Saturday’s action at the 2024 Canadian Cyclocross Championships in Lévis, QC, concluded with the elite men’s race, where Ian Ackert traded in his U23 men’s title for an elite championship. Ackert bounced clear in the first half of the race and never looked back, popping a wheelie over the line. Like Bella Holmgren, he now has Canadian Junior, U23 and elite titles.
By Lap 3 of 7, last year’s U23 titlist Ackert had a slight lead over 2022 elite champion Tyler Clark, Gunner Holmgren running third and 2023 champion
Evan Russel chasing the podium with Leandre Bouchard. Clark and Holmgren linked up, the former trying to dump his passenger, but finding himself the one distanced.
Ackert was sixth in last season’s Worlds U23 race. It was Gunnar’s second elite podium. Clark was also third last year.
Of his first elite championship, Ackert said, “I’m pretty happy. I took the hole shot. I rode the lines I knew I could and went hard everywhere else.”
Of his decision to race elite while being U23 registered, Ackert said there was a problem with the automatic prompt in CCM’s online system. “The elite category was not in there for me because I’m under 23. I had to switch that the day of. I know I caused a little bit of drama there, I guess. Gunnar was the first one I told.”
His plans for the rest of the season? “I’ll do Christmas Cross, mainly focusing on the World Cups and a few races that I like doing. Then off to Spain for a little January camp and then hitting Worlds pretty hard.”
Elite Men
1) Ian Ackert (Trek Future Racing) 1:01:51
2) Gunnar Holmgren (KMC Ridley) +1:03
3) Tyler Clark +1:57
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