Junior 9-10 Race getting off in rainy weather. © Cyclocross Magazine
Austin, TX- The Boulder Junior Cycling Team knows how to deal with horrible conditions, and proved it today as the sky opened up and covered the course in a greasy layer of mud. The 9-10 year olds, Junior Men and Women, both lined up at the start, preparing themselves for the hardest course conditions of the week.
Wesley Haggstrom (Evolution Jr. Devo), riding on riser bars, blasted off the starting grid, taking the holeshot and leaving riders behind. A half-minute later, Kaya Musgrave (Zen Planner Cycling Team) lead the holeshot by inches as she surged on the pavement.
A half-lap later, in the off-camber sections that challenged masters racers earlier in the week, kids were slipping and sliding around, with most riders electing to run, but a courageous few dedicated to the bike.
Even boys 9 or 10 years old can look pro on dismounts. © Cyclocross Magazine
It was in this stretch where Carden King (Boulder Junior Cycling Team) stayed on his bike and impressively powered up the punchy climbs to take the lead. He would continue on for the next half of the lap, creating space between him and his teammates to take a great win. (See Carden King’s winning mystery bike he built up with some “service hours” chore-earned funds.)
Carden King, winner of the Junior Men’s 9-10 race. © Cyclocross Magazine
In the women’s race, last year’s winner Alison McKeithan (Evolution Jr. Devo) and Haydn Hludzinski (Boulder Junior Cycling Team) worked their way to the front, and even picked off many of the boys on the two laps of the race. Hludzinski, choosing a different route than her male teammate King, decided to run the muddiest sections of the course, and was able to run away with the race for a win.
CXM’s Andrew Reimann Junior 9-10 women’s winner, Hludzinski. © Cyclocross Magazine
When asked about her favorite part of the course, she answered: “The uphill muddy sections.” She had some advice for climbing the hills, too: “Stay in your seat, stay back, and keep pedaling.”
Francesca Swinand The Pony Shop negotiating the Texas limestone. © Brian Nelson
Not every racer had an easy time on the course, and the first limestone stairs proved particularly challenging:
See a full slideshow here of these two young racers, Gretchen Wayman and Mckenna Wilkins, as they doggedly tackle the tough course.
2015 Junior Men 9-10 Cyclocross National Champion Carden King Interview:
Junior 9-10 Men and Women – 2015 Cyclocross National Championships Photo Gallery:
2015 National Championships, Junior Men 9-10
| Place | Bib | Last | First | Team | License | City ST | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 39 | KING | Carden | Boulder Junior Cycling | 418483 | Boulder CO | 20:35 | |
| 2 | 44 | RAPINZ | Henry | Boulder Junior Cycling | 448772 | Boulder CO | 21:29 | 54 |
| 3 | 51 | THOMPSON | David | CT Cycling Advancement Program | 416861 | New Canaan CT | 22:08 | 1:33 |
| 4 | 40 | KNIGHT | Clayton | Cycle Youth | 404099 | Ocala FL | 23:48 | 3:13 |
| 5 | 36 | HAGGSTROM | Wesley | Evolution Jr. Devo Team | 365567 | Clemmons NC | 24:06 | 3:31 |
| 6 | 45 | SIEGELSTONE | Noah | Boulder Junior Cycling | 414217 | Boulder CO | 24:08 | 3:33 |
| 7 | 49 | SPRANGER | Joe | Rad Racing NW | 391758 | Seattle WA | 25:28 | 4:53 |
| 8 | 52 | WHITE | Magnus | Boulder Junior Cycling | 448579 | Boulder CO | 25:28 | 4:53 |
| 9 | 46 | SMITH | Zachary | PDX DEVO Junior Cycling Team | 458219 | Portland OR | 26:47 | 6:12 |
| 10 | 31 | CUSACK | Nathan | Rock Creek Velo | 442919 | Chevy Chase MD | 26:51 | 6:16 |
| 11 | 27 | BAILEY | Chase | Boulder Junior Cycling | 422959 | Lyons CO | 29:32 | 8:57 |
| 12 | 53 | WILKY | Grant | ROL Wheels | 424027 | Round Rock TX | 30:41 | 10:06 |
| 13 | 34 | DRUMMOND | Ryan | Oklahoma City Velo Club | 448616 | Oklahoma City OK | 31:13 | 10:38 |
| 14 | 47 | SMITH | Finn | KCOI U20 | 454150 | Overland Park KS | 31:39 | 11:04 |
| 15 | 48 | SPENDE | William | Tread Head Cycling | 454684 | Walworth WI | 32:43 | 12:08 |
| 16 | 43 | PAYNE | Gabriel | Cyclocross Project 2015 | 422404 | Austin TX | 33:02 | 12:27 |
| 17 | 42 | MOROZOWICH | Evan | Durango Wheel Club | 455340 | Durango CO | 34:46 | 14:11 |
| 18 | 26 | ANDERSON | Andrew C | Bicycle Sport Shop Club | 423393 | Austin TX | 36:00 | 15:25 |
| 19 | 29 | BOULTON | Ulysses | Cyclocross Project 2015 | 456552 | Austin TX | 37:08 | 16:33 |
| 20 | 38 | ICE | Graham | Red Zone Cycling | 457129 | Louisville KY | 38:25 | 17:50 |
| 21 | 50 | STEWARD | Nehemiah | Oklahoma City Velo Club | 455499 | Edmond OK | @1Lap | |
| 22 | 32 | DEATH | Noah | 433713 | Houston TX | @1Lap | ||
| 23 | 30 | CHASE | Logan | 425557 | College Station TX | @1Lap | ||
| 24 | 33 | DOWE | Luke | Cyclocross Project 2015 | 387188 | Austin TX | @1Lap | |
| 25 | 54 | GOLDREYER | Elijah | Boneshaker Project | 395175 | Lakeway TX | @1Lap | |
| DNS | 28 | BENZ | Henry | Cyclocross Project 2015 | 386114 | Austin TX | ||
| DNS | 35 | DRUMMOND | Will | De Pijp Racing | 367341 | Springdale AR |
2015 National Championships, Junior Women 9-10
| Place | Bib | Last | First | Team | License | City ST | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | HLUDZINSKI | Haydn | Boulder Junior Cycling | 415301 | Boulder CO | 25:58 | |
| 2 | 4 | MCKEITHAN | Alison | Evolution Jr. Devo Team | 393598 | Raleigh NC | 26:39 | 41 |
| 3 | 5 | MUSGRAVE | Kaya | Zen Planner Cycling Team | 391117 | Littleton CO | 28:06 | 2:08 |
| 4 | 8 | SWINAND | Francesca | The Pony Shop | 392300 | Evanston IL | 35:38 | 9:40 |
| 5 | 1 | COZZA | Gabriella | UPMC/ Pro Bikes | 438021 | Presto PA | @1Lap | |
| 6 | 2 | COZZA | Sienna | UPMC/ Pro Bikes | 458271 | Presto PA | @1Lap | |
| 7 | 7 | ROBINSON | Skylar | Get Out! New Mexico | 413801 | Albuquerque NM | @1Lap | |
| 8 | 6 | RIEFE | Malena | The Pony Shop | 428455 | Glencoe IL | @1Lap | |
| 9 | 10 | WAYMAN | Gretchen | 459131 | Austin TX | @1Lap | ||
| 10 | 11 | WILKINS | Mckenna | Bicycle World of Houston | 458950 | Katy TX | @1Lap | |
| DNS | 9 | TATE | Kari | Bicycle Sport Shop Cyclocross T | 392170 | Midland TX |
