Rewinding the highlight reel back to the first week of January 2017, Stephen Hyde won the first of three consecutive cyclocross national titles in Hartford, Connecticut. His victory on an icy circuit in fresh snow broke the record held by elite men's champion Jeremy Powers, who had won four consecutive titles in five years. [In 2022, the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships will be held at Riverside Park in Hartford, culminating on Sunday, December 11, with the men's and women's elite, U23, and junior 17-18 events.

With only a handful of elite men returning to Hartford this time around, the elite women's off-road showdown will be an entirely new configuration. The Powers vs. Hyde battle is no more, as both have retired. Powers finished fifth at the last Nationals in Louisville in 2018; 15-time elite women's champion Katie Compton departed for good in 2020 after testing positive in an out-of-competition test and receiving a four-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ...

Hyde, however, is back on the other side of the tape as USA Cycling's cyclocross national team coach. The New England resident offered his own perspective on the riders to watch this time around.

"I am very excited to have the Nats back in Hartford. It's close to me and we can share resources and make them available to our athletes. And it's always nice to be back here in New England," Hyde told Cycling News, based in Easthampton, Massachusetts, less than an hour away from Hartford.

"But it's a little bittersweet for me. I wanted to compete in the All-Japan Championships one more time here before I retire. I think it will be a great show to watch."

Hyde retired from elite racing just last year after a 10-year career. He competed his last two seasons with the Steve Tilford Foundation, finishing ninth at the last CX Nationals in DuPage County, Illinois.

"Nationals throws a curve ball at racers sometimes. So I wouldn't bet too high," Hyde replied when asked who is the favorite to win the final race in Hartford on Sunday.

Eric Brunner (Blue Competition Cycles p/b build) is the leading candidate to defend his elite men's championship title, but there are also a number of other contenders, including Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation), a three-time runner-up at Nationals and last year's U23 crown winner He will have to deal with Blue Competition teammate Scott Funston, who was promoted to the elite race after winning the U23 crown last year.

Kelly Werner (Kona Adventure Team) has a shortened cross schedule this year, but has two recent wins. Werner finished third in the elite race in 2017. Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz Bicycles), who has two podium finishes this year, was fifth in his first elite field that year. The two are now considered veterans, but they are still capable of podium finishes.

"Brunner has shown his ability the last two years and still has progress to make. Curtis is a hard worker and deserves his time. I think the New England crowd will be watching him and the support will be palpable," Hyde told Cycling News.

"Kelly may not have raced much CX this season. If I remember correctly, he was on the podium here in 2017. Perhaps someone will step up and give us a race worth watching."

Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) is a strong candidate to win her third national title in elite women's. She has had a full season of road racing this year and has focused on her European campaign with a C2 win in France and a fourth place in the C1 Koppenberg Cross. Pan American Champion and last year's runner-up, Raylyn Nass (Steve Tilford Foundation), will either graze her heels or try to drop her in the mud.

"I think we have just as much talent as we do in the men's race," Hyde said of the elite women. 'Again, I would never count on an underdog on National Championship day. Leylin is determined to show what she is capable of in Falmouth (Pan Am Championships) and push Clara over the edge. The rest of the races are going to be very open. Now it's just a matter of who fills the void."

One of the more interesting races, according to Hyde, is the Junior Men's 17-18, which will send out 72 entrants at 8:00 a.m. for Sunday's opener. The Junior Women's 17-18 will follow.

"The junior men's field is the strongest of all the fields and is heavily stacked on the performers' side. Magnus White is the hottest prospect in recent memory. And Dan English and AJ August, to name just a few 17-18 year old hitters. But all of these junior fields will make for a spectacular race to watch. We have a lot of great talent in these ranges right now," Hyde said. [The U23 race is also worth watching. It's not a huge crowd, but it will be a close race."

Also, a few showers are expected on Sunday with subzero temperatures, but they won't bring piles of snow and ice like they did in 2017.

Saturday and Sunday's races will be streamed live on FloBikes. The broadcasts are available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, and Apple TV.