Kings CX: Lizzy Gunsalus and Jules Van Kempen win elite C1 races in Ohio
Lauren Zoerner, Mia Aseltine on podium for elite women, while Tyler Clark, Tom Scott go second, third for elite men
Lizzy Gunsalus (Marian Cycling) and Jules Van Kempen (Winston Salem-Flow) won the C1 races on the first day of Kings CX in Mason, Ohio, the seventh round of the 2025 cyclocross calendar for North America.
Gunsalus led a trio into the final lap and powered to victory, finishing four seconds ahead of Lauren Zoerner (Competitive Edge) in second. Zoerner’s teammate, Mia Aseltine, slid out on a downhill section and held on to take third, 21 seconds behind the winner. Crossing the line 1:20 later, Emily Shields took fourth ahead of Amelia Shea.
The 2023 US U23 women's cyclocross national champion made her debut for the season in Ohio and wasted no time in showing top form. She won a stage at the Green Mountain Stage Race in New England for her CCB by Levine Law Group road team in September.
In the men’s race, Van Kempen claimed his first C1 victory with a final acceleration to the line with a two-second lead on Canadian Tyler Clark (Caledon Hills Armada), who was second. Briton Tom Scott took third, crossing the line a further two seconds back. Rounding out the top five, Calvin Conaway and Ryan Drummond were fourth and fifth, respectively.
After a strong start to the 2025–2026 cyclocross season with three podium finishes - a second at Charm City CX C1 and Trek CX Cup C1, and third at Trek CX Cup C2 - the 23-year-old American claimed the top step of the podium in Ohio on Saturday.
One of the oldest cyclocross race weekends in the Midwest, the Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival returned to Kingswood Park for a weekend of UCI contests. The riders faced a 2.8km course on rolling terrain with challenges such as off-camber turns, a run-up and a sand pit.
The weekend of racing will conclude with C2 races on Sunday.
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Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
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