White claims junior women's 17-18 cyclo-cross title in Austin

After suffering from a knee injury earlier this season, Emma White (Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld.com) came back to take a solo victory in the junior women's 17-18 category on a muddy course at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships on Monday in Austin, Texas. She won the race ahead of Victoria Gates (Jam Fund) in second and Hannah Arensman (K-Edge Felt) in third

“I was taking bikes every half lap because the mud just piled up, so it was necessary to take bikes," White said. “It was important to get the hole shot, so that no one was making mistakes in front of you, and you kind of had to race your own race.”

Race organizers started the junior 17-18 women and 15-16 women in staggered starts behind the junior men's 17-18 race, all on course at the same time. White took the hole shot and then led the junior women’s 17-18 race all the way to the finish line. She came back from an injury sustained in Rochester earlier this year, and showed strong form and great technical skills on the muddy course.

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“I didn’t have a lot of time to pre-ride the course so I had to rely on tire pressure and mechanics," White said. "You go out there, there was a lot of running. With my knee injury this season, I did a lot of running and plyometrics, so I came in prepared and I was really happy with it.”

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