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Pro Bike Check: Clara Honsingers National Championship winning Cannondale SuperSix EVO CX

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check with bus
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The Elite Women prepped for a blistering start as the snow flurries started to come down. Defending nation champion Clara Honsinger (EF Education–Tibco–SVB) was the clear favorite, but the challenging course and conditions favored chance.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check warmup
Clara Honsinger was calm and happy before the Elite Women’s race at cyclocross Nationals. All Photos: Jordan Villella

As the lights switched from red to green, the best in the country sprinted to hit the slick-rooted course first to get the best lines. Honsinger wasn’t first off the line, but that’s not her style.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check chain catcher

The front group was a tight mix of riders, including dark horse Raylyn Nuss (Steve Tilford Foundation), Austin Killips (Nice Bikes), Caitlin Bernstein (Nice Bikes), and Regina Legge (Comp Edge Racing).

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check detail

After the treacherous off-camber, pro-only section, the lead group solidified as Nuss charged ahead, with Honsinger only a few seconds back and Jenna Lingwood (Point S Nokian) pursuing fast.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check rear

Nuss waited for no one as she immediately started turning up the pace trying to put Honsinger on the back foot and force a mistake. Honsinger showed no signs of urgency, pedaling smoothly gaining back time with every feature.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check crankset

As the first lap concluded, Honsinger was a second behind Nuss, eventually passing as they entered the course for lap two. As the laps ticked away, Honsinger’s lead grew steadily. With two laps to go, Honsinger had nearly a minute gap over Nuss, with third and fourth nearly 30 seconds from her.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check saddle

Honsinger would eventually finish 1:37″ in front of Nuss in a dominant performance similar to her 2021 National Championship win, gaining her third Elite Cyclocross National Championship.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check full bike

The Bike — Lil Clara

Clara Honsingers’ bike, dubbed Lil’ Clara, was more than up to the task of muddy conditions in Hartford. Honsinger has been in Europe racing most of the season and has identical bikes at the EF service course.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check team

For the muddy conditions, Honsinger went with Dugast Rhino tires, a trusted tread by the best in the world. The Rhino is praised for its grip without sacrificing speed and is one of the most popular tires on the European circuit for muddy races.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check tire

As for gearing, the EF Education–Tibco–SVB team runs full SRAM Red AXS on their bikes, and Honsinger went with a standard 38T front and 10–33T rear. The gear is enough to climb the final hill before the finish and keep the power on for the road and drag strip sections of the course.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check cassette

The EF Education–Tibco–SVB crew had many custom-painted Cannondale SuperSix EVO CX bikes for Honsinger in the pits and around the team bus, but the stars and stripes was the one for battle.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check paint detail

The custom paint job is stunning, mixing classic fades and color blocking to create a bike that stands out in the mud. As for components, Honsingers Supersix Evo CX supports an FSA K-Force cockpit and Vision Metron 30 SL tubular wheels.

Clara Honsinger Pro Bike Check with bus

Clara Honsinger’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo CX

  • Frame/fork: Cannondale SuperSix Evo CX
  • Groupset: SRAM Red AXS (38T chainring, 10-33T 12-speed cassette)
  • Stem: FSA K-Force
  • Bars: FSA Energy alloy, 42cm
  • Wheels: Vision Metron 30SL Tubular
  • Saddle: Prologo Dimension
  • Tires: Dugast Rhino 33 tubular
  • Pedals: Shimano XTR
  • Computer: Wahoo
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11 Comments
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Eugene
Eugene
1 year ago

Definitely interesting that EF Education-Tibco-SVB’s CX bikes are equipped with SRAM while the road bikes are on Shimano.

Tobias Flath
Tobias Flath
1 year ago
Reply to  Eugene

Even more interesting : Zoë Bäcksted rides shimano

Eugene
Eugene
1 year ago
Reply to  Tobias Flath

Nope, she’s on SRAM as of now. Check Instagram.

Tobif
Tobif
1 year ago
Reply to  Eugene

Ah, then she changed in the last days. The first races she did on Di2, and Clara on Etap

Eugene
Eugene
1 year ago

It doesn’t look like either the men’s or women’s EF teams are actually sponsored by Shimano. Shimano branding doesn’t appear anywhere on the side of that bus in the photos or on the “Partners” page of their website.

Greg
Greg
1 year ago

That chain watcher!

Collin S
Collin S
1 year ago

Any info on that chain watcher? Is it a custom 3D print? If it is, I may have to make one for myself. If its good enough for them.

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