Crystal Anthony Podiums at USA Gravel National Championships!

Monday, September 11, 2023

Crystal Anthony podiums at the USA Cycling Gravel National Championships and earns a spot in the UCI Gravel World Championships in October.

Liv Racing Collective athlete Crystal Anthony made her mark at the first-ever USA Cycling Gravel National Championships, claiming the third-place spot on the podium. The race covered 131 miles of gravel in Gering, Nebraska - Anthony finished the grueling course on her Devote Advanced Pro in 6 hours 53 minutes.

Before the race Anthony prepared by watching course preview videos in advance, gaining insights into the challenging terrain that lay ahead, anticipating the event would be more like a road race in terms of competition and tactics, she added, "I also took note of the registration list to assess a race strategy since I knew it would be very much like a road race."

Weather conditions played a significant role in the race, as sand and strong winds posed challenges to the racers. Reflecting on the event, Anthony expressed "It was windy, after we broke away in a technical sandy section, Lauren, Alexis, Jenna and I worked together in echelon formation." A tactic used to fight headwinds where riders arrange themselves in an angled line across the width of the road, sheltering on the side of the rider ahead, rather than behind. " It was really amazing to have such a cohesive and strong group ahead of the pack for most of the race."

Anthony not only secured a podium finish but also earned a spot at the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships in Venetia, Italy, scheduled for October 7.

Continue to follow Crystal Anthony and stay up to date with the Liv Racing Calendar.

Source:

https://www.liv-cycling.com/global/news/crystal-anthony-podiums-at-usa-gravel-national-championships/28115