Seven riders from across Canada to roll out as part of the first-ever Canadian Christmas Cross project
At the end of December, when many Canadians are reflecting on the holidays and preparing themselves—or their livers—for New Year's Eve, seven riders from across the country will be winging their way east, across the Atlantic.
At the end of December, when many Canadians are reflecting on the holidays and preparing themselves—or their livers—for New Year’s Eve, seven riders from across the country will be winging their way east, across the Atlantic.
Their destination: Belgium. Their purpose: to contest several international cyclocross races over a 10-day period.
It’s Cycling Canada’s Christmas Cross project—and 2015 is its first year.
“Increased exposure to quality racing,” said Scott Kelly, the national cyclocross team program manager, “is an essential step in ensuring our athletes are able to compete with the rest of the world. There is no better opportunity to do this than the Christmas Cross period in Belgium.”
The program, Kelly adds, also serves the core principles of Cycling Canada’s cyclocross working group.
“Two of the mandates of the cyclocross working group,” Kelly said, “are to introduce developing athletes to international competition and to provide continued support to Elite athletes at select international races. This project represents an important step in realizing these goals.”
Beginning in late December, Canada’s athletes will begin the Christmas Cross phase of overseas competition with the Zolder, Belgium World Cup on Dec. 26, followed the day after by Diegem, Belgium’s Superprestige race. On Dec. 29, it’s the BPost Bank Trofee Azencross in Loenhout, with New Year’s Eve seeing athletes rolling out at the Versluys CX race in Bredene, Belgium. January’s—and 2016’s—first races for Canada’s ‘cross powerhouses in Begium will be the BPost Banke Trofee GP Sven Nys in Baal on Jan. 1, and on Jan. 3, the Souldal Classic Cyclocross event in Leuven, Belgium kicks off.
Canada’s representation at the 2015 Christmas Cross Project, it goes without saying, is comprised of some of the most recognizable, even fearsome names in the Canuck ‘cross scene.
For the Elite women, Mical Dyck from Victoria—the current Canadian national champion—and Anna Schappert from Winnipeg will ride, while the Elite men will be represented by Boischatel, QC’s Jeremy Partin. The U23 scene, meanwhile, includes Calgary’s Isaac Niles and Trevor O’Donnell from Barrie, Ont., while the Junior men’s ranks will include Gunnar Holmgren and Brody Sanderson, both from Orillia, Ont.
As ever, the objective of the Canadian cyclocross working group is to develop a sustainable cyclocross program, with the group’s dedicated focus being the facilitating of developing a structured, cohesive national cyclocross program.
