Once again, Louisville, Kentucky was the epicenter of U.S. cyclocross racing with the return of CXNATS. For the 2023 edition, Clara Honsinger won her fourth elite US cyclocross national championship in a dominant display of power and patience.
The Race
Clara Honsinger (Team S&M/Sellwood Cycle Repair) started slowly in Sunday’s elite women’s cyclocross national championship race. Katie Clouse (Steve Tilford Foundation) took the hole shot and kept on the gas throughout the initial lap.
Honsinger was on the back foot, pulling Clouses’ teammate Raylyn Nuss to the front of the race with every pedal stroke. Once Honsinger got going, however, she went straight to the front and didn’t look back.
The duo of Honsinger and Clouse kept the crowd engaged and on their toes, knowing a single dab on the slippery Lousiville course could bring the group back together. Over the 50-minute race, Honsinger would distance Clouse using pure power in the heavy mud and years of technical ability. The duo eventually finished 29 seconds apart, with Honsinger crossing the line and able to celebrate comfortably with the crowd.
The Bike
For the 2023-2024 cyclocross season, Clara Honsinger returned to Team S&M after her team EF Education-TIBCO-SVB folded mid-2023
Honsinger saw the move back to Team S&M as a homecoming and brought her Team EF crew along for the season.
Honsinger’s new ride for 2023-2024 is the Liv Brava Advanced or Lil’ Clara (Liv Edition) with full Shimano GRX Di2. The paint is custom from Ruckus and stands out, especially with the matching hardware.
The shifting is all Shimano, with a full GRX Di2 1X groupset and lightweight XTR pedals. The bars and saddle are from PRO. For wheels, Team S&M roll on HiFi Wheels and Challenge Tires.
The signature red sidewalls from Challege would be a common theme in Louisville, along with the new Challege Flandrien mud tire.
The chainring, chain catcher, and extra finishing kit are supplied by WolfTooth, allowing for incredible customization and matchy-matchy setups.
What’s Next?
After an exciting weekend of racing and non-stop travel, Honsinger is heading home for much-deserved rest and recovery. After the new year, Honsinger and her Team S&M crew will hit the European cyclocross circuit and finish with the World Championships in early 2024.
Clara Honsingers Liv Brava Advanced
- Frame/Fork: Liv Brava Advanced
- Bar: Shimano PRO
- Stem: Liv/Giant 100mm
- Shifter/Brakes: Shimano GRX Di2
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano GRX Di2
- Crankset: Shimano GRX 170/38T
- Cassette: Ultegra 11-34T
- Rotors: Shimano CL800 140/140
- Pedals: Shimano XTR
- Wheels: HiFi EP 35CX
- Tires: Challenge Fandrien 33mm Team Edition
- Saddle: PRO Stealth Superlight
- Seatpost: Liv
- Bling: WolfTooth
- Helmets: Lazer
For more info on Clara and her cyclocross program, check out TeamS&MCX.com
