Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) wins the Elite Female Cyclo-cross National Championship(Image credit: SWPix)
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) racing at the British Cycling Lloyds Cyclo-cross National Championships 2025(Image credit: SWPix)
Imogen Wolff (TEAM VISMA - LEASE A BIKE) racing at British Cycling Lloyds Cyclo-cross National Championships 2025(Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) racing in the lead at British Cycling Lloyds Cyclo-cross National Championships 2025(Image credit: SWPix)
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) Wins the Silver Medal(Image credit: SWPix)
Imogen Wolff (TEAM VISMA - LEASE A BIKE) Wins the Bronze Medal(Image credit: SWPix)
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) congratulates Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) on winning the Elite Female Cyclo-cross National Championship(Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) celebrates winning the Elite Female Cyclo-cross National Championship(Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) celebrates winning the Elite Female Cyclo-cross National Championship (Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) celebrates winning the Elite Female Cyclo-cross National Championship(Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing p/b DAS) on the podium receiving the Gold Medal to become National Champion, Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) receiving the Silver Medal and Imogen Wolff (TEAM VISMA - LEASE A BIKE) receiving the Bronze Medal(Image credit: SWPix)
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) on the podium receiving the Gold Medal to become U23 National Championat British Cycling Lloyds Cyclo-cross National Championships 2025(Image credit: SWPix)
Xan Crees (Spectra Racing) secured the elite women's title at the British Cyclocross Championships held at Gravesend on Sunday.
Crees opened a gap on lone chaser Cat Ferguson (Movistar) extending her lead on the final lap and crossed the line first, donning the first elite cyclocross national champion's jersey of her career.
Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease a Bike) rounded out the podium in third place.
Although Ferguson secured the silver medal in the elite women's race, she also won the under-23 national title as the first rider of that category to cross the line. Wolff finished second in the under-23 category and Hope Inglis (Spectra Racing) was third.
How it unfolded
The elite women's field lined up under cold temperatures but crisp blue skies in the race for the national title.
On the second lap, Crees and Ferguson had already emerged as the strongest riders, as they raced neck-to-neck, opening a sizeable gap on chasers Imogen Wolff and former national champion Anna Kay.
It was on the third lap that Crees took the solo lead of the race forcing Ferguson and Wolff to fight on for the remaining two podium places.
Crees extended her lead on the last lap to 20 seconds over Ferguson, as Wolff slipped further off pace into third place.
Ferguson put forth a strong chase, but Crees held her off by just five seconds as she crossed the line with the victory.
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SHE’S DONE IT!! 👑Xan Crees holds off the challenge from a chasing Cat Ferguson to win the elite women’s national title! pic.twitter.com/ehaXniUH05January 12, 2025
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
