The opening C1 event at Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross delivered exciting performances on a tough course in Roanoke. Andrew Strohmeyer and Hélène Clauzel claimed victories in the men’s and women’s elite races, marking the start of the 2024 Trek USCX series.
Women’s Race
In the women’s race, Clauzel took control on the climbs to finish 27 seconds ahead of Sidney McGill and 1:13 in front of Caroline Mani.
McGill quickly set the pace at the front. “I wanted to try and hold around second wheel-ish,” she said about her fast start. “There was a lot of jostling at the front, so I was like, well, I guess I’ll just go to the front. And I didn’t wanna go out too, too crazy because of the heat.”
The fast start saw Clauzel and McGill break away from the field, with Mani and Manon Bakker about 10 seconds behind. But Clauzel used the course’s climbs to drop McGill gradually.
“It was my best part, because I have more power on the climbs,” Clauzel said. “I think it was a good strategy for me to attack this. And Sidney is really, really good when there are a lot of corners.”
Though McGill was strong in the technical sections, she couldn’t make up the ground that Clauzel gained with two laps left. “I did notice that in a couple of the corners, I could get a bit of a gap,” McGill said. “But in the end, it was the climbing that won it for her.”
Behind them, Mani secured third place, extending her impressive GO Cross podium streak. Nearly 38, she knows how to pace herself in tough conditions. “Back in the day, I would have just tried as hard as I could in the last two laps to go for Sidney,” she said. “But it’s super hot. You feel those little chills, and you’re like, ‘Oh gosh, I’m at the limit of overheating.'”
2024 Women’s Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross (C1) result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Photo Credit: GettyMen’s Race
In the men’s race, Andrew Strohmeyer attacked early, leaving his rivals to chase. He finished 35 seconds ahead of Kerry Werner and 41 seconds in front of Scott Funston.
Strohmeyer hadn’t planned to attack so soon. “That was the plan,” he said. “But then, riding the course yesterday, and afterward in the shower, I realised there’s a lot of weird corners here, a lot of slippery stuff… So I was like, you know what, let’s just come out here and go for it.”
He launched his move as the group hit the sand on the first lap and didn’t look back. Kerry Werner, who was further back when the attack came, said, “I think [Strohmeyer] definitely caught me sleeping today. I was sitting maybe five wheels back and by the time I got to Funston, maybe halfway through that first lap, I think Andrew already had ten seconds. It was impressive.”
Funston thought about chasing but decided against it. “I had a decision to make when we came over the barriers, and he had two or three bike lengths on the first lap,” he said. “I don’t need to blow up and just have a catastrophic day, so I just let him go up the hill.”
With Strohmeyer extending his lead, the fight for second took centre stage. Funston and Werner eventually formed a group, trading turns and testing each other. Werner enjoyed the challenge. “I was sitting there on the last lap with Scott, and I was just like, ‘Man, this is what it’s all about.'”
In the final lap, Werner’s experience helped him outsmart Funston for second place. Funston reflected on the final hill’s headwind: “Even if you had two or three bike lengths, you were still getting a draft. I wanted to counter there and try to hold it to the end. Kerry snuck inside me and got back around.”
With one more race to come, Werner has a plan for Sunday’s C2 event. “He’s got a target on his back now… I’m going to be on his wheel in the first couple corners.”
2024 Men’s Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross (C1) result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
