 | |
| 16 | 317 | STROHMEYER | Andrew | Sportif Coaching Group | Mount Airy MD | 32:00 |
| 17 | 369 | HLUDZINSKI | Vin | Boulder Junior Cycling | Boulder CO | 32:01 |
| 18 | 314 | AMALONG | John Paul | Constellation Cycling | Chapel Hill NC | 32:05 |
| 19 | 362 | FEUERHELM | Luke | Central Junior Cycling Devo | Merrill IA | 32:08 |
| 20 | 325 | AMOS | Riley | Durango Devo | Durango CO | 32:17 |
| 21 | 373 | LIPINSKI | Jaymz | AP Junior Development | Kingston MA | 32:44 |
| 22 | 321 | AUGUST | Trevor | Pittsford NY | 32:52 | |
| 23 | 345 | PETROV | Nicholas | Lionhearts Junior Racing | Mason OH | 32:55 |
| 24 | 378 | PETERSON | Austin | 787 Racing | Austin TX | 32:59 |
| 25 | 376 | DOUGLAS | Ben | Montclair Bikery Development Te | Bloomfield NJ | 33:01 |
| 26 | 354 | ELPHINGSTONE | Luke | Boulder Junior Cycling | Boulder CO | 33:16 |
| 27 | 366 | SEGURA | Franklin | Overland Park KS | 33:16 | |
| 28 | 303 | VILLAMIZAR | Nicolas | CT Cycling Advancement Program | Glastonbury CT | 33:30 |
| 29 | 304 | KRAUSE | Elijah | Bend Endurance Academy | Bend OR | 33:31 |
| 30 | 349 | OUTLAW | Graham | Boulder Junior Cycling | Boulder CO | 33:32 |
| 31 | 334 | SMITH | Jacob | Portland OR | 33:32 | |
| 32 | 339 | MILLIKEN | August | Rock Creek Velo | Takoma Park MD | 33:33 |
| 33 | 347 | NELSON | Andrew | Team Beyer Auto | Mc Lean VA | 33:42 |
| 34 | 351 | SHUCKRA | Jack | FFKR ARCHITECTS RACING | Salt Lake City UT | 33:42 |
| 35 | 346 | GARAOUY | Cole | Rad Racing NW | Mercer Island WA | 33:45 |
| 36 | 328 | SIPPY | Ivan | Durango CO | 33:45 | |
| 37 | 313 | DONNAWAY | Simon | Durango Devo | Durango CO | 33:47 |
| 38 | 344 | DAY | Sam | Bend Endurance Academy | Bend OR | 33:55 |
| 39 | 305 | SEVERANCE | Spencer | Boise ID | 33:58 | |
| 40 | 329 | VAN ROOYEN | Zeke | Around the Cycle / Sariol Legal | Pasadena CA | 33:59 |
| 41 | 360 | SELL | Brock | GTG Racing | Shawnee Mission KS | 34:08 |
| 42 | 302 | PALMER | Max | Midwest Devo | Zionsville IN | 34:17 |
| 43 | 316 | GALLEGO | Ivan | MBW Racing | Missoula MT | 34:19 |
| 44 | 375 | WILLIAMS | Jamie | Lionhearts Junior Racing | Mason OH | 34:28 |
| 45 | 368 | OLANDER | Jacob | Bend Endurance Academy | Bend OR | 34:33 |
| 46 | 353 | GIZINSKI | Connor | Cycle U | Seattle WA | 34:50 |
| 47 | 358 | BOWEN | Gavin | Bend Endurance Academy | Bend OR | 35:01 |
| 48 | 371 | WYMAN | Cody | Rolling H Cycles | Nampa ID | 35:08 |
| 49 | 307 | OLSEN | Dakota | Central Junior Cycling Devo | Le Mars IA | 35:09 |
| 50 | 338 | HARTMAN | Lucas | Melton Design Build/Cari Higgin | Boulder CO | 35:19 |
| 51 | 330 | PARKER | Tayton | Air Assurance Devo P/b Spoke Ho | Tulsa OK | 35:21 |
| 52 | 372 | BASALDUA | Matthew | Snoqualmie WA | 35:35 | |
| 53 | 331 | KUTZLEB | Ian | Durango CO | 35:35 | |
| 54 | 355 | JONES | Jackson | Meridian ID | 35:40 | |
| 55 | 320 | TUCKER | Travis | CX Nation | Sebastopol CA | 35:40 |
| 56 | 342 | HILLIGOSS | Anthony | MNJRC | Eden Prairie MN | 35:59 |
| 57 | 377 | DUNHAM | Ethan | Alpha Bicycle Co.- Groove Subar | Parker CO | 36:02 |
| 58 | 312 | ATKINSON | Dylan | Los Gatos CA | 36:02 | |
| 59 | 315 | TROUT | Nyall | Bend Endurance Academy | Bend OR | 36:16 |
| 60 | 326 | ROGERS | Owen | Grixsen Brewing p/b West End Bi | Portland OR | 36:17 |
| 61 | 335 | LOPEZ DE SAN ROMA | Ian | Sebastopol CA | 36:18 | |
| 62 | 352 | HAGEDORN | Carter | Portland OR | 36:41 | |
| 63 | 323 | MILLER | Jacob | Cycle U | Seattle WA | 36:41 |
| 64 | 322 | HACKETT | Winston | Bellevue WA | 37:18 | |
| 65 | 333 | GALEOTO | Giovanni | Reno Wheelmen | Reno NV | 37:35 |
| 66 | 357 | WILLIAMS | Ian | Helena MT | 37:59 | |
| 67 | 301 | LOMAS | Ben | Endurance Boise | Boise ID | 38:03 |
| 68 | 310 | BENNETT | Alexander | Bellevue WA | 38:04 | |
| 69 | 363 | BRENT | Levi | Central Junior Cycling Devo | Le Mars IA | 39:00 |
| 70 | 356 | HANSON | Kol | Truckee CA | 39:02 | |
| 71 | 348 | POSHARD | Joshua | San Rafael CA | @1Lap | |
| 72 | 343 | NAVARRO | Hunter | KCOI U20 | Shawnee KS | @1Lap |
| 73 | 374 | YOUNKER | Ryan | Seattle WA | @1Lap | |
| 74 | 308 | GRAY | Andrew | CONTENDER BICYCLES | Salt Lake City UT | @1Lap |
| 75 | 365 | LEUENHAGEN | Nicholas | Boise ID | @1Lap | |
| 76 | 379 | MCELWAINE | Euan | Seattle WA | @1Lap | |
| 77 | 306 | YOUNG | Jakob | Davis CA | @1Lap |
2018 Cyclocross National Championships Photo Gallery: Junior Men 15-16
Rear flat tires were a common sight in races of all ages. Junior Men 15-16. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine
