Gallery: 2017 women’s elite and under-23 Canadian cycling championship road race

Defending champion Annie Foreman-Mackey was all smiles pre-race. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Alison Jackson and Karol-Ann Canuel chatting pre-race. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Southern Ontario's Rise Racing had a strong racing placing two-riders in the top-10. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Sara Bergen (Rally Cycling) initiated the breakaway with aggressive racing early on. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Ottawa was the backdrop for the 2017 championships. Photo: Ivan Rupes

A strong break of four rode together before being joined with 40 km to go by six other riders. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Catharine Ouellette would win the under-23 title bridging to the original breakaway. Photo: Ivan Rupes

Steph Roorda tried a solo move before successfully bridging with the group of six to the four-women break. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

10 riders formed the lead group who would contest the victory. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Photo: Ivan Rupes

The peloton passes through Tunneys Pasture where the race was centered. Photo: Ivan Rupes

Jasmin Duehring tried to bridge to the lead group but didn't make it finishing 11th between the break and the peloton. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Sara Bergen was off the front with less than 10 km to go. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Rally had strength in numbers with four riders in the breakaway of 10. Photo: Ivan Rupes

Canadian champion Allison Beveridge. Photo: Ivan Rupes

Catharine Ouellette was joined by two former teammates, Sara Poidevin and Katharine Maine, on the U23 podium. Photo: Philippe Tremblay

Alison Jackson was third at nationals in 2017.

Photo: Philippe Tremblay

After 120 km of racing in the nation’s capital which will be in full celebration mode next weekend for Canada’s 150th celebration, two riders earned the right to wear the maple leaf jersey for the coming year. Allison Beveridge of Rally Cycling was part of a strong 10-women group that formed with 40 km to go when six riders joined the original breakaway of four. In total, Rally had four riders up the road and were able to set Beveridge and Kirsti Lay up for a one-two finish. Alison Jackson (BePink-Colgeas) finished in third.

In the competition for the under-23 title, Catharine Ouellette (Cyclery-4iiii) outsprinted Sara Poidevin (Rally) with Katharine Maine (Rally) finishing third from the peloton.