Should you haven’t watched the boys’s elite US cyclocross nationwide championship in Louisville, do your self a favor and test it out now — we’ll wait. Full contact racing and a battle for each characteristic, that’s what nationwide championship racing is all about. There have been crashes, mechanicals, sharp elbows, and plenty of energy. Finally, on-lookers had been handled to an amazingly inspiring experience by the Pan-American champ (now present US Nationwide champ) Eric Brunner (WTB/Pivot Endurance).
We caught up with Eric and his workforce earlier than the race and mentioned his Pivot Vault, tire choice, and the altering course situations.
The Race
When the lights turned inexperienced, the boys’s elite race riders charged the slight uphill begin straight. Andrew Strohmeyer (CXD Trek Bikes) took the opening shot and rapidly distanced himself from the sphere, with Brunner’s teammate Scott Funston (WTB/Pivot Endurance) rapidly on his wheel. After the primary lap, the duo was rapidly joined by defending champion Curtis White (Steve Tilford Basis) and former nationwide champion Eric Brunner.
The choose group traded blows on the entrance whereas pushing for place into options. On lap three, Brunner and Strohmeyer join after the boundaries. What seemed like a small bump changed into one thing extra, sending his Di2 derailleur into crash mode and sticking him in excessive gear on a muddy, difficult course. The identical factor would occur a couple of minutes later, inflicting Brunner to dismount and troubleshoot the bike removed from pit two. The later crash mode incident would trigger him to lose contact with the lead group and finally drift into sixth place behind Kerry Werner (Bikeflights p/b Kona Journey Crew).
The following laps would see Funston and Strohmeyer duke it out, with Brunner a seeming afterthought. After a pit, nevertheless, Brunner rode himself again by way of the sphere, surmounting a substantial hole. All through the following 4 laps, Brunner caught and handed Strohmeyer in a show of sophistication and perseverance. Ultimately, he completed 9 seconds in entrance of Strohmeyer and 28 seconds in entrance of his teammate Funston.
Brunner pointed to the sky whereas crossing the road, dedicating his win to Magnus White. White was killed by a reckless driver whereas coaching within the lead-up to the UCI World Championships in Glasgow.
The Machine
Brunner began the season early, racing the LifeTime Grand Prix and partnering with Pivot and WTB on a brand new endurance journey. Brunner would pilot the Pivot Vault for gravel and cyclocross season in 2023.
The Pivot Vault leans in the direction of gravel, sporting dropped seat stays and a vibration-damping seat tube, however it’s (clearly) succesful on the cross course. Brunner’s workforce commented on the seatpost damper as a wonderful instrument for long-distance gravel racing however not a deciding issue for cyclocross.
Brunner’s Pivot Vault is decked out with full Shimano Dura-Ace 12-speed Di2, with 46/39 gearing within the entrance and 11-34 within the rear.
Bunner has run a double for a few years, and the setup is much like his customized Blue Cycles (featured right here).
The FSA/Imaginative and prescient cockpit is aero and tight, a match that works effectively with Brunner’s driving type and place on the bike. Brunner rolls the Imaginative and prescient Metron 4D aero bars and a FSA SLK 120mm stem. Just like the groupset, Brunner’s workforce rolls on Shimano Dura-Ace tubular wheels with no matter tire most closely fits the course.
Since WTB sponsors the workforce and doesn’t produce a ‘cross-tubular, Brunner is free to decide on the most effective. The saddle, nevertheless, is all WTB, and like most road-focused WTB athletes, Brunner rolls on the WTB Gravelier. The entrance is slender with a number of thigh glide room, and could be simple for on/off the bike ‘cross work.
For our images and the race, the workforce selected Dugast Rhino 33mm tires (one in all our favorites). The Rhino has a fast-rolling heart tread and facet knobs that grip effectively in off-camber terrain. Moreover the grip, the Rhino clears mud effectively. With a good quantity of pavement on the Louiseville course, the Dugast Rhino was a wonderful tire selection. As for what’s subsequent; Brunner will head again to dwelling base in Colorado and prep for his lead-up to Worlds later within the new yr.
Eric Brunner’s Nationals Profitable Pivot Vault
- Body/Fork: Pivot Vault
- Bar: Imaginative and prescient Metron 4D 40
- Stem: FSA SL-Okay 120mm
- Shifter/Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace R9200
- Rear Derailleur: Dura-Ace Di2 Rear Derailleur SHADOW RD 12-speed
- Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace 170 46/39
- Cassette: Dura-Ace 11-34T
- Rotors: Dura-Ace 140
- Pedals: Shimano XTR
- Wheels: Dura-Ace
- Tires: Dugast Rhino 33 Storm Compound
- Saddle: WTB Gravelier
- Seatpost: FSA Okay-Pressure Gentle 27.2
For more information on Eric and his cyclocross program, try WTB-Pivot-Endurance
