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Swenson wins men's under 23 cross country race at US National Championships

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Bennett and Blevins earn junior men's titles

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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) wins the U-23 Championship

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) wins the U-23 Championship (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) at the finish

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) at the finish (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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17-18 racers head out onto the course

17-18 racers head out onto the course (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) taking the hole-shot in the 17-18 race

Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) taking the hole-shot in the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Riders criss-crossing the ski slopes

Riders criss-crossing the ski slopes (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A large U-23 field heads up the mountain

A large U-23 field heads up the mountain (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) taking the hole-shot

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) taking the hole-shot (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) at the start

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) at the start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Neilson Powless (Whole Athlete) descending through the trees

Neilson Powless (Whole Athlete) descending through the trees (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) chasing down Grotts

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) chasing down Grotts (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Howard Grotts (Specialized) leading the race

Howard Grotts (Specialized) leading the race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A fan tries to keep pace with the riders

A fan tries to keep pace with the riders (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Cassidy Bailey jumps some whoops

Cassidy Bailey jumps some whoops (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) starting onto the downhill switchbacks

Keegan Swenson (Cannnondale) starting onto the downhill switchbacks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Howard Grotts congratulates Keegan Swenson on his win

Howard Grotts congratulates Keegan Swenson on his win (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Carson Beckett taking third place in the 17-18 race

Carson Beckett taking third place in the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Garrett Gercher (Cliff Bar) finishing second in the 17-18 race

Garrett Gercher (Cliff Bar) finishing second in the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) wins the 17-18 race

Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) wins the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) seemed pleased with his national 17-18 championship

Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete) seemed pleased with his national 17-18 championship (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A lone rider descending through the trees

A lone rider descending through the trees (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Payson McElveen (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) handling the drop with ease

Payson McElveen (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) handling the drop with ease (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sepp Kuss (BMC) was never far behind the leaders

Sepp Kuss (BMC) was never far behind the leaders (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Silas Blunk (Whole Athlete) descending a rock garden

Silas Blunk (Whole Athlete) descending a rock garden (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Christopher Blevins (Specialized) going for the win in the 15-16 race

Christopher Blevins (Specialized) going for the win in the 15-16 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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The 15-16 Men at the start

The 15-16 Men at the start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Joel Titus riding some sweet singletrack

Joel Titus riding some sweet singletrack (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Stephan Davoust dropping off a ridge

Stephan Davoust dropping off a ridge (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Payson McElveen (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) on a fast descent

Payson McElveen (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) on a fast descent (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Carson Benjamin riding to a third place finish

Carson Benjamin riding to a third place finish (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Garrett Gerchar (Cliff Bar) rriding second in the 17-18 race

Garrett Gerchar (Cliff Bar) rriding second in the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Garrett Gerchar (Cliff Bar) riding over a drop

Garrett Gerchar (Cliff Bar) riding over a drop (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A Santa Cruz rider was spilling some blood

A Santa Cruz rider was spilling some blood (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A Colorado Springs rider on a steep pitch

A Colorado Springs rider on a steep pitch (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Some of the descents were steep between the trees

Some of the descents were steep between the trees (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A rider using the downhill berms

A rider using the downhill berms (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Skyler Taylor (Trek) riding downhill switchback

Skyler Taylor (Trek) riding downhill switchback (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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A Specialized rider on the downhill switchbacks

A Specialized rider on the downhill switchbacks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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W Grant Ellwood at the end of lap two

W Grant Ellwood at the end of lap two (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Jacob Whaley eyeing a dropoff

Jacob Whaley eyeing a dropoff (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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Sean Bennett (Specialized) riding to victory in the 17-18 race

Sean Bennett (Specialized) riding to victory in the 17-18 race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)

Keegan Swenson (Cannondale Factory Racing) won the Under 23 men's cross country race at the US Mountain Bike National Championships at the Bear Creek Resort in Pennsylvania today.

Swenson led at the beginning of the race, but was then overtaken by Howard Grotts (Specialized).

"I just wanted to get out in the front on the first lap and avoid traffic and problems in the woods," said Swenson to Cyclingnews. "On the second lap, I dropped my chain on the descent and that's where Howard got ahead of me with a small gap. Then I was just trying to keep it safe and reel him in before the finish."

Swenson was able to catch and overtake Grotts, an exceptional climber, for the national title. "I was trying to ride my own pace on the climbs and then gain time on the downhills and flats," said Swenson, who has also been a regular on the World Cup circuit.

Sepp Kuss rounded out the top three.

Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete-Specialized) paced the 50-man category 1 17-18 field in 1:17:37. Garrett Gerchar (Boulder Junior Cycling-Tokyo Joe’s Jr.) took silver in 1:18:40, followed by bronze medalist Carson Beckett (Wood-N-Wave), who crossed in 1:19:08.

Results

Under 23 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Keegan Swenson (Cannondale)1:29:30
2Howard Grotts (Specialized)0:00:16
3Sepp Kuss0:01:50
4Casey Williams (Whole Athlete/ Speci)0:05:12
5Ryan Standish0:05:24
6Payson Mcelveen0:06:17
7Richard Gorry (Whole Athlete/ Specialized Cycling Team)0:06:31
8Luke Vrouwenvelder (Cycle Youth)0:09:25
9Davis Bentley0:09:34
10Lewis Gaffney (Team F.I.Taos)0:10:13
11Stephan Davoust (Durango Devo)0:10:14
12Skyler Taylor (Bear Development Tea)0:10:24
13Ryan Geiger0:10:29
14Michael Sampson0:10:57
15Alex Wild0:11:21
16Dylan Johnson0:11:24
17Kenneth Hall (Lindsey Wilson Colle)0:12:19
18Alex Meucci0:14:13
19Jason Blodgett (Spin)0:14:55
20David Flaten (Giant Northeast Off-)0:16:01
21Levi Kurlander (Fort Lewis College)0:18:14
22Matthew Turner (Summit Utah Devo)0:18:23
-2 lapsAnthony Smith
-2 lapsKeith Omundson (Evol Elite Racing)
-2 lapsBrendan Mccormack (Hot Tubes Developmen)
-2 lapsTyler Berliner
-2 lapsMason Shea
-2 lapsColby Pastore
-2 lapsMadison Matthews
-2 lapsMichael Dutczak (South Chicago Wheelm)
-2 lapsAndris Delins (Northstar Developmen)
-2 lapsAndrew Dillman (Midwest Development)
-2 lapsGavin Kline (Dire Wolf Racing)
-2 lapsJoel Titius
-2 lapsJonathan Studer
-2 lapsHunter Resek
-2 lapsAlex Rowland
-3 lapsTrevor Deruise
-3 lapsForrest Conrad (Toasted Head Racing)
DNFNick Thomas (Az Devo)
DNFDanny Van Wagoner
DNFKevin Fish
DNFJohn Ramsay (Kms Cycling-Killingt)
DNFSpencer Lowden
DNFZachary Valdez

Junior men 17-18
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sean Bennett (Whole Athlete / Specialized)1:17:37
2Garrett Gerchar (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:01:03
3Carson Beckett (Wood -N- Wave)0:01:31
4Landen Beckner0:01:51
5W Grant Ellwood (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:02:18
6Byron Rice (Clemmons Bicycle Rac)
7Jacob Sacket (Tri-City Bicycles)0:02:45
8Daniel Johnson (Blackstar Racing)0:03:47
9Peter Karinen0:03:54
10Nolan Brady (Rad Racing Nw)0:04:00
11Liam Earl (Byrds (Boise Young R)0:04:45
12Cole Paton0:05:00
13Hayden Miller (Wenzel Coaching Juni)0:05:17
14Steffen Andersen (Santa Cruz Developme)0:05:41
15Nathan Barnett (Bear Development Tea)0:06:13
16Trevor Von Boeck (Front Rangers Junior)0:06:23
17Samuel Brehm0:06:39
18Carter Anderson (Cycle Youth)0:06:41
19Bryce Lewis (Woodcreek High Schoo)0:07:27
20Alec Pasqualina0:07:42
21Nick Lando (Team Town Cycle)0:08:03
22Carson Benjamin (Bear Development Tea)0:08:26
23Fletcher Arlen0:08:44
24Soren Andersen (Santa Cruz Developme)0:09:04
25Ryan Berliner0:09:20
26Jonathan Anderson (Essex County Velo)0:09:36
27Cameron Buccellato0:10:08
28Eli Kranefuss (Bear Development Tea)0:10:13
29Jorge Munoz Jr (Adventures Laredo Ca)0:10:31
30Neilson Powless (Whole Athlete/ Speci)0:10:43
31Silas Blunk (Whole Athlete/ Speci)0:10:47
32Dillon Van Wart (Team Town Cycle)0:11:25
33Josue Perez0:12:40
34Brad Tasik (Team Town Cycle)0:12:41
35Morgan Platt (Team Bulldog)0:12:46
36Taylor Squillaci (Get Out! New Mexico)0:15:06
37Ian Whaley (Ct Cycling Advanceme)0:15:07
38Jordan Byck0:16:10
39Nevin Whittemore (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:16:48
40Marco Ammatelli0:17:14
41Christian Panozzo (Giant Southwest Raci)0:17:56
42Kyler Walker0:18:44
43Daniel Fendler (Summit Utah Devo)0:18:59
44Jacob Cartergibb (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:19:29
45Brannan Fix (Ciclismo Youth Found)0:19:35
46Kyle Ellis (Cycle Youth)0:23:11
47Zachary Peterson (Whole Athlete/ Speci)0:25:35
48Justin Wentworth0:29:37
49Zach Calton0:32:51
DNFMichael Sanchez (Pro Bike Supply)

Junior men 15-16
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Christopher Blevins (Whole Athlete/ Speci)1:20:02
2Clayton Puckett (Bear Development Tea)0:04:03
3Imeh Nsek0:05:12
4Nic Jenkins (Front Rangers Junior)0:05:22
5Jonathan Plunkett (East Coasters Jr Tea)0:05:38
6Joshua Anderson (Essex County Velo)0:06:07
7Sean Bell0:06:41
8Ethan Storm (Dallas Bike Works)0:07:33
9Jack Tanner (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:07:35
10Andrew Bobb0:08:29
11Hayden Sampson0:08:36
12Dean Lyons (Bear Development Tea)0:08:37
13Connor Patten (Summit Utah Devo)0:08:54
14Samuel Olson0:09:04
15Drew Palmerleger (Summit Utah Devo)0:09:15
16George Schulz (The Bike Lane)0:09:21
17Silas Moorefield0:09:22
18Luke Fleming (Sugar Cycles/Wholeso)0:09:35
19Kyle Legge0:09:57
20Anders Johnson0:11:41
21Evan Clouse (Cole Sport)
22Keiran Eagen (Durango Devo)0:13:38
23Matthew Behrens (Summit Utah Devo)
24Garrett Rolfe (Team Las)0:15:11
25Jason Rowton (Montrose Cycling Clu)0:17:09
26Cassidy Bailey (Boulder Junior Cycli)0:17:20
27Tristan Greathouse0:18:20
28Henry Coppolillo (Team Rockford / Clif)0:18:33
29Cole Avery (Whole Athlete/ Speci)0:34:32
DNFScott Mcgill

 

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