Kerry Werner (Groove Auto Off Road Racing)(Image credit: Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media)
Elite men are off for the Trek CX Cup C1 (Image credit: Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media)
Elite men podium at Trek CX Cup C1: second place Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes), winner Kerry Werner (Groove Auto Off Road Racing), and third place Scott Funston (Cervelo Orange Living)(Image credit: Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media)
Kerry Werner (Groove Auto Off Road Racing) overtook Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes) in the final lap to claim a solo victory in the C1 men’s race Trek CX Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin on Saturday. It was the first victory for Werner at the 2024 US Cyclocross Series (USCX), after finishing top 5 in the six previous events.
He crossed the line 32 seconds ahead of runner-up Strohmeyer and 1:03 ahead of third-placed Scott Funston (Cervelo Orange Living).
The final USCX weekend unfolded under dry conditions, with the sun relentlessly beating down along the 3.2km course. Unlike previous venues, this track featured less elevation, resulting in the fastest lap times of the season, clocking in at under seven minutes.
After taking the holeshot, Funston led for the whole first lap, driving the pace and causing the first initial splits in the field. A lead group formed with Werner, Strohmeyer, Funston, Ben Frederick (Small Monsters Project) and Caleb Swartz (Forward Endurance/Enve) in his first appearance at USCX. By the third lap, Frederick and Swartz had been gapped off.
The next significant split happened at the barriers, midway through the nine-lap race. Strohmeyer and Werner broke away at the front, maintaining a pace fast enough to hold off lone chaser Funston. Further back, Fredrick and Clark trailed behind, while Swartz had dropped out of the race.
With two laps to go, Strohmeyer attacked and built a 20-second lead over Werner as they approached the flyover near Factory Hill. However with half a lap to go, Strohmeyer faltered and Werner was able to overtake him by the time they raced by the second pit.
The USCX concludes on Sunday with the C2 elite men's Trek CX Cup race.
Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
