Start Lists: 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup in Iowa City

We have been talking about the 2019 U.S. World Cups for quite some time now, and this Saturday, the two big races kick off with the Jingle Cross World Cup in Iowa City. With this year’s schedule, Jingle Cross is leading off the two events, and World Cup Waterloo follows next Sunday in Wisconsin.

On Saturday, the Men race first in Iowa at 3:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday and the Women are in the marquee spot at 4:45 p.m. CDT.

Start lists for the Elite Women and Elite Men’s races are below.

Eva Lechner leads the holeshot on Saturday. 2018 Jingle Cross World Cup. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Women

We recently noted that three-time defending World Champion Sanne Cant (IKO – Crelan) will not be racing the U.S. World Cups this year. XCO Worlds runner-up Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing CX) is on the start list for Jingle, but she will not be racing in Iowa City. She is, however, scheduled to be on the start line next weekend in Waterloo.

U23 World Champion Inge van der Heijden (CCC – Liv) is set to start, as is Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing CX), who ages up to the Elites this year after 2 U23 Worlds titles in 4 years.

A total of 20 Americans, 6 Canadians and Irish friend of U.S. ’cross Maria Larkin (Donkey Label Racing p/b FKLaw) are set to make the start.

Last year, Jingle Cross was a special day for Kaitie Keough (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) when she won the World Cup at an event she had been racing at since she was a Junior Little Badger. Joining her will be fellow Katie, Katie Compton (KFC Racing p/b Trek Knight), who confirmed to us she will be on the start line on Saturday after her recovery from a crash in a crit last month.

Kaitie Keough had a day to remember at the Jingle Cross World Cup last year. 2018 Jingle Cross World Cup. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine

Heading up Team Canada is the toast of ROCHester Maghalie Rochette (Specialized / Feedback Sports), who swept both days at Rochester Cyclocross last weekend.

Maghalie Rochette returns to action after a big first week of the season. 2019 Rochester Cyclocross Day 2. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

Notable for the North American contingent is the large number of U23 and Junior riders USA Cycling has selected to represent the U.S.

Hannah Arensman (JA King p/b Blue Ridge Cross), Madigan Munro (Boulder Junior Cycling), Turner Ramsay (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru), Ellie Mitchell (NW Women’s Cyclocross Project), Aubrey Drummond (SPCX p/b RK Black) and Lizzy Gunsalus (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld Devo) are the U23 and Junior riders set to start.

Kelly Lawson (Hardwood Next Wave Cycling Team), Dana Gilligan (Next Wave), Nicole Bradbury (NCCH Elite p/b MGCC) and Ruby West (Pivot – Maxxis p/b Stan’s NoTubes) are the U23 riders for Canada.

The full start list is below.

Elite Men

Since 2015, Wout van Aert (Jumbo – Visma) and Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon – Circus) have combined to win 5 of the 7 U.S. World Cups. This year, both will be absent, with Wout rehabbing his Tour de France injury and Mathieu doing Van der Poel things to get ready for Road Worlds.

Headlining the international start list will be Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions), who won both U.S. World Cups last season.

Toon Aerts was the toast of the U.S. World Cups last year. 2018 Jingle Cross World Cup. © D. Mable/ Cyclocross Magazine

Leading the way for the North Americans will be national champs Stephen Hyde (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld) and Michael van den Ham (Easton – Giant p/b Transitions LifeCare) and a number of other riders who cut their 2019 racing teeth last weekend in Rochester.

As with the women, a number of U23 riders will be making the start for the U.S. Eric Brunner (FCX Elite), Sam Noel (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld Devo), Ben Gomez Villafane (Squid Squad) and Scott Funston will all be representing the U.S. in Iowa City.

See below for the full start list.

For those not in Iowa City, the Elite World Cup races will be broadcast via the NBC Gold app in the U.S.

Women's Start List: 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup

Elite Men's Start List: 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup