Charm City Cross Preview

Round Three Of the Trek USXC Series marks 20 years of Charm

Charm City Cross celebrates its twentieth anniversary this weekend by doing what it always does: hosting the finest weekend of cyclocross racing in North America. I will show not only my East Coast bias but also my Mid-Atlantic and DMV bias when I tell you this is my favorite event of the year.

Kris Auer and Jay Lazar put on a great show with a killer course for athletes to tackle. The track has a few new twists and turns for this year, but in the end, it will all come down to the final corners of the final lap to decide who will win.

Due to rainfall, Friday’s training session was canceled, so we didn’t get our normal one-lap preview ride. But we did get a one-lap preview walk. Here’s an inside-the-tape look at this year’s Saturday course. As usual, Sunday will be rerouted in certain parts to keep things interesting.

Note that the map in the technical guide and on site is not the same as the current layout of the course.

History

On the men’s side we have four previous winners lining up with Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes), Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation), Kerry Werner (Groove Off Road) and Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz).

On the women’s side, we have two previous winners in Maghalie Rochette (Canyon) an Ellen Noble (Jam Fund). We also have two runner-ups with Sidney McGill (Cervélo Orange Living) and Caroline Mani (Groove Off Road).

Weather

Hurricane Helene turned right instead of left in Tennessee so we are probably just going to have a wet track but not much rain.

Schedule

Start Lists

Elite Women

Elite Men

Predictions

On the men’s side, we have the return of Eric Brunner (Comp Edge Racing). Brunner is always fast, but his only time racing Charm City was 2021, and he finished 13th and 6th. However, Strohmeyer finished 37th and 13th that same weekend, so these stats tell us absolutely nothing.

We don’t know how Brunner is racing this year but every time we’ve underestimated him he’s proven us wrong. So with that in mind, I’m still picking Strohmeyer to win both days. Brunner in second and Ortenblad third. Boedi is siding with history and picking Brunner to win with Strohmeyer second and Werner third.

Darkhorse/Joker/Instigator: Scott Funston (Boedi)

On the women’s side, it’s tough to pick against Helene Clauzel (Van Rysel Racing Team), who is taking the country by storm, so I’m not going to. Sort of. I say she splits the weekend wins with Rochette. Manon Bakker (Crelan Corendon) gets on the podium both days. Mani and McGill split podiums on the weekend.

Darkhorse and first American who isn’t Canadian: Katie Clouse (Steve Tilford Foundation)

Coverage

There is no livestream but Boedi will once again be getting his steps as he runs around the course covering all the moves for the Wide Angle Podium instagram channel.