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BOULDER, Colo. — Very mild weather was the story of the day on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Alfalfa’s Eldora US Open of Cyclocross returned to Valmont Bike Park for a weekend of Category 2 UCI races for Elite Women and Elite Men, now managed by Sanitas Cycling. As the only Colorado races for USA Cycling Pro Cyclocross Calendar (ProCX) points and rankings, the US Open event was stacked with young talent from Western states.

Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Sofia Gomez Villafane (Argentina/Pivot Maxxis pb Stan’s DNA Cycling) set the early pace in the Elite Women’s C2 race on Saturday. She was aiming for her second podium of the ProCX season, having won third at the C1 RenoCross event in Nevada in September.

Among the 36 riders in field who took off with Villafane early were 17- year-old Katie Clouse (Park City, Utah/Alpha Bicycle Co.- Groove Subaru), Sunny Gilbert (Ellisville, Mo./Van Dessel Factory Team), Sarah Sturm (Durango, Colo./Specialized/ Ten Speed Hero), and 21-year-old Clara Honsinger (Portland, Ore./Team S&M CX).

Sofia Gomez Villafane was the early aggressor. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Sofia Gomez Villafane was the early aggressor. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

The first lap had not been completed and there was a big crash in the field, taking out Caroline Mani (Caroline Mani (Besancon, France/Van Dessel Factory Team), who is fifth overall in ProCX standings for women. She would not finish the race.

Lap 1's crash. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Lap 1’s second crash. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

At the front of the race, Villafane maintained a slim three-second edge over Honsinger. Gilbert had dropped back another 10 seconds and Clouse was holding fourth position.

Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

It was on lap four of seven that Honsinger started to create distance at the front. With one lap to go she had a built her lead to 26 seconds. In the end, she crossed solo at the finish for the win in a time of 46 minutes, 19 seconds for a 34- second margin of victory over Gilbert.

“Oh man, it was hot,” said Honsinger about the sunshine making the 65-degree day seem warmer than usual for fall. “It’s higher elevation, and at the end of a long block (of racing). Coming from the gun, I was just trying to monitor the effort. But it paid off.”

Clara Honsinger wins the Elite Women's race. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Clara Honsinger wins the Elite Women’s race. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

 

Villafane battled with Gilbert for the podium, but with two to go she faded to third, and finished 12 seconds behind Gilbert. Clouse would follow 13 seconds later for a solid fourth place finish.

L to R: Clouse, Gilbert, Honsinger, Gomez Villafane, and Swartz. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

L to R: Clouse, Gilbert, Honsinger, Gomez Villafane, and Swartz. Elite Women, 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

A 47-rider field took to the dusty course at the end of the day for the Elite Men. It would be Gage Hecht (Parker, Colo./Alpha Bicycle Co./ Groove Subaru), Eric Brunner (Boulder, Colo./Full Cycle Cyclocross Team), Lance Haidet (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Donnelly Sports) and Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./LangeTwins / Specialized) surging to the front after the holeshot at Valmont Bike Park.

Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Hecht, 20 years old, would push the pace and create a gap to the chasers after the first three of 11 laps. No one closed the gap to Hecht, who would win his first ProCX title of the season in a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, 7 seconds.

Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

“It was really fun. I like having some open roads in front of me,” said Hecht, who won two U23 national titles in 2018 (criterium and time trial). “It was a good day and I’m really happy with it.”

Gage Hecht, winner, Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Gage Hecht, winner, Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Brunner and Haidet matched the pace set by Hecht for the first few laps, with Kaiser dropping back for a solo fourth place. On lap five, Hecht had a 13-second lead over Haidet, and a 21-second gap to Brunner. That would be the order of finish at the end of the contest, with Haidet crossing the line 33 seconds after Hecht.

Lance Haidet chases Gage Hecht. Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Lance Haidet chases Gage Hecht. Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Brunner would finish another 20 seconds later to secure third. Kaiser would hold on for fourth.

“There was really good competition out there,” added Hecht. “Lance (Haidet) was keeping me honest the entire race. Eric (Brunner) was with me the entire first three laps and really pushing me.”

Gage Hecht, winner, Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Gage Hecht, winner, Elite Men. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

UCI Category 2 races will be held again on Sunday at Valmont Bike Park for the elite women and men. ProCX races will also continue Sunday in New England for the CRAFT Sportswear Gran Prix of Gloucester. Races are part of the Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series presented by Clif Bar and Cycle-Smart.

Elite Men. L to R: Kaiser, Haidet, Hecht, Brunner and Millburn. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

Elite Men. L to R: Kaiser, Haidet, Hecht, Brunner and Millburn. 2018 US Open of Cyclocross Day 1. © Col Elmore

The USA Cycling American Cyclocross Calendar (ACXC) will make a second stop for the season Oct. 13-14 in Memphis, Tenn. for the Tri-Star CX. This two-day event takes place at the popular Shelby Farms Park, which boasts 4,500 acres of green space, 40-plus miles of trails, and more than 20 lakes. It is managed by the nonprofit Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. This is the second year Tri-Star CX has been part of the ACXC.

2018 US Open of CX Day 1 Full Results - Elite Women - UCI C2

PlaceBibNameTimeAge
1103Clara HONSINGER0:46:1922
2102Sunny GILBERT0:46:5440
3104Sofia GOMEZ VILLAFANE0:47:0625
4105Katie CLOUSE0:47:1818
5106Emma SWARTZ0:47:3122
6112Hannah FINCHAMP0:47:4224
7114Sarah STURM0:47:5830
8145Meredith MILLER0:48:1346
9107Caroline NOLAN0:48:5330
10116Anna MEGALE0:49:1628
11110Rebecca GROSS0:49:4339
12108Beth Ann ORTON0:49:5338
13115Kristen LEGAN0:50:0134
14118Sophie RUSSENBERGER0:50:1122
15130Evelyn DONG0:50:1634
16111Danielle ARMAN0:50:3329
17136Madigan MUNRO0:50:3917
18132Kristin WEBER0:50:4546
19148Ksenia LEPIKHINA0:51:1522
20137Susan LIVINGSTON0:51:1934
21146Anna DOROVSKIKH0:51:2428
22133Stacey RICHARDSON0:52:1438
23120Turner RAMSAY0:52:3619
24142Bridget TOOLEY0:52:4517
25134Chelsea WEIDINGER0:52:5635
26117Petra SCHMIDTMANN0:53:1518
27113Laurel RATHBUN0:53:2223
28109Fiona MORRIS0:53:2434
29144Emily SCHALDACH0:53:2624
30121Meghan NEWLIN0:53:3741
31138Kristie AREND0:54:0250
32147Heather FISCHER0:54:0331
33135Abigail YATES0:31:0317
*141Tea WRIGHTDNF17
*143Leslie ETHRIDGEDNF29
*101Caroline MANIDNF32

2018 US Open of CX Day 1 Full Results - Elite Men - UCI C2

PlaceBibNameTimeAge
11Gage HECHT1:05:0721
22Lance HAIDET1:05:4022
34Eric BRUNNER1:06:0021
444Cody KAISER1:06:1427
547Garry MILLBURN1:06:1832
615Caleb SWARTZ1:06:1920
76Troy WELLS1:06:4235
87Allen KRUGHOFF1:06:4735
916Ross ELLWOOD1:06:5220
1018Stephan DAVOUST1:06:5324
115Grant ELLWOOD1:07:0223
123Justin LINDINE1:07:0835
1320Brian MATTER1:07:1641
1411Brannan FIX1:07:2622
1517Yannick ECKMANN1:07:5926
1619Jack TANNER1:07:5921
179Kevin BRADFORD-PARISH1:08:2837
188Bjorn SELANDER1:08:4531
1961Mitchell HOKE1:09:1331
2023Ian MCPHERSON1:09:1424
2125Samuel O'KEEFE1:09:3625
2258Samuel DOLZANI1:09:4530
2322Mark FLIS1:09:5336
2454Alec PASQUALINA1:10:4123
2510Maxx CHANCE1:11:4623
2621Allan SCHROEDER0:50:2227
2724Josh DIREEN0:50:2627
2843Terol PURSELL0:44:0431
2963Greg LEWIS0:44:0740
3055Russell STEVENSON0:44:0743
3150Nathaniel VACURA0:44:1832
3251Jakub VALIGURA0:44:2930
3345Campbell WATSON0:44:3519
3414Skyler MACKEY0:44:3524
3557Stephen COCHRAN0:37:5627
3660Zachary DOLZANI0:37:5733
3752Christian CULPEPPER0:37:5824
3853Kobi GYETVAN0:38:1021
3948Rhys LOUIS0:31:3526
4062Ryan RINN0:31:3637
4159Aaron VAUGHN0:31:3635
4240Ian MEGALE0:31:3631
4356William ALLEN0:31:3639
4413Garrett GERCHAR0:24:0423
4541Cassidy KEELAND0:18:5035
*49Kyle JOHNSONDNF30
*12Denzel STEPHENSONDNF20