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Close racing at 2019 Canadian XC Marathon national championships in St-Félicien

Final mountain bike national champions of 2019 crowned in Quebec

A week after the final World Cup of the season, and two weeks after XCO world championships, the final major national mountain bike event of 2019 took place in St-Félicien, Que.

After 65 km of racing, the 2019 Canadian cross country marathon national champions earned their maple leafs. At the front of the race, World Cup cross country racer and Olympian Léandre Bouchard (Pivot Cycles-OTE), and Caroline Villeneuve (Le Pedalier).

Caroline Villeneuve won the women’s XCM title after 3:33:52 of racing. Behind her, Whistler’s Chloe Cross (Team Whistler) in second and Amélie Simard in third.

On the men’s side, Léandre Bouchard continued his end of season string of strong performances. The Alma, Que. rider was the fastest Canadian at UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que. A week later, he was again the top Canadian elite men’s finisher at the World Cup finals in Snowshoe, W.Va., where the Pivot Cycles-OTE rider was 23rd. Again the top Canadian finisher on Saturday in St-Félicien, this weeks efforts adds another national championship to Bouchard’s palmares.

Behind Bouchard, Cory Wallace (Kona) was second by one minute and six seconds. It’s the Jasper rider, and 24Hour Solo Mountain Bike World Champion’s fourth-straight second place at XCM nationals. Adding another blue jersey to the podium was Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette. The Pivot Cycles-OTE rider used his fitness from winning the TransRockies Classic to to add another podium finish for the blue train.

Full results for 2019 Canadian XC Marathon national championships.