Advertisement

Growing up, I was really into baseball, which is a sport where numbers and milestones are often revered. Accomplishments such as Roger Maris’ 61 home runs in a season, Cy Young’s 511 career wins and Ted Williams’ 0.406 batting average in 1941 took on a greater meaning, even though they were just … numbers.

In cyclocross, numbers of distinction are a bit harder to come by. Courses and fast times change each year and there are not specialized stats like most tailwhips dropped or bunny hops converted. Given the importance of Nationals and Worlds in ’cross, one way of defining excellence is most wins and podium appearances at those two revered races.

Katie Compton knows a thing or two about U.S. Nationals excellence. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Katie Compton knows a thing or two about U.S. Nationals excellence. 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Last year when I interviewed Jeremy Powers before Hartford Nationals I asked him, with four Nationals titles to his name, if getting number five and tying the male record was important to him. His response was, “Who has won five? I’m curious. Who has won five? It’s not a modern rider because I’ve never heard of anyone winning five. I don’t know who’s won five.”

Needless to say, I was surprised! If I were an athlete with four Nationals wins, I would probably want to get number five and at least tie the mark.

For the record, the current record for the men belongs to Laurence Malone, who won five straight titles from 1975 to 1979. His 5, of course, put him third all-time behind Katie Compton with 14 and Alison Dunlap with 6.

After my interview with Powers, I became interested in learning more about U.S. Cyclocross Nationals superlatives. Using the power of the internet — while trying to avoid going too far down the rabbit hole — I found three resources to help me out. The U.S. Nationals Wikipedia page has decent results for the last two decades or so, this compilation is impressive and then a site called the-sports.org has a fairly comprehensive collection of podium finishers. Some results for the full Women’s podiums from 1986 to 1991 are still missing.

A conversation with Jeremy Powers provided inspiration for this project. 2016 U.S. Cyclocross Nationals © Brian Nelson

A conversation with Jeremy Powers provided inspiration for this project. 2016 U.S. Cyclocross Nationals © Brian Nelson

Elite Nationals wins and podiums can define cyclocross superlatives. The table and accompanying discussion below summarize the accomplishments of the 26 men and women who have won Elite U.S. Cyclocross Nationals and the 75 (unofficially) who have finished on an Elite Nationals podium. Full tables of Elite U.S. Nationals podiums are at the bottom of this post.

Many of these riders also have National Championships and podiums to their names in younger categories, so we might tackle U23 and Junior podiums another day.

The Pantheon of Champions

The conversation about U.S. champions begins and ends with Katie Compton. In fact, if numbers are relevant in cyclocross, it is probably because we cannot help but gawk at Compton’s 14 straight Nationals wins. When Compton first won Nationals, Barack Obama was a just-elected Senator from Illinois, the Dow Jones was around 10,500 and Facebook was still called TheFacebook.

In a sport where racers describe mechanicals and crashes as “all in the game,” Compton’s string of success is that much more impressive.

U.S. Cyclocross Nationals Multiple-Time Winners

RiderNational Titles
Katie Compton14
Alison Dunlap6
Laurence Malone5
Jonathan Page4
Don Myrah4
Jeremy Powers4
Clark Natwick3
Todd Wells3
Tim Johnson3
Elizabeth Muhich3
Steve Tilford2
Ryan Trebon2
Frank McCormack2
Shari Kain-Rodgers2
Stephen Hyde2
Elizabeth Chapman2
Lisa Muhich2
Jan Wiejak2

When Compton won her first Nationals in 2004, she faced what seemed like an insurmountable record at the time. Alison Dunlap won five straight Nationals from 1997 to 2001 and six overall. Compton won her sixth in 2009 and then took hold of the record in 2010. Since then, she has doubled that mark.

Alison Dunlap won U.S. Cyclocross Nationals six times. © Cyclocross Magazine

Alison Dunlap won U.S. Cyclocross Nationals six times. © Cyclocross Magazine

With years of dominance by Compton and Dunlap, the men are left battling for the third spot on the U.S. cyclocross superlatives podium. When the first officially sanctioned Nationals were held in 1975, Laurence Malone wasted no time in setting a record for his fellow cyclocrossers to aspire to. Malone won five-straight titles from 1975 to 1979 and still holds the record for the men.

Laurence Malone won five U.S. national championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

Laurence Malone won five U.S. national championships. © Cyclocross Magazine

The — magic  or perhaps tragic — number for the sport’s top men is four. Four riders have four wins. Don Myrah won four times in the 1980s and 90s; Jonathan Page won three-straight from 2002 to 2004 and then another a decade later in 2013, and Jeremy Powers won the 2012 and 2014 to 2016 races. Page’s second behind Powers in 2015 in Austin and Powers’ second behind Stephen Hyde last month in Reno were both men’s shots at the elusive fifth title.

But for a flat at the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships, Jonathan Page may have gotten his male record-tying fifth Nationals win. © Cyclocross Magazine

But for a flat at the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships, Jonathan Page may have gotten his male record-tying fifth Nationals win. © Cyclocross Magazine

There have been a total of eight women who have won U.S. Cyclocross Nationals through 2018. With 14 wins, Katie Compton has won nearly half (40%) of the U.S. Nationals raced from 1975 to 1977 and 1986 to the present. Dunlap has six titles, and Elizabeth Muhich is the other women to win Nationals at least three times.

Eighteen different men have won U.S. Nationals since 1975. In addition to Malone and the three with four, Clark Natwick, Tim Johnson and Todd Wells have three titles. When Stephen Hyde lines up this December in Louisville, he will be chasing not only his third-straight title but also a spot in a very select group of excellence with 1 other athletes.

Stephen Hyde is chasing Nationals wins and his legacy. Elite Men, 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © J. Vander Stucken / Cyclocross Magazine

Stephen Hyde is chasing Nationals wins and his legacy. Elite Men, 2018 Cyclocross National Championships. © J. Vander Stucken / Cyclocross Magazine

Consistency and Tough Luck Podiums

Landing on a cyclocross podium at Nationals is an accomplishment worth celebrating; placing in the top three among your peers in the sport is hard to do! Podium finishes can be moments of triumph, as we saw when Michael Vanthourenhout celebrated finishing second at the 2018 World Championships, but they can also signify near misses or just plain bad luck.

U.S. Cyclocross Nationals: Four or More Podium Finishes

RiderFirstSecondThirdTOTAL
Katie Compton140014
Jonathan Page43512
Ryan Trebon2619
Don Myrah4408
Clark Natwick3418
Todd Wells3227
Rachel Lloyd0347
Laurence Malone5027
Alison Dunlap6017
Tim Johnson3126
Joe Ryan1236
Jeremy Powers4116
Ann Grande-Knapp1416
Paul Curley1225
Mark McCormack1315
Kaitie Keough0235
Georgia Gould0415
Steve Tilford2024
Shari Kain-Rodgers2114
Jan Wiejak2114
Frank McCormack2114

Not surprisingly, Katie Compton and Alison Dunlap have left a several excellent women racers in the “tough luck” category. The two most affected by the duo’s shared dominance are Rachel Lloyd and Ann Knapp (Grande). Both Lloyd and Knapp have the distinction of finishing second behind both Dunlap and Compton.

Rachel Lloyd has seven U.S. Nationals podium finishes to her name. © Mike Albright

Rachel Lloyd has seven U.S. Nationals podium finishes to her name. © Mike Albright

Knapp finished second behind Dunlap three straight years from 1998 to 2000 before getting her revenge in 2002 and ending Dunlap’s five-year winning streak. Second place in 2002? Rachel Lloyd. Dunlap won once more in 2003 and then Knapp finished second in 2005 when Compton won her second title.

Lloyd reached seven Nationals podiums and Knapp six during their respective careers. Lloyd’s run is notable for its longevity. She finished third in 2000 and then got her seventh podium finish with a third in Austin in 2015. Rachel Lloyd finally got to see the Stars-and-Stripes jersey on a Lloyd when her sister Monica won the Masters 40-44 race in Reno last month.

Another member of the Katie Compton Tough Luck Club? Georgia Gould. Gould finished second behind Compton four times! Which is, fittingly, the same number of times Compton has finished second at the World Championships, so Compton can empathize with her fellow silver medalist.

Georgia Gould finished second behind Katie Compton four times. © Cyclocross Magazine

Georgia Gould finished second behind Katie Compton four times. © Cyclocross Magazine

The newest member of the KFC TLC is Kaitie Keough, who finished second in 2012 and 2015 and has finished third each of the last three years.

The top two spots in the U.S. podium pantheon are pretty easy to figure out. First is Compton, duh, and second is the recently retired Jonathan Page with 12. Page’s only podium misses between 2002 to 2015 were 2010 in Bend and 2014 in Boulder. His competitors during that era included fellow four-time winner Powers, three-time winners Tim Johnson and Todd Wells and two-time winner Ryan Trebon.

The third spot goes to a male rider who can feel the pain of the KFC TLC members. Ryan Trebon won Nationals in 2006 and 2008, but finished second a whopping six times! All told, he has nine U.S. Nationals podiums to his name. From 2004 to 2014, Trebon finished 1st or 2nd 8 of the 11 years. The riders who beat Trebon? The murderer’s row of Page, Wells, Powers and Johnson.

Elite Men Podium: L to R Trebon, Powers, Johnson. © Matt Lasala

Ryan Trebon finished second at Nationals six times. 2014 U.S. Cyclocross National Championships © Matt Lasala

Next up behind Trebon are Clark Natwick and Don Myrah with eight podiums each. The two share seven Nationals wins and another seven Nationals silver medals.

Second or third-place finishes do not necessarily signify near misses; often gaps in cyclocross races are large, but given the “all in the game” nature of cyclocross, they can show how if things were a little different on a given day, the shape of the U.S. cyclocross record book could be different.

U.S. Cyclocross Nationals Podiums

The full history of Elite U.S. Cyclocross Nationals podiums since 1975, based on available information, is below.

Jan Wiejak taking the win in a snow storm at the 1995 Cyclocross National Championships in Leicester, Mass. © A. Yee

Jan Wiejak taking the win in a snow storm at the 1995 Cyclocross National Championships in Leicester, Mass. © A. Yee

If there are any errors or if you have info on some of the missing podium positions please let us know at news [at] cxmagazine.com.

Updated: Podium finishers.

Women's U.S. Nationals Podiums: 1975-1978, 1986-2018

YearLocationFirstSecondThird
2018Reno, NVKatie ComptonEllen NobleKaitlin Keough
2017Hartford, CTKatie ComptonAmanda MillerKaitlin Keough
2016Asheville, NCKatie ComptonGeorgia GouldKaitlin Keough
2015Austin, TXKatie ComptonKaitlin KeoughRachel Lloyd
2014Boulder, COKatie ComptonElle AndersonMeredith Miller
2013Madison, WI Katie ComptonJade WilcoxsonNicole Duke
2012Madison, WI Katie ComptonKaitlin KeoughNicole Duke
2010Bend, OR Katie ComptonGeorgia GouldMeredith Miller
2009Bend, OR Katie ComptonMeredith MillerAmy Dombroski
2008Kansas City, KSKatie ComptonGeorgia GouldRachel Lloyd
2007Kansas City, KSKatie ComptonRachel LloydGeorgia Gould
2006Providence, RIKatie ComptonGeorgia GouldKerry Barnholt
2005Providence, RIKatie ComptonAnn Knapp Maureen Bruno Roy
2004Portland, ORKatie ComptonGina HallAnn Knapp
2003Portland, ORAlison DunlapRachel LloydGina Hall
2002Napa, CAAnn Knapp Rachel LloydGina Hall
2001Baltimore, MDAlison DunlapCarmen D’AluisioRachel Lloyd
2000Overland Park, KSAlison DunlapAnn Knapp Rachel Lloyd
1999San Francisco, CAAlison DunlapAnn Knapp Shari Kain-Rodgers
1998Fort Devens, MAAlison DunlapAnn Knapp Carmen Richardson
1997Lakewood, COAlison DunlapMiranda BriggsRuth Matthes
1996Seattle, WAShari Kain-RodgersJanice BollandAlison Dunlap
1995Leicester, MAJanice BollandShari Kain-RodgersLaurie Brandt
1994Seattle, WAShari Kain-RodgersLaurie BrandtCheryl Moores
1993Sonora, CALisa MuhichCheryl MooresNancy Reynolds
1992Golden, COLisa MuhichNancy ReynoldsKathy Riggert
1991Waltham, MAKathy Riggert
1990Bremerton, WAElizabeth MuhichDina DiSantis
1989Milwaukee, WIElizabeth Muhich
1988Plymouth, MAElizabeth Muhich
1987Bremerton, WAElizabeth ChapmanDina DiSantis
1986Scotts Valley, CAElizabeth ChapmanJacquie Phelan
1985Not Held
---------
1984Not Held
---------
1983Not Held
---------
1982Not Held
---------
1981Not Held
---------
1980Not Held
---------
1979Not Held
---------
1978Not Held
---------
1977Milwaukee, WIJoyce SulaukeDebra SchadewaldtJoan Johnson
1976Sunriver, ORMary Ann AllanCarolyn PetersonJoyce Sulauke
1975Berkeley, CAMary Ann AllanLinda SearlClara Teyssier

Men's U.S. Nationals Podiums: 1975-2018

YearLocationFirstSecondThird
2018Reno, NVStephen HydeJeremy PowersKerry Werner
2017Hartford, CTStephen HydeJamey DriscollKerry Werner
2016Asheville, NCJeremy Powers Stephen HydeLogan Owen
2015Austin, TXJeremy Powers Jonathan PageZach McDonald
2014Boulder, COJeremy Powers Ryan TrebonTim Johnson
2013Madison, WI Jonathan Page Zach McDonaldJamey Driscoll
2012Madison, WI Jeremy PowersRyan TrebonJonathan Page
2010Bend, OR Todd Wells Ryan TrebonJeremy Powers
2009Bend, OR Tim Johnson Ryan TrebonJonathan Page
2008Kansas City, KSRyan Trebon Jamey DriscollJonathan Page
2007Kansas City, KSTim Johnson Jonathan PageTodd Wells
2006Providence RIRyan TrebonJonathan PageTim Johnson
2005Providence RITodd Wells Ryan TrebonJonathan Page
2004Portland, ORJonathan Page Ryan TrebonTodd Wells
2003Portland, ORJonathan Page Todd WellsRyan Trebon
2002Napa, CAJonathan PageTodd WellsTravis Brown
2001Baltimore, MDTodd WellsTim JohnsonMarc Gullickson
2000Overland Park, KSTim JohnsonMark GullicksonMark McCormack
1999San Francisco, CAMark GullicksonBart BowenTim Johnson
1998Fort Devens, MAFrank McCormackSteve LarsenJonathan Page
1997Lakewood, COMark McCormackFrank McCormackDale Knapp
1996Seattle, WAFrank McCormackMark McCormackJan Wiejak
1995Leicester, MAJan WiejackMark McCormackDaryl Price
1994Seattle, WAJan WiejackDon MyrahDale Knapp
1993Sonora, CADon Myrah Pete Webber
1992Golden, COMark HoweDon MyrahSteve Tilford
1991Waltham, MADon MyrahMark McCormack
1990Bremerton, WADon Myrah Larry HibbardLaurence Malone
1989Milwaukee, WIDon MyrahJan WiejakPaul Curley
1988Plymouth, MACasey KunselmanDon MyrahFrank McCormack
1987Bremerton, WAClark Natwick (4)Don MyrahPaul Curley
1986Scotts Valley, CAClark Natwick Paul CurleyCasey Kunselman
1985Nutley, NJPaul CurleyNed Overend
1984Santa Cruz, CASteve TilfordRoy KnickmanLaurence Malone
1983Plymouth, MASteve TilfordClark NatwickTim Rutledge
1982Nutley, NJRoy KnickmanClark NatwickSteve Tilford
1981Pacifica, CAClark Natwick Myron LindJoe Ryan
1980Colorado Springs, COJoe RyanMark JansenDavis Phinney
1979Eugene, ORLaurence MaloneJoe RyanClark Natwick
1978Austin, TXLaurence MaloneClark NatwickJohn Howard
1977Milwaukee, WILaurence MaloneClark NatwickJoe Ryan
1976Sunriver, ORLaurence MaloneJoe RyanMark Pringle
1975Berkeley, CALaurence MaloneDan NallJoe Ryan