Maghalie Rochette triumphs in cyclocross national championship

On Saturday at the Canadian Cyclocross Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Maghalie Rochette saw her streak of good form earn the elite women’s title. Last week Rochette took bronze in the Pan-American Championships.

Your 2016 Canadian elite women's CX champion! @MaghalieCX pic.twitter.com/PYHekeSXS0

— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) November 5, 2016

The day started with a dusting of snow on the course and the thermometer at zero. In the early morning race the 30-39 and 40+ women, along with the 50-59 and 50+ men, raced four laps of 2.8-km together with Nicole Muzechka, Julie Lafreniere, Lorenzo Caterini and David Staples earning the respective titles.

A look at the 2016 Canadian cyclocross championships course #SherbrookeCX https://t.co/HVOK5OqGrI pic.twitter.com/hro6AYuvv0

— Canadian Cycling Mag (@CanadianCycling) November 4, 2016

Next up to churn the field were the 40-49+ men, Todd Bowden of Aetna-Expo Wheelmen prevailing with an average speed of 18.5-km/h. In the following race, the champion of the 30-39 men was Thierry Laliberte of Xprezo.

The teens got underway at 11:00am local time. By then the weather had changed.

The rain is coming down and it's just above freezing at @SherbrookeCX Coverage starts at 1:15pm https://t.co/0c6FcaB9y5 pic.twitter.com/buOnZ9yEup

— Canadian Cycling Mag (@CanadianCycling) November 5, 2016

The youngest folks had three laps to face. The U-13 girls title belonged to Ontario’s Ava Holmgren, while her Centurian Next Wave teammate Ian Ackert took the boy’s side. Quebec racers Jasmine Aspirot and Matisse Julien prevailed in the U-15 races. The U-17 athletes had four laps to race. Adele Normand triumphed in the girls’ race and Colton Woods was the boys’ champion.

As the day headed into the afternoon, the U23 and Junior men lit out to conquer six laps. Previous races had mucked up the course. But after taking the hole-shot Peter Disera (Norco Factory Team) managed to repeat as U23 champion and Gunnar Holmgren (Garneau-Easton Cycling) rose from runner-up last year to victor in this season’s Junior contest.

Gunnar Holmgrem leads the junior men's race. Peter Disera leads under-23 men @SherbrookeCX #cancxnats pic.twitter.com/9h428llvuW

— Canadian Cycling Mag (@CanadianCycling) November 5, 2016

Then it was the elite women and U-23 women’s race. Reigning champion Mical Dyck took the hole shot but Rochette passed her on lap one with Sandra Walter and Dyck chasing. Rochette stayed smooth as she kept a 30-second lead on the penultimate lap. In the U-23 competition title-holder Rudy West and Sydney McGill battled for the maple leaf jersey. When Rochette heard the bell for the final lap, McGill surged past West.

Dyck held off Ferrier-Brunneau for bronze, with McGill fifth on the course on the way to her title. It was Sandra Walter’s second consecutive runner-up.

Click image below to play the interview with Maghalie Rochette

https://business.facebook.com/cyclingmag/videos/10155620797034657/

2016 Canadian Cyclocross Championships Elite Women

Click image below to play the interview with Sidney McGill

https://business.facebook.com/cyclingmag/videos/10155620808464657/

2016 Canadian Cyclocross Championships Under-23 Women