The USA Cycling Cyclocross Development team earned a series of impressive results in their second European program block, racing in Belgium and the Netherlands November 22-29.
Highlights included Gage Hecht (Alpha Bicycle Co.-Vista Subaru) taking a win at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands, and the team netting six additional top-ten finishes throughout the block.
Logan Owen grabs the course barrier to help up a hill at the Koksijde World Cup. © Bart Hazen
The development team’s European block started with the Koksijde World Cup in Belgium on November 22nd, where Logan Owen (California Giant Cycling) earned a ninth-place finish in the Men’s U23 race, followed by Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) in 23rd and Grant Ellwood in 36th.
Ellen Noble (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) finished 14th in the Koksijde Women’s race, followed closely by Emma White (Cyclocrossworld.com) in 26th. Katie Compton (Trek Factory Racing) finished third in the race.
In the Junior Men’s race, Hecht, Eric Brunner (Boulder Junior Cycling) and Evan Clouse (Alpha Bicycle Co.-Vista Subaru) finished 21st, 41st and 43rd, respectively.
Nederland national cycle-cross race in Valkenswaard. The Jr rode well. 1. Hecht 4. Brunner 5. Clouse pic.twitter.com/SqUAvE94nX
— Andrew Hawkes (@HawkesUSAC) November 28, 2015
The team moved to the Netherlands Nov. 28 for Valkenswaard, where Hecht earned the win, Brunner finished fourth and Clouse took fifth. Ellwood placed eighth in the men’s U23/elite race.
Emma White and Ellen Noble drove the pace early in the Flandriencross Elite Women’s race.
Returning to Belgium for Flandriencross, Hecht chalked the best U.S. finish, earning sixth in the juniors race. Brunner and Clouse earned 20th and 22nd. Curtis White finished eighth in the U23 Men’s race, while Ellwood placed 23rd. In the women’s contest, after driving the pace early, Noble and Emma White crossed 12th and 15th, respectively.
Upcoming Racing for Team USA
The USAC Development program continues it’s third European block with the December 20th World Cup in Namur, Belgium, followed by the December 26th World Cup in Zolder, Belgium. Team USA will also hit the December 27th Diegem SuperPrestige and December 29th Loenhout BPost Bank Trofee Series race before finishing up January 1st at the Baal BPost Bank race.
