Sprint in full throttle at Valmont Bike Park (l-r: Weber, Clouse, Barker) Photo by Mary Topping of ProVelo Passion
by Mary Topping
Katie Clouse (Alpha Bicycle Company – Vista Subaru) appears to have turbo-charged an already swift sprint to cyclocross finish lines thanks to special summer training: road racing against boys in Belgium.
On Saturday the 15 year-old outsprinted Melissa Barker (Evol Racing) and Kristin Weber (Boulder Cycle Sport / YogaGlo)—current and former masters national champions, respectively—for the women’s elite win at Valmont Bike Park in the second race of the Cyclo X series.
The threesome shadowed each other from just after the start. In the final dash to the line Weber dropped back, leaving Clouse and Barker neck and neck to contest the win. Clouse had a bit more in the tank at the end, outpacing Barker in the final meters for the victory.
It was Clouse’s first ‘cross race this season. Three weeks ago she returned from just over a month in Europe where she competed in six races with the 15 to 18 year-old girls and four races with the 15 to 16 boys.
Never mind the women. How did the SM12 do?
Nice to see some real racing on the W side.
Always interesting to watch young phenoms. We will see when the gravy train ends though. Burn out, over use injuries, puberty, social influence take a tool on all athletes.