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Vail’s Bayli McSpadden earns 2 top-10 finishes at USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals

Stovall and Brown also compete as Konecny notches another national title

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Bayli McSpadden nabbed two sixth-place finishes at the USA Cycling cross-county mountain bike national championships in 2023.
Joe Hess/Courtesy photo

If Vail cyclist Bayli McSpadden had a shirt representing her 2023 season, the quote on the back would be probably say something like, “It’s not all glamour, man.”

“It’s been one of those years where everything that could go wrong, has,” the 20-year-old said in reflecting upon the year, which culminated at the USA Cycling cross-country mountain bike national championships, held at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania July 5-9.

A lot of athletes would be OK with the result — two sixth-place U23 marks in consecutive days of XC and short track XC, respectively — but the Bear National Team member was keen on placing in the top-5.



She’s carried lofty goals with her all season. Earning a first world cup start and qualifying for the U23 World Championships team, to name a couple. Those self-imposed high expectations, coupled with the support she’s thankful to have received from others, makes let downs even more frustrating.

“People have had a lot of faith in me, and it’s been hard because people have been like, ‘oh she’s doing so well,’ and then kind of being disappointed, which is hard to take. It’s just been hard,” she said.

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After an encouraging opener in Puerto Rico in February, McSpadden came down with strep throat at the U.S. Pro Cup in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in April. She found out later she’d also had an asymptomatic bout with mono at some point. It returned right on cue after the strep left, forcing her to take more than two weeks off during a key base-building stretch. Other health issues plagued her in Soldier Hollow and a wicked crash in Missoula, Montana, in June threw her off mentally.

“For me, on a technical course, you can’t be anxious, stiff, worried in any way,” she said. “You have to really be calm and collected.”

The notoriously difficult rock gardens of the Bear Creek Mountain Trails represented McSpadden’s ultimate dragon-slay opportunity. The climbing expert knows her technical descending skills are still improving.

“So it was a little nerve-wracking,” she admitted.

“Every course is different and every course is going to be tough in different ways and you kind of have to just take that. No matter if you do it well or bad, you have to learn from it,” she continued.

“Racing all these different courses is what makes you better. You can’t change the conditions, you have to adapt your mindset.”


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Bashing her derailleur against a boulder during the pre-ride didn’t soothe her premonitions. When she rolled up to the start line, she knew her mindset wasn’t totally right, as if the long build-up from winter to July, all leading to this moment, was now an unexpected symbolic letdown in and of itself.

“When I got to the start line, I kind of felt like it wasn’t happening,” McSpadden introspectively revealed. “I couldn’t register that it was like, nationals. The gun went off and I was kind of just like, ‘OK we’re going.'”

McSpadden figured the hot and humid conditions would play to her favor, as they had in Puerto Rico. Even though the allotted time for the women’s four laps before the boys race seemed ambitious, McSpadden was happy to go the full distance and paced accordingly.

“I had a good plan and everything was going well,” she said regarding the long course race. McSpadden kept the fifth-place rider, Lauren Aggeler in her sites on the first three revolutions. The plan was to put pressure on Aggeler on the first of two hills on each lap, and make a pass during the fourth lap.

“I was feeling really good for that,” McSpadden recalled of her tempered approach. “I was letting myself be in the condition to do that.”

Of course, something had to go wrong.

Sitting within striking distance of the eventual fourth place finisher, Lauren Lackman, both McSpadden and Aggeler were pulled from the course as they came through the third time in order to ensure the boys race start would not be impeded.

“I understand, but it was very frustrating,” McSpadden said.

“I came through and I didn’t even know I was finishing because it was just so surprising; like, I was shocked. When you get pulled, you get pulled because you’re way, way, way, in the back. You don’t get pulled because you’re 30-seconds away from fourth and in podium contention. It was really frustrating and very disappointing.”

“I finished and I felt like I didn’t even race,” she continued. “I literally didn’t get to race my race.”

Things weren’t perfect for fellow Bear National Team member and Eagle Valley High School graduate Landen Stovall — who took his first win of the season at the SoHo Bike Fest in June at Soldier Hollow — either. Stovall (1:02:47) finished in 15th in the long course and 18th in the short course the following day. 

“Although this trip and season ended in results I am not stoked with due to an untimely mechanical and some insane short track conditions, I’m so happy with the season (and trip) as a whole,” he stated on social media. 

Landen Stovall cruises to victory in the 2023 Davos Dash earlier this season.
Ryan Sederquist/Vail Daily

Eagle’s Aiden Brown placed 30th and 54th in the long course and short course, respectively. Summit’s Nicholas Konecny (56:28) took the win in the boys junior (17-18) race and placed second in the short track.

Sunday’s short-track brought more ominousness in the form of weather, as lightning and torrential rainfall delayed the start from 3:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. McSpadden, who hasn’t focused as heavily on the discipline, was pleased about her sixth there.

“I felt pretty good,” she said. “I was kind of hoping for better. I started great.”

Though she didn’t qualify for one of the three U23 worlds team slots, McSpadden is hoping to petition for a World Cup start at Snowshoe Mountain at the end of September. Before she heads back for her sophomore season at CU-Boulder, where she’ll ride some of the more laid-back collegiate races, she’d like to try her hand at a few longer off-road events. There’s plans to race the Audi Power of Four in August and Gravel Nationals in Nebraska in September. She might also give the legendary 100-mile White Rim loop a try.

Even though her goals haven’t come to fruition yet, McSpadden remains hungry.

“That’s sport. It can’t always be perfect,” she said. “Now that I’ve already learned so much this year, I finished nationals and I can’t really take a break.”

McSpadden said having the worst-case scenario manifest itself is sometimes required for growth.

“I know how it works, what to expect, and how to deal with it. I’ve learned so much,” she said.

“I needed this kind of season.”

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