Madigan Munro wins U23 women's US Cyclocross Championships showdown

Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing CX) earned the gold medal and stars-and-stripes jersey in the women’s under-23 division at the US Cyclocross National Championships Sunday. She took control midway through the five-lap race to cross the finish line in Hartford, Connecticut alone, 27 seconds ahead of 2021 U23 champion Katie Clouse (Colorado Mesa University).

Lauren Zoerner (Alpha Bicycle Company-Groove Silverthorne) finished third. Lizzy Gunsalus (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) suffered a flat tyre while in the front group midway through the race and managed to fight her way back to fourth place ahead of Mia Aseltine (Blue Competition Cycles p/b Build).

“I think the first couple of laps I was a bit nervous. I just had to be patient and steady and get to the front when I could,” said Munro, after adding her second national title of the week to a collegiate victory for Colorado Mesa University on Thursday.

“I knew I could count on my running, so I went hard up those [run-ups]. I made my move there. I was going so hard I didn’t have much time to think about it.”

The first snowflakes of the wintry day began to float from the overcast sky at Riverside Park as Zoerner took the holeshot, followed closely by Clouse and Pan-American champion Gunsalus. 

The trio were joined by Munro later, chasing to join after she had taken a fall on the twisting section of run-ups and off-cambers on the opening lap. They had gained a 33-second advantage over the first bunch of chasers, led by Natalie Quinn (Fort Lewis College), Keira Bond (Blue Competition Cycles p/b Build), Aseltine and Chloe Fraser (Bear CX).

Munro surged at the front near the end of the second lap putting some distance between her and Clouse and Zoerner, while Gunsalus shouldered her bike while running in fourth place, her front tyre looking to have come off the rim, allowing Aseltine and Fraser to pass.

Halfway through the contest, Munro continued her aggressive pace with a composed, solo lead. In the wooded section along the Connecticut River, Clouse accelerated ahead of Zoerner but had 20 seconds to make up to the leader. 

By the time Clouse began her final lap, Munro had sailed away with more than 22 seconds in hand.

“It was a really good race, Maddie was so strong. I just had to be consistent and ride strong. I did go down a few times. After my first lap Maddie got away,” said Clouse, who is teammates with Munro at CMU.