Brunner powers to elite men's Pan-Am Cyclo-cross crown

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Eric Brunner (Blue Competition Cycles p/b Build) won the elite men’s crown at the Pan-American Cyclo-cross championships in Garland, Texas on Saturday. The all-US podium was completed with Curtis White (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) in second and Kerry Werner (Kona Maxxis Shimano CX Team) in third. 

A field of 32 riders battled across the two-mile dry and dusty course at Winters Park Amphitheater, which was also hosting amateur races with Resolution Cross Cup for a 10th season. Scott McGill (Aevolo) took the holeshot with his teammate Gage Hecht, the reigning  US elite men’s cyclo-cross champion, close behind, but Hecht lost his position on the first lap when his chain slipped off the bike and he had to run to the pits.

Out front in the lead group with McGill were Brunner, White, Werner, Michael van den Ham (Easton Giant CX), Lance Haidet (L39ION of Los Angeles), Brandon Fix (Fix Racing), and Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz Bicycles), with Hecht chasing.

Brunner and White were the first two to begin separation from the pack, and with three laps to go Brunner had gained almost 15 seconds over White, with Werner in third. In the deep sand pit, McGill moved into fourth position just ahead of Haidet. 

On the penultimate lap, Brunner had surged up the main climb with the strongest stride and had a lead no one could catch. White, who had won the Pan-Am title in 2018 and took silver in 2019, would repeat in second place. Werner, the defending champion, would settle for third.

Hecht, who had last won the U23 Pan-Am title, worked his way back to a sixth-place finish, 1:25 behind the winner. McGill would take fourth and Haidet fifth. 

The Pan-Am Cyclo-cross Championships returned to the US for the first time since 2016, which was followed by two consecutive years in Ontario, Canada and a year off due to COVID-19. The US riders will now head to Wheaton, Illinois for next weekend's USA Cycling Cylocross National Championships.

"A little disappointed I’ve have to give up the pan am stripes but there is so denying that Eric Brunner certainly deserved them yesterday," wrote Werner on his Instagram feed. "One week away from another jersey race and motivation is even higher! Here we come #cxnats"