US Cyclocross Nationals: Andrew Strohmeyer wins first elite men's title in three-rider sprint

Andrew Strohmeyer (CXC Trek Bikes) won his first US elite men's cyclocross title on Saturday, edging defending champion Eric Brunner (Competitive Edge Racing) at the line in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday. Scott Funston (Cervélo-Orange Living) was part of the three-rider battle, finishing four seconds back for the bronze medal at US Cyclocross National Championships.

The same trio from last year's podium created separation from the rest of the field on the second lap and rocketed away to settle accounts for the podium in a sprint

"I'm still trying to process what all happened," the newly crowned elite men's champion told FloBikes at the finish. "I think we were all hurting. It was whoever had a little bit left.

"I hadn't really planned anything going into the race. I had no idea what I was going to do on the last lap if we were all together. But we all knew it had to lead into that technical section [mansion hill]. I gave it everything to get to that section and from there just hold on up these hills. Then it gets tactical."

Last year Strohmeyer finished second to Brunner, who made a final lap charge after a mechanical. Strohmeyer admitted he didn't let memories of 2023 bother him, but figured out what he did wrong and "make sure I didn't make those mistakes again today". 

"After Eric crashed on the barriers and I attacked and was off the front," he said about Saturday's race and a technical error by his adversary on lap three. "Then he started to come back. When he came back, it was like last year, how are we going to make this different?"

That difference of one second came with his powerful sprint, saving enough for a final effort to hold off Brunner, racing in the Pan-American cyclocross champion's white kit. 2022 elite men's champion Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) rode solo in fourth.

Locked and loaded for seven laps, 39 riders bolted into the first corner with Funston at the front. White and Brunner, Kerry Werner (Groove Off Road Racing), Strohmeyer  and Caleb Swartz (ENVE-Forward Endurance Coaching) trailing to make up the top six. Trying to close the gap were Jules Van Kempen (Cervelo-Orange Living).

Among the riders giving chase with 30 seconds to close down for the start of lap two were Gage Hecht and Cade Bickmore of Team Winston-Salem. 

Last year's elite men's runner-up Strohmeyer stepped on the accelerator early, causing the field to shatter on the second half of the opening lap. He seemed to be in a hurry, the 60-minute race expected to finish just ahead of a swath of rain headed to Louisville. The course remained muddy from the previous pounding of five races, but was not as slippery in the corners.

Riders didn't waste time to show off their fitness, Brunner, Strohmeyer and Funston - wearing bib numbers one, two and three - going three-wide at one point to open a gap at the front on the off-camber climb past the mansion. White and Werner experienced a rubber-band effect as they clawed their way back on the second lap, but then lost contact again.

Brunner lost his front wheel on the third pass of the barriers and went down. The bobble allowed Strohmeyer and Funston to gap the defending champion as they pressed ahead for the fourth circuit. The technical mistake presented a 10-second gap, which he closed down on another half lap to Funston, and then reeled back Strohmeyer, who had tried to move away solo.

On the penultimate lap on a muddy descent, Strohmeyer unclipped with a technical error and then Brunner fell in the mud when his front wheel hit a deep rut. Funston rode clean throughout, but could not shake either rider as the trio remained intact headed to the final lap. Behind, White began to distance Werner, and the former men's champion had to make up 12 seconds to the leaders when he heard the bell ring.

Funston controlled the pace for most of the final lap, holding off attacks on several tight corners. The trio slowed down on a paved section before more swooping dirt corners, no space emerging between wheels as they passed cleanly over the barriers. 

Strohmeyer attacked at the front as the trio hit the final section of pavement and pulled away for the stars-and-stripes jersey, the 21-year-old returning to victory lane at cyclocross nationals since 2022 when he won the U23 crown.

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