The Cycle-Smart Northampton International Cyclocross opened its two-day weekend of UCI racing on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in Northampton, Massachusetts, with Elite Women and Elite Men contesting C2 races on Day One.
For the first time in many years, the race fell on Halloween. On a dry and sunny day, several riders raced in costume, while Brunner raced in his national champion’s jersey and Gunsalus in her Pan American champion’s jersey.
The race is the longest-running UCI cyclocross race in North America, now in its 35th year, but it began on a much smaller scale. The event started as a tiny, modest race at UMass, the first race promoted by Adam Myerson, and it was the first cyclocross race of the Cyclocross Magazine founder. The race has since evolved through several UMass campus locations to its current venue in Northampton, and it now has UCI status, drawing elite fields to western Massachusetts each fall.
Elite Women’s Race
Lizzie Gunsalus, reigning USA Cycling Cyclocross National Champion, climbed a step from her third-place finish at the 2026 Major Taylor Cross Cup Day Two to win the Elite Women’s race, covering the course in 51:54. The field stayed together only until the first pass of the Northampton run-up, where Gunsalus, who has been racing here since she was 12 years old, reached the bottom first and split the race apart. She rode solo from there and won by two minutes. Emma Betuel raced to second place in 53:52, and Bridget Wilson took third in 54:16 and first place in the U23 competition. Daniela Bronk finished fourth, Ellen Noble finished fifth, and Ella Dishong finished sixth.
2026 Northampton International Cyclocross Day One Elite Women’s Results
| Place | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabeth Gunsalus | VIA LLP p/b Van Rysel | 0:51:54 |
| 2 | Emma Betuel | DRRT | 0:53:52 |
| 3 | Bridget Wilson | Colorado Mesa University | 0:54:16 |
| 4 | Daniela Bronk | Green Mountain CX | 0:54:25 |
| 5 | Ellen Noble | JAM Fund | 0:55:28 |
| 6 | Ella Dishong | Columbia Cycles | 0:56:40 |
| 7 | Victoria Glascock | JAM Fund / NCC | 0:57:03 |
| 8 | Amanda Deleo | 717 Cycling | 0:57:26 |
| 9 | Kimberly Coleman | Green Mountain CX | 0:57:39 |
| 10 | Erin Gordon | Rabid Cat Racing | 0:57:55 |
| 11 | Madeleine Knox | KruisCX | 0:58:01 |
| 12 | Joy Franco | Cycle-Smart/ShiftGear | LAP |
Elite Men’s Race
Reigning national champion Eric Brunner won the Elite Men’s race in 59:08, leading a podium sweep for his team. Brunner, Pan American champion Andrew Strohmeyer and Dylan Zakrajsek formed a lead group of six on the first lap with Aidan Vollmuth, Ben Frederick and Luke Walter. Strohmeyer pushed the pace at the end of the lap and pulled clear with Vollmuth, but the race eventually narrowed to a two-man fight between Brunner and Strohmeyer, with Zakrajsek dangling behind them trying to get back on. A crash by Brunner held the leaders up and let Zakrajsek reconnect, briefly. Exiting the woods with three laps to go, Brunner went clear alone and held on to win. Andrew Strohmeyer finished second in 59:21, and Dylan Zakrajsek finished third in 59:38. Aidan Vollmuth finished fourth and took the U23 title, Ben Frederick finished fifth, and Luke Walter finished sixth.
2026 Northampton International Cyclocross Day One Elite Men’s Results
| Place | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Brunner | Competitive Edge Racing | 0:59:08 |
| 2 | Andrew Strohmeyer | Competitive Edge Racing | 0:59:21 |
| 3 | Dylan Zakrajsek | Competitive Edge Racing | 0:59:38 |
| 4 | Aidan Vollmuth | Donovan Racing | 1:00:06 |
| 5 | Ben Frederick | The Small Monsters Project | 1:00:27 |
| 6 | Luke Walter | CXD Trek Bikes | 1:00:52 |
| 7 | Nathan Cusack | UVM Cycling | 1:01:09 |
| 8 | Alexander Scopinich-Burgel | Kelly Benefits Strategies Cycling | 1:01:12 |
| 9 | Ethan Delgrosso | Competitive Edge Racing | 1:02:15 |
| 10 | Alden Copley | DRRT NYC | 1:02:47 |
| 11 | Ian Muller | Shark River Devo | 1:02:48 |
| 12 | Tommy Servetas | Competitive Edge Racing | 1:03:15 |
| 13 | Leif Bryan | UVM Cycling | 1:03:54 |
| 14 | Haru Watts | 1:04:05 | |
| 15 | August Chamot | Total Civil Construction Race Division | 1:05:11 |
| 16 | Michael Marston | Battle Road Bikes p/b Daedalus, Inc | 1:05:20 |
| 17 | Griffin Larson | Green Mountain CX – UVM Cycling | 1:05:26 |
| 18 | Christian Ricci | JBI.BIKE | 1:05:52 |
| 19 | Nathaniel Picard-Busky | DRRT NYC | LAP |
| 20 | William Rhatigan | West Hill Cooperative | LAP |
| 21 | Matthew Graham-O’Regan | Green Line Velo | LAP |
| 22 | Gorgi Popstefanov | Cycle-Smart/ShiftGear | LAP |
| 23 | Tyler Morgenson | UVM Cycling/Booger | LAP |
| Jo Evers | Team Rock Lobster | DNF |
In the UCI junior races, Stephen Savino took a solo win in the Junior Men’s race ahead of his teammate Sylvan Garrelts, with Cormac Nagle third after sprinting Garrelts for second. Lilli O’Donnell won the Junior Women’s race ahead of Elena Svenstrup and Zoe McGuire. It was a big day for Competitive Edge Racing, which also swept the Elite Men’s podium. Racing continues on Sunday, with the course reversed.
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