Beatty continues strong cycling career

Despite being only 16 years old, Alijah Beatty has continued her stellar cyclling career through the fall season.

While being a junior at the Iowa Mennonite School in Kalona, Beatty followed up her strong summer season (which saw her win the National Criterium Championship title and place fifth in the time trial and road race events in Lake Tahoe, California) with a strong finish in an international race.

Beatty went to Quebec, Canada, for the Tour of Rimouski, taking third in the criterium event, and also participated in the Gateway Cup Criterium in St. Louis.

Now, Beatty is racing in cyclocross events, which combines the aspects of mountain bike racing, with road races. The bikes are more lightweight than typical racing bikes, as some of the off-road portions of the track, whether it be steep slopes or obstacles in the way, force cyclists to hop off the bike and carry it for a short way.

Right now, Beatty is ranked nationally in the age 17-18 women?s USA Cycling Cyclocross rankings, and she participates in events across the Midwest most weekends.

Recently, Beatty traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, to compete in the UCI Pan Am Continental Cyclocross Championship for women under the age of 23, where she finished in 12th.

She is also able to compete in Union Cyclist International (UCI) elite competitions, because of her racing age being 17. The UCI is the world governing body of cycling, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

In the first weekend of December, local fans will be able to catch Beatty at the Jingle Cross Rock, which will take place in Iowa City at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Beatty will be competing on Dec. 4, 5 and 6, and the event is free to the public.