Nuss defends elite title for US at Pan-Am Cyclocross Championships

Raylyn Nuss (Steve Tilford Foundation) defended her elite women’s title for the United States at the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in Falmouth, Massachusetts on Friday. Canadians Sidney McGill (OneBike Racing) and Maghalie Rochette (Specialized/Feedback Sports) completed the podium in second and third, respectively.

“Honestly, my strategy going into today was just to be really smooth and kind of pop out of every turn, stay snappy,” Nuss said noting that the first pass at the sand would be critical.

“The biggest thing for me was just getting to the front of the race quickly. The sand pit is really long, so I knew I needed to be up there in that top three going into the sand. I was able to do that.”

From the start the riders faced barriers then a 180-degree turn into the sand pit. Out of the sand a lead group of five riders had made separation from the rest of the field after the first lap, led by defending champion Nuss, two-time winner Rochette, and McGill, a few seconds back to the Nice Bikes duo of Austin Killips and Caitlin Bernstein. Not far behind was Anna Megale (Comp Edge Racing), Holly Henry (Instafund Racing) and Emily Werner (Ken’s Bike Shop).

“I rode in third for a little while, just feeling the group. And then a lap and a half in I started riding my speed, and ‘see what happens’.”

Nuss and McGill continued at the front of the race, with Rochette falling back midway through the six laps on the fast, dry course at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds. She and Killips then settled in to a battle for the final spot on the podium.

On the final lap, McGill looked to be in charge, but could not hold off Nuss in the end. In a sprint for third, Rochette held off Killips.

“Rochette was the wild card, since she took time off. She’s a Pan Am champion, a Canadian champion and has been on World Cup podiums, and I really look up to Maghalie. She’s one of my very good friends. I thought ‘I need to watch my back with her’. Sidney McGill has been riding well this year and Austin Killips. I knew it would be challenging. I am happy with what I did.”

For McGill, a two-time Canadian U23 champion, it was her time in the elite race, having last competed at Pan Ams in 2019 and finishing third in the U23 women’s race. Rochette returned to racing this weekend after six weeks off due to severe fatigue and health issues. Like McGill, she did not compete at Pan Ams last year, but had won the elite women’s title twice before.

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