Jack Kisseberth had the race of a lifetime at Cyclocross National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut. During the start of the elite men's race on Sunday, Kisseberth was in an ideal top-ten position with the big names in cyclocross, all struggling to cross the slippery Break Bonker Hill. While eventual race winner, JAM Alum Stephen Hyde (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld) got a gap with a fast run up, Kisseberth pursued with a ferocious chase and was riding in second position behind Hyde by the end of the the third lap.

"I was going 150%," Kisseberth said. "The next lap I dropped to 90%. It was hard."

Kisseberth kept an amazingly fast pace and finished just off the podium in fourth place. He crossed the line 56 seconds behind Hyde.

With six laps to go, Jack Kisseberth was on the wheel of last year's U23 national champion Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz Racing). Kisseberth passed Ortenblad and held him off to finish eight seconds ahead in fourth place. Photo by Vicky Sama.

Scott Smith had a rough start, but his strong technical skills helped him glide over the frozen ruts and fly down the icy descents. Smith passed more than half the field and finished in 13th place.

"It was hard to pass on the course with all the ruts and bumps," Smith said. "I felt good."

"Scott, Jack and Hyde practice riding really technical stuff a lot," said Coach Alec Donahue. "That's why a course like this didn't faze them."

Scott Smith rides the extreme descent leading into the finish line, making it look easy. Photo by Vicky Sama.

JAM alums Jeremy Durrin finished eleventh and Anthony Clark got 25th.

The cycling press and race announcers said Kisseberth was the story of the day.

Watch the replay of the U.S. Cyclocross National Championships.