American cyclocross champion Clara Honsinger (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld) is ready to cause some fireworks in her Stars & Stripes jersey for the full 2021-2022 cyclocross season.

She is in Wisconsin this weekend for the UCI Cyclocross World Cup Waterloo.

Honsinger starts the season with the first four national UCI events of the eight-race USCX series, Rochester Cyclocross and Charm City Cross; the USA Cyclocross National Championships in Wheaton, Illinois, in December and the end of January UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas at the end of January.

"I'm not fully committed to the World Cup. While I'm in Europe, I'll be competing in as many World Cups as I can. But our eyes are on the US Nationals and the Fayetteville World Championships," Honsinger told Cycling News. On Friday afternoon, two teammates competed in the C2 Trek CX Cup, with Katie Keogh finishing ninth and 19-year-old Lizzie Gansalas 19th.

"We are just getting started. There are a lot of World Cups and I'm not going to commit to them; I'm going to Europe in early November and I've already missed one of them. We will also miss the Italy tournament (Val di Sole). That's really important to us. And Hugerheide. I'll be back for the World Championships," he said.

Honsinger won one C1 race at Charm City Cross last weekend and has three second-place finishes with one day remaining in Baltimore and both races in Rochester. She is two points ahead of Maharie Rochette in the new USCX series.

"It's obviously different from last year. Last year was rough and full of uncertainty. We knew we wouldn't be racing in the U.S. and we were very disappointed. To be honest, going into this year, even in July and August, I was anxious, 'Is it really going to happen? So coming here and having a couple of C1 and C2 race weekends in the U.S. made me feel like, 'Oh, this is an American race,' 'I get to race at home.'"

Her victory on the first day of the Charm City Cross was such an important accomplishment that Honsinger says many people did not realize it. She holds the national title and was fourth at last season's World Championships, but last weekend's win was her first in a UCI Category 1 event. And winning in the champion's jersey was special, too.

"It means a lot to be back on American soil, especially racing under the stars and stripes. I'm really proud, especially in Charm City. That C1 [race] was my first win in the Stars and Stripes jersey, my first C1 win. It was my first C1 win. But this is really important.

"It was a strange feeling because last year I never raced in America wearing my jersey. Here I am with this beautiful bike and the beautiful paint job I helped design. Last year I could only see it in pictures. So it really means a lot to have fans walking around the venue, seeing our bikes, watching us warm up and race, and putting on the show again."

Honsinger is looking forward to a full week in the U.S., including three straight World Cup races. After Sunday's season opener in Wisconsin, she will compete in the third annual Fayette Cross (the first World Cup race) in Fayetteville on October 13.

"The World Cup races in the US are so much more heartfelt than in Europe. In Europe it's just a big event to watch, but here everyone knows everyone. Maybe it's because we race in the Midwest, but everyone is friendly and helpful. She said of the spectator turnout in Wisconsin.

"I'm going to Iowa, but unfortunately I will miss Cincinnati and Kings Cross. This is because I want to attend the European races before the Nationals, and it was really tough to travel to both Kings Cross and Europe. However, my experience of racing at USCX so far has been very significant.

Midway through the USCX series, the Oregon native holds a slim two-point lead over Mahalee Rochette. While the series won't pay her mortgage, she says she has benefited in other ways, like the Global Cycling Network's live online broadcasts of all eight races for its paying members.

"I feel like I'm starting something here. I'm not going to win the whole series or a lot of money, but just the fact that I'm sitting there right now means a lot," she said of being the USCX points leader after four races. [If I can keep this momentum going, I'll be able to watch Eurosport in the U.S. and in Europe. I'm really excited to see how this series grows over the next few years."