Johnston and Holmgren earn Canadian CX titles in Victoria

The junior and under-23 women’s races saw the return of one champion and the rise of another on Saturday at Layritz Park.

Emilly Johnston, already a junior cyclocross national champ the last time the event was held in 2019, stormed through a field of challengers from the other side of the Rockies to take her first u23 women’s ‘cross title.

Isabella Holmgren built on an already successful season to win her first junior women’s cyclocross national championships, solo-ing to a solid win on Saturday in Victoria, B.C.

Under-23 women: Johnston wins on west coast

Emilly Johnston was racing on home turf in the under-23 women’s event, and clearly intended to make the most of it. While her home is three hours north on Vancouver Island, the Comox Valley rider attends school in Victoria.

Johnston established a lead in the first of four laps but, with Juventus CC’s Jenaya Francis just five seconds back, it was far from safe. The Alberta rider managed to hold the gap to 10 seconds at the halfway point before Johnston pushed out to 20 seconds on lap three. Francis fought back, holding the gap on the fourth and final lap.

Emilly Johnston wins the under-23 Canadian cyclocross national championships.

“I really didn’t know, I haven’t done a ton of cross races this year. So the plan was just to go and have fun and race a smart race, hit the corners well and push the technical sections instead of pushing the straightaways” Johnston said of her strategy going into the race. “I think it worked out well with the technical focus and I had a really good time doing it.”

“I loved the course. It had such a good mix of fast and really technical sections,” Johnston added. “Having it be a bit slick made it even more fun.”

Jenaya Francis takes silver with fellow Albertan, Ella Myers joining her on the podium in the bronze medal position.

Junior women: Holmgren takes solo win

Sister Isabella and Ava Holmgren split up for this race. 17-year-old Isabella chose to race juniors and, after a season full of success in all race categories this fall, quickly established herself on the front of the field. It was up to Rafaelle Carrier and Ella Smith to…