Brunner and Strohmeyer trick-or-treat while Gunsalus plays doorbell ditch on the rest of the field

NORTHAMPTON, MA, October 31, 2026 – For the first time in many years, Halloween coincided with the Cycle-Smart Northampton Cyclocross presented by ShiftGear. While many riders raced in costumes, Eric Brunner (Competitive Edge Racing) and Lizzy Gunsalus (VIA LLP p/b Van Rysel) were notable in their national and continental champion jerseys, as they soloed to wins in their respective races on this dry and sunny day.

The women’s race started fast but stayed together only to the first pass of the classic Northampton run-up, so steep that riders often have to put their hands on the ground in front of them for stability. Gunsalus, who’s been racing here since she was 12 years old, knows the course well. She made sure to be first to the bottom of the run and splintered the race from there. Most riders battled the course alone, with Gunsalus winning by two minutes over Emma Betuel (DRRT), with Bridget Wilson (Colorado Mesa University) another 25 seconds back. Wilson was first on the U23 podium.

In the men’s race, a group of six formed on lap one including Brunner, Pan Am champ Andrew Strohmeyer, Dylan Zakrajsek (all Competitive Edge Racing), Aidan Vollmuth (Donovan Racing), Ben Frederick (The Small Monsters Project), and Luke Walter (CXD Trek Bikes). Strohmeyer appeared to want a smaller group, hitting the front at the end of the lap and pulling clear with Vollmuth. The combination of high-speed, high-power stretches broken up by technical transitions and repeated passages up and down the bluff between the upper and lower levels of the course eventually took its toll, and the race narrowed itself to a 2-man Comp Edge team time trial of Brunner and Strohmeyer, with Zakrajsek dangling and trying desperately to get back on.

A random crash by Brunner held the two up and allowed Zakrajsek to connect, but only briefly. Exiting the woods with three to go there was only one, with Brunner capitalizing on his own bobble and the ensuing traffic jam to go clear. He came in alone, six seconds ahead of Strohmeyer and 30 ahead of Zakrajsek. Vollmuth and Frederick rounded out the top five, with Vollmuth taking the U23 title.

In the UCI Junior Men’s race, Stephen Savino (Competitive Edge Racing) took a solo win over his teammate Sylvan Garrelts and Hot Tubes’ Cormac Nagle, who sprinted for 2nd. Garrelts also rides on the road for Hot Tubes, and he and Nagle were part of the US national team at the recent road world championships in Montreal. Lilli O’Donnell capped off a hugely successful day for the Competitive Edge ‘cross team, taking the UCI Junior Women’s race over Elena Svenstrup (AP-CCB Junior Development) and Zoe McGuire (Grey Ghost S.T.A.R.S.)

Racing continues on Sunday, when the course is reversed, and the elites get an additional 3rd passage up and down the bluff.

Full results: https://www.crossresults.com/race/14058#cat207308

Angelica Dixon photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LufW9kzXIDN38eYFgWetCp_GSHSJXq1w?usp=drive_link

Content Factory video: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WcgYUO0w8467BCocYMCORhKZRhGu3mCP?usp=drive_link

More info: https://www.nohocx.com/