Bike Check: Michael van den Ham’s maple leaf race rig

In one of the most dramatic cyclocross sprints this year, Michael van den Ham came within a bike length of winning the Silver Goose Pan American championships on Sunday in Midland, Ont. The Canadian cyclocross national champion put in an incredible effort, landing a second straight Pan Am podium behind race winner Curtis White.

Before all that, we borrowed van den Ham’s very Canadian Garneau Steeple for a photo-shoot on the beach.

Like all of Garneau-Easton p/b Transitions Lifecare riders, van den Ham is on a Garneau Steeple full carbon fibre cyclocross race bike. As the reigning Canadian cyclocross national champion, a title earned in Sherbrooke, Que, last fall, van den Ham’s bike has several maple leaf-themed nods to his national title.

RELATED: Watch live: 2018 Canadian cyclocross championships on Nov. 10

Check out the details on the national champions bike, then tune in live to watch van den Ham defend his title in Peterborough, Ont. this Saturday, 10 November.

The red and white maple leaf flag fork on the Garneau Steeple is immedaitely eye-catching

Easton provides the EA90 stem, EC90 bars, and a seat post topped by an SDG saddle

All of Garneau-Easton p/b Transition Lifecare team ride the title sponsors Steeple line

Easton combines with SRAM Force 1 to propel the Canadian champ around the course

Easton EC90 cranks and 40-tooth chainring keep the Steeple light, along with a pair of Crank Brothers pedals

The fork is the most obvious, but there's several more subtle nods to van den Ham's win in Serbrooke

Easton EC90 wheels helped van den Ham cut through the crosswinds coming off Little Lake on Sunday

Vittoria Terreno Wet tires were glued to the EC90's early Sunday, but the Canadian champ had several faster options available as the course dried up

van den Ham's Steeple hanging out on the Silver Goose sand before racing action heated up on Sunday

Michael van den Ham's Garneau-Easton p/b Transition Lifecare team-edition Steeple