OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Frigid temperatures and 30mph winds in Overland Park, Kan., Saturday couldn't stop cyclists Alison Dunlap (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Tim Johnson (Middleton, Mass.). Dunlap claimed her fourth-consecutive U.S. Cycling Federation National Cyclo-cross Championship elite title, while Johnson claimed his first elite championship.

Dunlap now goes into cycling history as the only woman to win four national cyclo-cross titles in a row. The Team GT rider also ranks as the second-most-winningest cyclo-cross champion, male or female, behind Laurence Malone (1975-79 champion).

Saturday's races were threatened by weather conditions that forced the delay of the morning amateur and junior races by 90 minutes. By the women's 1pm start, the sun managed to break through for a short time, shedding some light on the headliner races of the day.

Dunlap made easy work of the women's field, taking the lead by the end of the first lap. SoBe/HeadShok rider Carmen Richardson (Bethel, Conn.) had a jump start in the opening lap, but crashed later.

"I knew in order to do well, you had to be the first or second person in the single track section. I was behind Carmen in that single track, but she crashed and I punched it. Every time I hit a flat section, I just poured it on, especially in the head wind. I knew this was where I could pick up time, and I didn't take any chances in the corners," said Dunlap, who most recently finished seventh at the 2000 Olympic mountain bike race in Sydney, Australia.

Going into Saturday's race, one of Dunlap's toughest challengers was Kona rider Ann Grande (Seattle). By the end of lap two, though, Dunlap already had 15 seconds on Grande, with the Colorado native doubling her lead by the end of lap three.

"It was a weird race," Grande said. "Knowing the ground was frozen, I kept telling myself 'stay smooth.' I knew if you went down, it could cost you the race. The biggest thing was the wind. It was blowing so hard that I'd come around a corner, and it would just stop me."

Late in the race, U.S. Olympic resident-athlete Rachel Lloyd (San Anselmo, Calif.) made a charge for Grande, but the Sycip/Novo rider couldn't bridge the gap and settled for third. At the end, Dunlap was happy to have the race behind her.

"I was really nervous this morning. I was trying to win four national titles in a row. If I'd finished anything less than first, I would have been disappointed. It's big relief to have it over. I'm thrilled," Dunlap said.

The men's race proved to be one of the closest cyclo-cross national races in its 26-year history. Friendly rivals, Johnson and Mongoose rider Marc Gullickson (Boulder, Colo.) had been going back and forth all year in the SuperCup Cyclo-cross Series. Both riders were familiar with national cyclo-cross glory. Johnson won two under-23 national titles, while Gullickson won the elite title last year.

Johnson had the advantage of his Saturn teammates Mark McCormack (N. Easton, Mass.) and Bart Bowen (Albuquerque), while Gullickson rode solo. All four riders were clumped together for more than half of the race. Also in the lead group was Kansas local Steve Tilford (Topeka), Dale Knapp (Tacoma, Wash. - Kona) and Alex Candelario (Boulder - Verge). Candelario gave pursuit, but was the first to drop off after a crash.

Gullickson attempted an early attack, but to no avail.

"I got the lead early on. That's what I did last year, and that's what I wanted to do here. But I washed out and crashed in the first lap or two. I took me about three laps to get back up there, and I wasted a lot of energy," said Gullickson.

Johnson and Gullickson did manage to break off together toward the end of the race, putting a sizeable gap between themselves and the field. In the end, though, it was Johnson who had it in him.

"With these kind of conditions, I couldn't put the power to the ground. I'd slide a little bit and just keep sliding," Johnson, who will skip February's world championship in Europe to concentrate on his 2001 road cycling training. "Only the best, strongest and most confident racers could be in the front out there today, and I think that was Marc and I."

Gullickson was disappointed with the loss, but was glad to have put on a good show for the crowd.

"I'm satisfied. Tim is a great racer, and he deserves it. If someone was going to beat me, it was going to be him," Gullickson said.

Elite women:

1. ALISON DUNLAP, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Team GT) at 42 minutes and 1 second
2. Ann Grande, Seattle (Kona/Voicestream) @ :39 back
3. Rachel Lloyd, San Anselmo, Calif. (Sycip/Novo) @ 1:00
4. Carmen Richardson, Bethel, Conn. (SoBe/HeadShok) @ 2:12
5. Melissa Thomas, Lakewood, Colo. (Red Hook) @ 2:43
6. Gina Hall, Richmond, Calif. (Real Wheel/VooDoo) @ 3:24
7. Katie Cmpton, Newark, Del. (Trek/VW/East Coast) @ 3:31
8. Emily Thorne, S. Hamilton, Mass. (Independent Fabrication) @ 3:41
9. Kerry Barnholt, Boulder, Colo. (Red Rocks Cyclery) @ 4:41
10. Heather Szabo, Lafayette, Colo. (Boulder/Denver Couriers)

Elite men:

1. TIM JOHNSON, Middleton, Mass. (Saturn) at 1 hour and 49 seconds
2. Marc Gullickson, Boulder, Colo. (Mongoose) @ :06 back
3. Mark McCormack, N. Easton, Mass. (Saturn) @ :30
4. Dale Knapp , Tacoma, Wash. (Kona/Voicestream) @:42
5. Steve Tilford, Topeka, Kan., (Jogmate/Shimano/Moots) @ :47
6. Jonathan Page, Laconia, N.H. (Richardson/Sachs) @ 1:00
7. Bart Bowen (Saturn) @ 1:22
8. Frank Mapel, Boulder, Colo. (Trek/VW) @ 2:25
9. Justin Robinson, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Bullion/Specialized) 2:46
10. Alex Candelario, Boulder, Colo. (Boulder/Denver Couriers) @ 2:48

— Courtesy of USA Cycling