The UCI Juniors 17-18 opened the racing on the final of the 2022 USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals. See how it played out below, with reporting by USA Cycling and CXM.
Samantha Scott (Boise, Idaho; CompEdge Racing) and Kaya Musgrave (Littleton, Colo.; Bear CX) entered the 2022 Nationals as the favorites on paper, after they both finished in the top five last year, with the other three moving on to U23.
Musgrave, who finished third in 2021, and Scott, who finished fifth in 2021, rode together for well-over 20 minutes, going back and forth in the lead at the beginning of the race.
Musgrave entered the race undefeated in Hartford. She won the 11-12 race in 2017:
Kaya Musgrave (Avout Racing) from Littleton, CO won a close race with her fellow Coloradan (and good friend) Haydn Hludzinski (Boulder Junior Cycling) who finished in second. Only two seconds separated them at the finish. 2017 Cyclocross National Championships, Junior Women 11-12. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
With two laps to go, the two were riding past pit one, and Scott slid out in the flat turns. She immediately got up but seemed to have issues with her bike and was unable to turn around to get to the pit behind her. She resolved her issue and hopped back on her bike to start on the triple run-up section of the course.
By that point, Musgrave had already created about a 20-second gap that continued to grow. When asked about her stellar performance, Musgrave said, “I did not expect this one, and I am stoked.” Her race tactics proved to work, “I just tried to keep it smooth and waited until it was my time to go and just went and pitted when I needed to.” said Musgraves.
Greta Kilburn (Green Mountain CX), who did not race Nationals in 2021, had the best debut, finishing third.
The top two 15-16 Junior Women from last year, champ Vida Lopez de San Ramon and silver medalist Jorja Bond (Boulder Junior Cycling), finished in ninth and fifth, respectively.
See the full results at the bottom of this post.
Featured photo: Musgrave in Namur, B. Hazen
2022 USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals Hartford, CT Results: Junior Women 17-18
| Rank | Bib | Name | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 202 | Kaya MUSGRAVE | Bear CX | 39:51:00 | 4 |
| 2 | 201 | Samantha SCOTT | CompEdge Racing | 40:14:00 | 4 |
| 3 | 209 | Greta KILBURN | Green Mountain CX | 40:42:00 | 4 |
| 4 | 203 | Ella BRENNEMAN | CXHAIRS Devo: Trek Bikes | 41:38:00 | 4 |
| 5 | 216 | Jorja BOND | Boulder Junior Cycling | 41:56:00 | 4 |
| 6 | 214 | Haydn HLUDZINSKI | Boulder Junior Cycling | 41:58:00 | 4 |
| 7 | 218 | Ellen DAVIS | Team Stampede | 42:49:00 | 4 |
| 8 | 222 | Rylie CAHILL | Boulder Junior Cycling | 43:12:00 | 4 |
| 9 | 204 | Vida LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN | BEAR National Team | 43:14:00 | 4 |
| 10 | 210 | Madeline FISHER | Blue Ridge Cross | 43:31:00 | 4 |
| 11 | 234 | Ryan CONNOLLY | Team Booger | 43:39:00 | 4 |
| 12 | 205 | Haylee JOHNSON | Finkraft Junior Cycling Team | 43:39:00 | 4 |
| 13 | 212 | Lydia ELBERT | Pony Shop Cyclocross Team | 43:43:00 | 4 |
| 14 | 221 | Ella BROWN | Build Cycling Academy | 45:42:00 | 4 |
| 15 | 220 | Chanah KATZ | Killington Mountain School | 45:53:00 | 4 |
| 16 | 206 | Dahlia KISSEL | Lionhearts Junior Racing | 46:14:00 | 4 |
| 17 | 207 | Elsa WESTENFELDER | Team Stampede | 46:28:00 | 4 |
| 18 | 208 | Alice HOSKINS | Miller School of Albemarle | 47:40:00 | 4 |
| 19 | 215 | Alexa STIERWALT | Aether Racing | 48:56:00 | 4 |
| 20 | 230 | Eleanor DAUSCH | Rock Creek Velo | 36:44:00 | 3 |
| 21 | 231 | Julia MARICH | Shark River Devo | 36:44:00 | 3 |
| 22 | 211 | Aeryn NORTHWAY | CCAP Junior Travel Team | 36:44:00 | 3 |
| 23 | 213 | Isabelle JENSEN | Womens Free State Racing | 36:44:00 | 3 |
| 24 | 217 | Brooklyn RADDIN | lionhearts junior racing | 26:18:00 | 2 |
| 25 | 233 | Maya HEALEY | Capital Bicycle Racing Club | 26:18:00 | 2 |
| 26 | 232 | Agatha RYAN | Verge Sport | 26:18:00 | 2 |
| DNF | 219 | Madeline STOVER | Team S&M | 1 |
See all our 2022 USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals coverage here.
