Steve Tilford collected his fifth cyclocross national championship on Friday at wind-whipped, mud-spattered Wyandotte County Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

The KCCX-Verge-Eriksen Cycles rider won the masters 45-49 race in 43:03, nearly two minutes ahead of Kevin Hines, with another veteran ’crosser — two-time masters national champion Gunnar Shogren (Fort Factory Team) — taking third at 4:03 back.

Despite having something of an edge on the competition — a resident of Topeka, Kansas, Tilford worked with race promoter Bill Marshall to finalize the course — the five-time champ said he "woke up pretty nervous today."

"It's different from when I was winning mountain-bike world's. After I won that a few times, I kind of got more of a relief than actual happiness, so I kind of quit going at that point," he added.

Bruno Roy also takes her victory by a comfortable margin

Photo: Action Images

“Cyclocross is just plain fun. Even when I was wallowing in the mud today, I liked it."

Another familiar face took the women's 30-34 crown. Maureen Bruno Roy (IF-Wheelworks-SRAM), fresh off a pair of top-five finishes in the final weekend of the Verge New England Championship Cyclocross Series, crossed 1:20 in front of Josie Jacques-Maynes (California Giant Berry Farms) with Sally Annis (NEBC-Cycle Loft-Devonshire) third at 2:22.

Saturday's racing includes the under-23 races and the remainder of the masters competition. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, December 15
9 a.m. – U23 women
10 a.m. – U23 men
11 a.m. – Masters men (30-34)
1 p.m. – Masters men (35-39)
2 p.m. – Masters men (40-45)
3 p.m. – Masters men (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+)

Complete results