Hattie Harnden won her first elite National Cyclo-cross Championship in Shrewsbury today.

Harnden won last year's junior championship and also won the Under 23 title at this year's event which is contested simultaneously with the elite women. After previous winners Helen Wyman and Nikki Brammeier have retired, there was guaranteed to be a new champion at the event. 

Cyclo-cross is a form of off-road cycling with obstacles that sometimes require cyclists to dismount and carry their bikes.

It wasn't a straight forward win for Harnden who was locked into a battle with Beth Crumpton. Harnden got off to a strong start before Crumpton caught up with her. On the final lap, Harnden came through to win the title. 

After the race, Harnden said: “I think I went off a little too fast – I was a bit excited. I was very nervous for this race; there are a lot of good riders in the UK, so it’s a tough competition, and I got a bit tired when Beth caught me up, but I just found a bit of energy at the end."

“She was much stronger at the running than me, and whenever we ran she’d come flying past me, but in the woods, I was slightly faster, and I knew if I went into the woods first on the last lap I could open enough of a gap to get me to the finish.”

“I’m absolutely gobsmacked. This is something I always dreamed of doing, but not now, not this young!”

Crumpton finished in second place taking home the silver and Anna Kay, the 2019 silver medallist finished with a bronze medal. Kay did take home the Under 23 silver medal, followed by Amy Perryman who took third place in that category.

Millie Couzens was this year's junior champion, followed by Josie Nelson who took silver and Anna Flynn who took bronze.