FayetteCross offers preview of 2022 UCI World Championships

In late January of 2022, the cyclocross circus will descend on Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the UCI World Championships. Between now and then, the southern U.S. site will play host to a slew of test events, which started in earnest last weekend with FayetteCross, a two-day affair that included full pro, amateur, and junior race slates.

On the pro women’s side of the ledger, Canadian Maghalie Rochette (Specialized X Feedback Sports) captured the Day 1 race, taking a 22-second triumph ahead of France’s Caroline Mani (Pactimo-Colorado Proud), with Clara Honsinger (USA Cycling National Team) another 15 second behind, at 0:37. Rochette is off to a strong 2019-2020 campaign, having already taken a World Cup win last month at the Iowa City event.

But while the Saturday races in Arkansas were contested on a mostly dry track, Sunday brought moisture and mud the UCI C2-rated proceedings. Honsinger proved the most adaptable to the changing conditions, taking a 20-second triumph ahead of Mani, with the seemingly ageless Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team) coming home third, another 16 seconds behind. (Not bad for a 41-year-old.) Rochette, meanwhile, slipped to seventh on Day 2.

As for the men’s pro racing, Americans swept the top 8 spots on Day 1 at FayetteCross, with Kerry Werner (Kona-Maxxis-Shimano) grabbing the top spot, 12 seconds ahead of Lance Haidet (Donnelly Sports) who slotted second. Curtis White (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale) was third at 0:20.

Also notable was the return of Logan Owen (EF Education First), who hadn’t contested a ’cross race since 2016, but is reportedly planning to make a run at this year’s U.S. National Championship, which will be decided in his home state of Washington. Owen was 10th in the Day 1 Fayetteville race. Prior to making the switch to road racing, Owen won 10 straight stars-and-stripes jerseys while racing in the junior and under-23 ranks.

On Day 2 in Fayetteville, Owen jumped up to fourth in muddy conditions, while White snagged the win, 25 seconds ahead of Gage Hecht (Donnelly Sports), with Werner slipping to third, nearly two minutes behind the winner.

FayetteCross Day 1

Women

1. Maghalie Rochette (Specialized X Feedback Sports), 46:18
2. Caroline Mani (Pactimo-Colorado Proud), at 0:22
3. Clara Honsinger (USA Cycling National Team), at 0:37
4. Crystal Anthony (Liv Racing), at 0:53
5. Raylyn Nuss (MAAP), at 0:58

Men

1. Kerry Werner (Kona-Maxxis-Shimano), 1:03:39
2. Lance Haidet (Donnelly Sports), at 0:12
3. Curtis White (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale), at 0:20
4. Gage Hecht (Donnelly Sports), at 0:31
5. Grant Ellwood (Pivot-Maxxis-Stan’s NoTubes), at 1:04

FayetteCross Day 2

Women

1. Clara Honsinger (USA Cycling National Team), 40:04
2. Caroline Mani (Pactimo-Colorado Proud), at 0:20
3. Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team), at 0:36
4. Sunny Gilbert (Pactimo-Colorado Proud), at 0:59
5. Jennifer Jackson (Easton-Giant), at 1:21

Men

1. Curtis White (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale), 57:23
2. Gage Hecht (Donnelly Sports), at 0:25
3. Kerry Werner (Kona-Maxxis-Shimano), at 1:58
4. Logan Owen (EF Education First), at 2:11
5. Michael van den Ham (Easton-Giant), at 2:26