Kaya Musgrave (Bear CX) won the women’s junior 17-18 title at the US Cyclocross National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut. The early battle with silver medalist Samantha Scott (CompEdge Racing) fell apart when Scott took a spill on the second lap and could not gain back the lost time.
Greta Kilburn (Green Mountain CX) took the bronze with time to spare ahead of Ella Brenneman (CXHAIRS DEVO: Trek Bikes) in fourth and Jorja Bond (Boulder Junior Cycling) in fifth.
Scott, who finished fifth in the 17-18 division last year in DuPage County, came into Hartford with momentum this season, scoring six podiums this season including a pair of wins at North Carolina Grand Prix in late November. Musgrave, who was the bronze medalist last year, came in with four podiums, trailing Scott both times in North Carolina for second. The two were expected to make it an interesting contest.
The duo were locked together at the front of the race almost immediately. Scott took an early bike change which allowed Musgrave to move to the lead but the tandem effort stayed intact.
On the second circuit with two laps to go, Scott slid out in a slippery mud section just before the twisting section of triple run-ups. She was at a standstill for almost 20 seconds to make adjustments to her drivetrain, but the delay allowed Musgrave to charge alone to the front. Even with the mishap, Scott maintained her second-place position.
“I think I just tried to keep it smooth and waited when it was my time to go,” Musgrave said at the finish. “I was really worried because I still had half the race to go [after Scott crashed]. I just kept it smooth and tried not to expend too much energy. I did not expect this one, and I am stoked.”
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Results
Pos.
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Kaya Musgrave (USA) Bear CX
0:39:51
2
Samantha Scott (USA) CompEdge Racing
0:00:23
3
Greta Kilburn (USA) Green Mountain CX
0:00:51
4
Ella Brenneman (USA) CX HAIRS Devo: Trek Bikes
0:01:47
5
Jorja Bond (USA) Boulder Junior Cycling
0:02:05
6
Haydn Hludzinski (USA) Boulder Junior Cycling
0:02:07
7
Ellen Davis (USA) Team Stampede
0:02:58
8
Rylie Cahill (USA) Boulder Junior Cycling
0:03:21
9
Vida Lopez de San Roman (USA) BEAR National Team
0:03:23
10
Madeline Fisher (USA) Blue Ridge Cross
0:03:40
11
Ryan Connolly (USA) Team Booger
0:03:48
12
Haylee Johnson (USA) Finkraft Junior Cycling Team
13
Lydia Elbert (USA) Pony Shop Cyclocross Team
0:03:52
14
Ella Brown (USA) Build Cycling Academ
0:05:51
15
Chanah Katz (USA) Killington Mountain School
0:06:02
16
Dahlia Kissel (USA) Lionhearts Junior Racing
0:06:23
17
Elsa Westenfelder (USA) Team Stampede
0:06:37
18
Alice Hoskins (USA) Miller School of Albemarle
0:07:49
19
Alexa Stierwalt (USA) Aether Racing
0:09:05
20
Eleanor Dausch (USA) Rock Creek Velo
21
Julia Marich (USA) Shark River Devo
22
Aeryn Northway (USA) CCAP Junior Travel Team
23
Isabelle Jensen (USA) Womens Free State Racing
24
Brooklyn Raddin (USA) lionhearts junior racing
25
Maya Healey (USA) Capital Bicycle Racing Club
26
Agatha Ryan (USA) Verge Sport
DNF
Madeline Stover (USA) Team S&M
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
