At the 2024 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Tábor, Czech Republic, Clara Honsinger raced to a stellar 8th place. Little did we all know at that time that this would be the final cyclocross race of her professional career. Honsinger certainly made history by breaking Katie Compton’s unbelievable 15- win streak in 2019 in Lakewood, Washington. Team USA would continue to cheer for Clara for the next 4 years of cyclocross racing. Known as Lil ‘C, with the racing style of a diesel engine, Clara proved unstoppable at each national championships. When she quietly announced her retirement in 2024, we all wondered who would be our next cyclocross national champion? 

It was decided in Louisville Kentucky on December 14, 2024. Team USA welcomed 18-year-old Vida Lopez de San Roman, the youngest Elite National Champion in USA Cycling history. 

Vida Lopez de San Roman
by Sherry Schwenderlauf

With junior cyclocross racing on the decline here in Oregon (Junior cyclocross race participation declined by 23% in 2024), the Cyclocross Crusade is working to find ways to increase junior ridership, inspire the younger generation to keep racing through their young adult years and keep the sport of cyclocross alive in the Pacific Northwest and across the nation. 

We caught up with 18-year-old Vida Lopez de San Roman after the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Liévin, France.
As the youngest Elite National Champion in USA Cycling history, we couldn’t think of a better person to connect with:

CX Crusade: Vida, you mentioned previously that you took a gamble when you decided to jump into the elite race at CX Nats. How did you prepare mentally for that elite race knowing a new chapter of women’s cyclocross racing in the U.S. was about to be written?

Vida: I honestly tried to prepare for it like I would any race I had done throughout the season. I tried my best to avoid creating expectations for myself and instead tried to really focus on taking the race as a fun exciting challenge.

CX Crusade: What advice do you have to share to other young riders like yourself who also hope to achieve such an accomplishment?

Vida: The biggest piece of advice I would give is not limiting yourself and believing in your strengths, although it’s cliche. I am definitely a big believer that truly anything can happen and that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Especially within a sport like cycling that is full of so many variables. For me, finding that belief in my abilities along with accepting the constant cycle of highs and lows of the sport for me has been such a key to continuing to work towards my goals while finding the fun in all the little moments.

CX Crusade: How do you stay motivated to race bikes at such a young age with so many life distractions (school, friends, social media, etc.) ?

Vida: I think my general love for the sport and especially the process of the sport is what keeps me motivated and what has always kept me motivated from a young age!

CX Crusade: Which organizations/race clubs helped you get to where you are today? Did those organizations/clubs assist you with financial support?

Vida: I’ve been incredibly lucky with the amount of support back home, ranging from the local bike shop in my hometown (starting me off in my first ever Wednesday night short tracks), to the incredible support I received the past 4 years from Julia Violich and the Bear National Team, who made my dreams of racing at the highest level a reality.

CX Crusade: What is the best advice you could give to parents of young racers, to keep their kids involved and passionate about racing?

Vida: Speaking from my experience of being lucky enough to have the most amazing supportive parents towards anything I have ever wanted to do without putting pressure, I think as simple as it sounds, the key is keeping it as fun as possible and maximizing the fun aspects at a young age. I believe that will naturally create a passion for so many young racers.

CX Crusade: What has inspired you to continue racing and pushing yourself?

Vida: In the past year I have discovered a new inspiration. After a year of very challenging obstacles in my life outside of racing that challenged my ability to continue racing easily, I became inspired observing my mom’s strength, yet continued sweetness through a lot of adversity in her life. With her diagnosis of cancer and additional health challenges, it inspired me further to continue to push myself to another level and gave me a lot of perspective on things much greater than racing that motivated me more than ever to persevere.

CX Crusade: What is your favorite place to ride bikes…anywhere in the World? Where would you go and with whom?

Vida: My favorite place I have ridden my bike so far happens to be currently where I am in Spain, which is also where my dad’s side of the family is from! However, I have a long bucket list of places I hope to train in, and one of them would for sure be the world’s longest climb in Hawaii…and I would hope to do it with my brother 🙂

CX Crusade: What are your Top 5 songs in your warm-up playlist?

Vida: I am the biggest fan of almost every genre of music practically at all times. However, believe it or not, the one time I do not listen to music is during my warmups! I have learned over the years that the calmer and more focused I can be at the startline the better. Being as I am someone who is naturally always hyped and ready to go, I find that music can get me too hyped and cause me to lose my focus pre-race.

Vida is a true inspiration and knows how to live in the moment. She finds joy in the journey and the little things along the way. She has just competed in the U23 category at the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in France, where she placed 14th out of 45 racers, a major achievement! We wish her many congratulations on all her recent and future successes.

We hope these words will help inspire you and the young cyclists in your life – to keep going – and to be the best you can be, on and off the bike.
And remember, the key is…keeping it as fun as possible!