Sarkisov Wins Pan-American Cyclocross Title
The 19-year-old American climbs from second in 2025 to first, ahead of Lidia Cusack and Sidney McGill.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Cycling
Alyssa Sarkisov won the elite women's title at the 2026 Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in Washington, DC, on November 7, 2026. Lidia Cusack took silver and Sidney McGill took bronze in the same race.
Why it matters
The result gives U.S. cycling fans a clear view of a rising cyclocross rider, with Sarkisov moving up from second place in 2025 to the top of the podium. For riders and fans tracking the sport, it is a useful marker of where the next generation of North American cyclocross talent is heading.
The result comes from the official race outcome of a seven-lap elite women's event on a course of roughly 3.3km. Timing data show Sarkisov posting the fastest lap at 7:22 and building a six-second gap by the bell lap, with the final margins recorded as six seconds to Cusack and 36 seconds to McGill.
The players
Alyssa Sarkisov
A 19-year-old American cyclocross and road racer who won the 2026 Pan-American elite women's title after finishing seventh at the 2026 Cyclo-cross World Championships.
Lidia Cusack
A cyclocross rider who took silver at the 2026 Pan-American Cyclocross Championships, six seconds behind Sarkisov.
Sidney McGill
The newly crowned Canadian cyclocross champion, who took bronze at the 2026 Pan-American Cyclocross Championships, 36 seconds behind Sarkisov.
The details
Sarkisov and Cusack broke away from the lead group on the third lap, and Sarkisov then delivered the fastest lap of the race to open a six-second advantage by the bell lap. The race was run on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, DC, a historic site that became a veterans' community in 1851. Sarkisov, 19, also finished seventh at the 2026 Cyclo-cross World Championships in February and placed third in the U23 time trial at the USA National Road Championships.
Timeline
February 2026: Sarkisov finished seventh at the Cyclo-cross World Championships.
November 7, 2026: Sarkisov won the Pan-American elite women's cyclocross title in Washington, DC.
September 2026: Sarkisov raced the U23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships.
Health Landscape
The win follows Sarkisov's seventh-place finish at the 2026 Cyclo-cross World Championships and her third-place U23 time trial result at the USA National Road Championships. Together these results show a rider building consistent results across cyclocross and road events in a single season.
For cyclists tracking competitive performance, the race shows how interval-style efforts and fast lap times translate into podium results in cyclocross. Anyone considering cyclocross as a training method should discuss their fitness and any new intensity plans with a physician.
The takeaway
Sarkisov's rise from second place in 2025 to the 2026 Pan-American title shows how steady progress across cyclocross and road racing can pay off in a single season. Readers interested in the sport can follow the upcoming U23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships in September.
What happens next
Sarkisov is scheduled to race the U23 road race at the UCI Road World Championships in September 2026.
Further reading
For more context on the sport, explore our Cycling coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cyclingnews.
