VCXC Aldergrove double header brings the heat
Big names, steep hills and unseasonably warm temperatures mark half way in LMCX series
Aldergrove Park has built a reputation as one of the most challenging courses in the Vancouver Cyclocross Coalition (VCXC) series, but it’s usually been cold weather and heavy rain that racers have to contend with.
This year, it was heat. There was still the steep hills, sand and bumpy fields to rattle the energy of riders legs, but most were more concerned with staying hydrated than with staying dry.
Luckily, the usual big crowd of riders and supporters showed up to cheer on Michael van den Ham and Sandra Walter, and to provide some mid-race assistance with hydration, occasionally of the non-UCI legal kind to the rest of the field.
Before the elite races got going on Day 1, Canadian cyclocross national champion Michael van den Ham (Garneau-Easton) let a free, feature-by-feature clinic on race strategy and technique. A sizeable crowd formed behind the champs red and white jersey as the covered sand features, barriers, corners and steep hills.
When it was time to race, it was van den Ham again taking to the front. Together with teammate Craig Richey, van den Ham moved off the front of the chasing field. While on the same team, the two riders were pushing each other enough that a 2min 34 second gap had formed behind them by the time an hour of racing was up. Defending the maple leaf jersey, van den Ham won by 12 seconds ahead of Richey. Broad Street Cycles Parker Bloom and Raphael Lalumiere followed in third and fourth and Kelowna’s Jacob Rubuliak (Red Devils Cycling) in fifth.
Sharing the course with the elite men was a sizeable and blistering fast women’s field. Sandra Walter (Liv Cycling Canada) wasted no time getting to the front, quickly opening a gap to track cycling Olympian Jasmin Duehring (Sho-Air Twenty20) in second. The two separated from the field, with a group of chasers fighting for third place behind them. Helena Coney (West of Quebec Wheelers / Tag Cycling) claimed bronze for Day one racing, with Holly Henry and Steed Cycles Kelly Wellbourn following behind.
Sunday’s racing saw slightly different fields take on the same course, but in the opposite direction. Fresh legs jumped in among those weary from Saturday’s event, mixing up the order at the front of the race.
In van den Ham’s absence, Richey moved off the front solo, winning by a more modest 1min 15 second margin on Day 2. Behind him, the young Rubuliak had recovered best, taking second ahead of Mustache Mafia Racing’s triathlon cross-over Nathan Killam by just three seconds. Broad Street Cycles Bloom and Lalumiere reprised their finish order from Saturday, but in fourth and fifth this time. Another notable name in the field was Elliot Jamieson. Hot off his world championships downhill medal, the Junior switched to skinny tires to finish seventh.
The women’s field was also missing Saturday’s winner, with Walter heading to Penticton to race BCIC’s Penticton event. Duehring moved into first for Sunday, followed again by Helena Coney. Anne Ouellet claimed third for Fluevog’s Crit Nasty, while Wellbourn moved up to fourth. Her Steed Cycles teammate Melanie Gabanna joined her on the extended podium in fifth.
VCXC and LMCX racing continue this weekend with the Junkyard Dog CX in Surrey, B.C., held on the same site – but a much more technical course – than the previous Canadian Cyclocross National Championships course of years past.
