Pan-Am Championships Race Report: Hyde, Compton, White, Noble and Stephenson Win

by Robert Annis

An Elite competitor found redemption at Saturday’s Pan-Am Championships, while another cemented her legacy as America’s greatest cyclocross racer.

From Left to Right: Jeremy Powers, Stephen Hyde and Danny Summerhill. 2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships © Kent Baumgardt

Devou Park is widely considered one of America’s best cyclocross courses, equal parts technical and hilly (and in the case of the Pan-Am Plunge, both). Unlike last year’s muddy brawl, Saturday’s race was unseasonably warm and dusty, which led to fast racing.

Pan Am plunge victim Kyle Russ. © Kent Baumgardt

After several laps of racing during the Elite Men’s race, a lead group of four – Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld), Jeremy Powers (Aspire), Danny Summerhill (Maxxis-Shimano), and Kerry Werner (Kona Factory Team) – pulled away from the rest of the field, racing so close at times they could count the hairs on the back of the others’ necks.

Powers leads Hyde © Kent Baumgardt

Hyde attacked the group on the second to last lap, with only Powers able to respond. Hyde continued to apply pressure, finally gaining a five-second advantage over the defending Pan-Am champion in the first half of the final lap. When Powers faltered slightly on the technical, off-camber back half of the course, Hyde, smelling blood, went all out in a dash to the finish.

Stephen Hyde solos to victory in the final lap after a hard fought battle with Jeremy Powers. 2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships © Kent Baumgardt

Hyde, who lost a hard-fought battle with Powers at this race last year, crossed the line several seconds in front of his friend and mentor.

“I wanted this bad,” he admitted. “This is redemption.”

Last year’s U23 winner Drew Dillman (Cyclocross Alliance) leads out the Men’s Elite race this year on lap one. © Kent Baumgardt

Katie Compton (Trek/Panache) has many big victories in her career, including two other Pan-Am Championships. She added a third in a dominating performance Saturday and defended her 2015 title. When Courtenay McFadden (American Classic) crashed on the first lap, causing much of the field to stack up, Compton turned on the gas and didn’t let up until she crossed the finish line, finishing 1:39 faster than the eventual second place winner.

Katie Compton dropping down the Pan-Am Plunge. © Kent Baumgardt

“This is more of a mountain-bike course,” said Compton. “It’s better to make the others chase you.”

While there was never any doubt about Compton’s victory, the battle for the silver medal was much more dramatic. Canadian Maghalie Rochette (Clif Pro Team) seemingly had second sewn up early on, but Crystal Anthony (Maxxis-Shimano) kept clawing back time each lap. Putting in a massive dig, Anthony was able to pass a visibly fatigued Rochette, who eventually took the final step on the podium.

Ellen Noble cools down after a heated battle with Emma White to defend her 2015 title win. 2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships © Kent Baumgardt

Ellen Noble (Aspire Racing) battled both the heat and Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld’s Emma White to capture the U23 Women’s win. Noble and White were neck-and-neck for the first few laps, but Noble was able to pull away on the third lap, eventually capturing her second Pan-Am Championship in a row.

Ellen Noble leads through the Toyota Tundra Twister. © Kent Baumgardt

“The heat took a toll on me,” Noble said. “Today was a lot harder than last year. I like hard, muddy races like last year. I’m totally exhausted but it was worth it.”

Hyde’s Cannondale teammate Curtis White was able to best two other highly regarded young racers, Spencer Petrov (Cyclocross Alliance) and Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle).

“We were on the first of two climbs off the pavement,” White said. “I heard Spencer bobble behind me and knew I had to go.”

Boulder Junior cleans the Cut-in-the-Hill feature. © Kent Baumgardt

Denzel Stephenson (Boulder Junior Cycling) captured the U19 Men’s Pan-Am Championship, with Gunnar Holmgren (Garneau Easton) and Lane Maher (Hands-on Cycling Powered By Giant) capturing second and third place, respectively.

Full results below. Stay tuned for the Kings CX on Sunday.

2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships Results - Elite Men

2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships Results - Elite Women

2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships Results - U23 Men

2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships Results - U23 Women

2016 Pan American Cyclocross Championships Results - Junior Men