After a long wait, the Canadian cyclocross national championships are back on in Victoria, B.C. It is the first time in over a decade that Vancouver Island’s hosted the event and the first time since 2013 that nationals have returned to B.C. Layritz Park is also the first Canadian champs since 2019, after two years of postponements.
So it was fair to say fans and racers were rather excited for the return of cross, and the return of national champs to B.C. A technical course greeted riders at Layritz Park, mixing speed with tricky corners, made greasy by rain leading up to, and during the event.
Racing continues on Sunday with the Bear Crossing Grand Prix (UCI C2). With heavy rain overnight, the course should be in prime condition to close out the weekend’s events.
Here’s everything that happened during Saturday’s championship races. Check back for updates as Sunday progresses.
Ava Holmgren races up from junior to win elite women’s national title
The elite women were Saturday’s final event and, as rain fell, wind blew and darkness descended, one of Canada’s rising cx stars battled against an established field of veteran racers. Tricky course conditions and very smart racing from the youngest rider in the field led to a victory from 17-year-old Ava Holmgren, who opted to race up into the elite women’s event. Read the race report and full interview with the young champion.
Elite men: Clark takes first title since 2019
Coming into Saturday’s event, Michael van den Ham had an iron grip on the men’s jersey having had won three consecutive titles between 2017 and 2019. It was Tyler Clark, though, that proved to be the class of a very diverse field, earning his first elite men’s title and the first awarded since Peterborough in 2019. Full results and interview with the new elite men’s cyclocross national champion.
Under-23 and junior women
With two years since the last Canadian cyclocross nationals, there were plenty of new faces in both junior and under-23 races. Vancouver Island’s own Emilly Johnston added a u23 title to her junior jersey from 2019. In the junior race, Isabella Holmgren continued her sensational season with a win in Layritz Park. Full race report and interviews with the new…
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