Over the final two weekends of his 2024 cyclocross season, Colorado-based racer Sam Brown wrapped up his year with a string of gritty performances at the Pan American Championships, DCCX, and the long-awaited return of the Boulder Cup UCI weekend. After a demanding race calendar and signs of late-season burnout, these events offered both a mental reset and a strong finish to the season.

Pan American Championships & DCCX: A Weekend of Highs, Lows, and Mechanical Chaos

Coming off solid rides at last year’s Pan Ams in Missoula, Brown arrived in Washington, DC with similar expectations. But Saturday’s championship race turned into a gauntlet of bad luck.

Lined up as bib number 13, he got a strong start and settled into the front group—until a rolled tubular forced him into a long run to the pit. Back on his B bike, he began regaining positions, only to feel something off in the drivetrain. Moments later, his chainrings separated from the crank entirely, ending his race on the spot.

With Sunday’s massive elite field looming—more than 60 riders—the focus shifted to regrouping. Brown connected with fellow racer Ben Frederick and talked things through with his coach, recalibrating for a fresh start.

Sunday delivered. Starting deeper on the grid, he moved up ten places before the first corner, navigated early tangles, and settled into a tight fight inside the top fifteen. For most of the race he battled one other rider for tenth, ultimately finishing 11th—a result that helped make up for Saturday’s disappointment and reignited motivation heading into Boulder Cup.

Boulder Cup Returns: Dust, Collegiate Firepower & Back-to-Back Top Tens

Back on home soil, Brown lined up for the first UCI edition of the Boulder Cup since 2019—bringing a healthy and energized field, including strong collegiate squads from Fort Lewis, CMU, CU Boulder, and CSU.

Saturday – C1 Race

Although his start wasn’t ideal, Brown immediately began moving forward, capitalizing on technical sections where less-experienced riders faltered. The dry air and altitude were a shock after months away, but he settled into the rhythm of the course and worked his way into the top ten.

Late in the race he broke free from his group, picking off riders with steady momentum and finishing 7th—his first top ten of the season, made sweeter by coming in a C1 field.

Sunday – C2 Race

With some fatigue in the legs but confidence from Saturday, Brown executed a cleaner start and found himself in a large chase group vying for seventh. As the race stretched out, he moved to the front to animate the pace, eventually reducing the group to four.

On the final lap he surged early, leading into the major technical section and forcing the others to battle behind him. In the final corner, a Fort Lewis rider slipped inside with impressive precision, edging Brown out in the sprint. Brown crossed the line 8th, closing his season with back-to-back Boulder Cup top tens.

A Strong, Satisfying End to the Season

Across mechanical heartbreak, big-field battles, collegiate intensity, and Colorado dust, Sam Brown finished his season with the kind of resilience and fire that defines cyclocross. Two top tens at Boulder Cup and an 11th in the biggest domestic field of the year capped off a campaign focused not only on results, but on rediscovering joy in racing.

Pactimo is proud to support Sam and riders like him—privateers pushing for every inch, every lap, every race.