Katie Clouse Dominates Women 13-14 Field at the 2014 National Cyclocross Championships – Report, Gallery, Full Results

Katie Claus (Canyon Bicycles / Shimano) got the hole shot and made the most of it. © Brian Nelson

Katie Clouse (Canyon/Shimano) took the holeshot and never looked back.  The 2013 Women 11-12 Champion dominated both laps at Boulder, flying up the stairs and powering her way through the punchy flats.

Abilgail Youngworth (BYRDS) latched onto Clouse’s wheel early in the course.  She worked her way along the flatter sections with ease, but the more technical sections appeared to give her a little trouble, in particular the descents of the first half of the laps.  She held her own during the twenty minutes, only allowing Turner Ramsay (KMS Cycling-Killington Mounting School) to get by her before the crossing the finish line.

Ramsay recalled that the off-camber was the most challenging part of the race, but it was also what made the course fun.  She rode technically well on them, winding around scores of other riders to eventually take second place.  When we asked her the secret, she replied, “My father was studying the course all of yesterday, and figured out if you take the middle line and drop down through the turn, you can keep a good pace.”

Clouse, no stranger to 45 minute races, admitted she had no plans for pacing herself during the 20 minute race.  She told us she simply “Hammered it through the whole race.”  Spending the season competing in older categories appears to have worked out for her.  She rode with a skill and finesse uncommon for a rider with only two seasons under their belt.  Better still, she finished the race with world class, finding the pavement out of the shade and holding her arms in the air for a hundred meters to give her the perfect photo finish.  Future women’s fields beware: Katie Clouse is going nowhere except the podium.

Results below gallery.

Women 13-14 Win at the 2014 National Cyclocross Championships Gallery by Brian Nelson and Matt Lasala

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Junior Women 13-14 Results - USA Cycling National Championships of Cyclocross 2014

For all the best Cyclocross Nationals 2014 coverage, including bike profiles, race reports, results and video interviews, check out our 2014 Cyclocross National Championship Page here.