Kirchmann wins 2013 women’s national criterium championship
Pierrick Naud in the maple-leaf jersey after men's competition
Leah Kirchmann of Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies won the 2013 women’s national criterium championship Sunday in Saint-Georges, Que. The Winnipeg native finished the 24 laps on the 1.5 km circuit in 0:59:01. Her victory came just a few days before her 23rd birthday. Kirchmann got across the finish line ahead of Lex Albrecht (Now and Novartis for MS) and Stephanie Roorda (GSD Gestion-Kallisto), who finished second and third, respectively. Kirchmann’s win puts another Canadian champion in the ranks of Optum, after Joëlle Numainville won the time trial competition on Thursday and the women’s road race on Friday.
Earlier Sunday, Pierrick Naud (Garneau-Quebecor) won the men’s criterium championship. The 22-year-old rider from  Amos, Que., finished the 30 laps in 1:02:01. He was followed by Jean Sébastien Perron (Stevens Racing powered by The Cyclery) and Nic Hamilton (Jelly Belly powered by Kenda Riders), who finished second and third, respectively. Naud’s victory comes a day after he finished 10th in the national championship road race and second in the under-23 component of that event. His win in the criterium secured him a spot in the at the Pro Sprint Challenge at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec in September.
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