Bike checks: the fastest frames from Canadian ‘cross championships
Race winners and custom team rides from Layritz Park
Photo by:
Nick Iwanyshyn
Canadian cyclocross championships brought out a wide range of very fast bikes. With the ride of gravel, some brands aren’t making a ‘cross specific bike anymore. In fact, several of these “gravel” bikes won cyclocross championships in Victoria, showing that it really is about the rider, not the bike, right?
Check out the winning bikes from Layritz Park and some standout very fast steeds from Victoria.
Ava Holmgren – Orbea Terra
Ava Holmgren's Orbea Terra.Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Red Team Edition Challenge Limus mud tires for Canadian nationals, glued to Shimano Dura-Ace rims. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Low-tech name markings help when most of the family is on Orbea. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Shimano GRX Di-2 electronic shifting. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
GRX again up front. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Housing routed through the headset gives Holmgren's Terra a clean look.
Cross races aren't long, but that doesn't mean you can't bring snacks. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Orbea Terra is technically a gravel bike, but it doesn't seem to slow her down at all. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Ava Holmgren rode clean through the rain and deteriorating course conditions to win the elite women's race on Saturday . Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Ava Holmgren raced up from junior to elite to win the women’s national championships ahead of a very strong field on this Orbea Terra.
Tyler Clark – Santa Cruz Stigmata
Clark's "Lavender" Santa Cruz Stigmata. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
SRAM Force with integrated Quarq power meter and 44-tooth chainring. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Clark mixes Force with SRAM XX1 AXS mountain bike rear derailleur and 10-52 Eagle cassette for more range. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Woven carbon fibre rims and Challenge Limus Team Edition mud tires, a popular choice at Layritz Park. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Wireless means minimal cables on the Stigmata's front end. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Mmmmm, gloss lavender. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Tyler Clark wasn't using that 52-cog much as he flew to the elite men's title. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Tyler Clark used momentum from a fast fall at the USCX series to win his first elite men’s national title on this Santa Cruz Stigmata.
Ruby West – Factor LS
Ruby West's Factory LS. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Ruby "Farm Fresh" West? Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Shimano GRX Di2 electronic shifting.
GRX, a 42-tooth chinring and a little donkey buddy. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Probably the best paint at nationals this year, inspired by West's farm home. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
More red Challenge Limus mud tires and more farm buddies. These match the frame perfectly. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Once more, just so it is clear whose bike it is. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Black Inc. integrated bar-stem on the LS. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Past under-23 Pan Am and Canadian national champion Ruby West didn’t have the day she was looking for Saturday, being slowed down by a mechanical, but at least her bike looked amazing.
Holly Henry – Colnago GRV
Holly Henry's Colnago GRV. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
A classic head badge on Colnago's very shaped head tube. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Challenge Baby Limus were grippy enough to carry Henry to third in Saturday's elite women's race, mounted to Cannondale Hollogram TR wheels. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Henry opts for GRX Di2 out back. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
But it's mixed with Shimano Ultegra with a 40-tooth Wolf Tooth chainring up front. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
The Colnago signature still graces the top tube. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Colnago GRV. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Holly Henry soared to a podium at home in Victoria in the elite women’s race on this Colnago GRV.
Luke Valenti – Canyon Inflite CF SL
Valenti's Inflite CX SL matches his Toronto Hustle kit. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Shimano GRX with a 40-tooth chainring and Canyon's chain guide. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Shimano GRX rear mech with good old-fashioned wires for the win. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Inflite CF SL isn't Canyon's top end, but that didn't slow Valenti down at all on Saturday. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Specialized Terra Pro tires for grip in mud. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Luke Valenti is headed to the road next year, but first he won the under-23 men’s title on this Canyon Inflite CF SL.
Michael van den Ham – Giant TCX Advanced Pro
Michael van den Ham's weekend didn't go according to plan, but the three-time national champion did have a sweet Giant TCX to race. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
SRAM AXS upgraded with Ceramic Speed oversize pulley wheels. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Easton EC90 SL carbon fibre cranks with a handy chainguide to keep MvdH on course and out of the pits. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Challenge Limus Team Edition tires, in red for nationals, to take on Layritz greasy corners. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Giant's offset chainstays for a little more forgiving ride. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Three-time elite men’s national champion Michael van den Ham wasn’t able to defend his jersey, but he’ll keep racing this Giant TCX all winter.
Jenn Jackson: Canyon Inflite CF SLX
Jenn Jackson's Canyon Inflite CF SLX. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
The 'distinctinve' top tube is designed to make carrying the Inflite more comfortable. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Jackson was one of the few riders running a 2x sytem in Victoria. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
A full Shimano Dura-Ace Di-2 drivetrain. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Canyon's integrated bar-stem wastes no watts. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Ding ding! The most Canadian bike makes passing polite. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
The SLX is the top-end version, with a 940-gram frames. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
DT Swiss RC38T rims with what looks like blacked-out FMB Super Mud tires. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Old-school Di-2 junciton box still works fine. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Jenn Jackson is back on a cross bike, racing this Canyon Inflite CF SLX in Victoria.
Gunnar Holmgren – Pivot Vault
Gunnar Holmgren's Pivot Vault. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Rotor cranks with built-in power meter. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
More Shimano Di-2 electronic shifting. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Pivot uses an Iso-flex system in the seat tube for a more forgiving ride. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Gunnar mixed a Limus and Baby Limus for speed and traction.
Pivot Vault. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Gunnar Holmgren was another past champ returning to cross for 2022 nationals. He raced this Pivot Vault to a top-5 in the elite men’s race.
Matt Hornland – Cervelo R5-CX
Cervélo developed the R5-CX as a pro-only frame for Marianne Vos and Wout van Aert but has since released it to the public. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Archival #PandaPower custom green FMB tubulars glued to Easton EC90 SL rims. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
EC90 SL cranks and a Wolf Tooth chain keeper. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
12-speed Ultegra Di-2 from Shimano, and a Lizard Skinz wrap to keep that frame clean. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn.
Cross, but for mountians. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
R5-CX has a short, aggressive headtube. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Matt Hornland's Cervélo R5-CX. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Matt Hornland didn’t win the master’s men’s 35-44 race but his Cervélo R5-CX, with #PandaPower custom green FMB tubulars, did carry him to a top 10.
