Junior Men/ Women: The 15-16 will be one of the more exciting races of the day. A number of kids could come up with the goods on the big day but expect to see the Blue and Yellow of Coast to Coast rider Luke Keough out front with CCB superstar Gavin Mannion close behind in second. In the 17-18 main event you’ll see the front group distance themselves from the rest of the field early on. Ethan Gilmour, Nick Bax, Sean Worsech, Jerome Townsend, and Nick Keough will battle it out for the last few steps on the box. Out front it will be a battle between defending 17-18 champion Danny Summerhill and last years 15-16 Champion Alex Coelho. Summerhill is coming on strong late in this season, and his experience should put him on the top step when all is said and done. In the lady’s race Stephanie White will prevail.

U23: With defending champ Troy Wells no longer eligible for the U23 crown, Jesse Anthony will resume his winning ways with ease, earning a 7th cyclocross national title, right? …Wrong. The 2006 U23 field is the strongest the USA has ever seen. Anthony has as good a chance as anyone, but he’ll have to fight harder than ever to make it out on top. USGP Champion Jamey Driscoll and USGP rounds 3 & 4 winner The Real Joey Thompson must also be put atop the list of serious candidates for the crown. My money is on Driscoll with Jesse just nipping The Real at the line for second. Rounding out the last two spots on the podium will be either Toby Marzot, Chance Noble, or Bjorn Selander. Spoilers could be Kyle Hammaker or Brian Hayes if they can pull together the ride of their life. For the women, be sure to cheer as Arielle Filiberti rolls across the line to her second consecutive National title.

Women: There is no safer bet in this years national championships than Katie Compton for the win. Georgia Gould will give her a run for her money laps 1 and 2, but will eventually settle in for a comfortable 2nd. The real head to head racing will take place behind. Ann Knapp, Mo Bruno Roy, Deidre Winfield, Ronda Mazza, and Kerry Barnholt all have the potantial to be standing on the box in the end. Expect to see the girls from the North East snatch up the last few spots in the top 10.

Men: Now, I’m not saying Tim Johnson is going to win, (Trebon is still pissed about my picking Page in 2004), all I’m saying is I think Timmy J could, with a little good luck (or bad luck on Ryan’s behalf) pull off the upset of the weekend. Ryan is obviously the man to beat. When he’s on, there’s no one else with a US passport who can match his power on a ‘cross bike. The last three steps on the podium are near impossible to call. Todd Wells is coming off sluggish legs this past weekend but, as the defending champion, can’t be written off. J Pows has been moving up week after week and I hear a lot of people throwing his name around as the possible spoiler to the Johnson/Trebon power hour. Wicks showed us all what he’s packin’ in Bolder last month and if the right tactics play out, he has the sprint advantage over the others should it come down to a pack finish. The unknown is Jonathan Page; racing for the first time since a bad shoulder break nearly three months ago. We all know what he can do come Nationals, but with the rest of the US men on fire recently, I ‘m not risking my money on Page cracking the top three. The usual suspects will animate the racing within the top 15, with Matt White having a career day. In the end though: 5th Todd Wells, 4th Barry Wicks, 3rd Jeremy Powers, 2nd Tim Johnson, and 1st and foremost, Ryan Trebon.

And that’s just how is it is.