Canadian cyclocross championships preview
This Saturday, the South Surrey Athletic Centre in Surrey, B.C. will host the Canadian cyclocross championships, and, perhaps suitably, the forecast calls for rain. The new course will not only offer UCI points, but also thrills and spills. The toughest, fastest ‘crossers in the land will vie for the maple leaf jersey, with the host province’s riders among the favourites.
Three-time men’s elite champion and UCI 74th-ranked Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) comes home ready to defend his title. Kabush, 24th at the Louisville, Kentucky world championships in February, will be wary of 2012’s third place Ottawan Derrick St. John (Stevens Racing-The Cyclery), 2007 champion and 103rd ranked Mike Garrigan (Van Dessel Factory Team) using his recent Kutztown Cross victory as a springboard to improve on last year’s 16th place, and 207th ranked Aaron Schooler (H&R Block), who recently took the Alberta title again a week before triumphing in BC’s provincial race, though he wasn’t eligible to hoist the silverware. The man who did hoist the Kona Cup in Nanaimo, BC, Thomas Skinner (Sponsor Connected-VoMax), will be looking to win on home soil. Evan McNeely, last year’s under-23 national champion, is jumping up to elite this year, a decision given credence by his 89th world ranking.
Chris Sheppard (179th ranked) will miss out due to injury and top-ranked Canadian Raphael Gagné (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) will skip the cyclocross nationals to train for the upcoming mountain bike season.
The under-23, or espoir, men’s category will be hotly contested among Michael van den Ham (Cycle-Smart) and his ex-teammate Connor O’Brien, who placed 31st and 38th at the Louisville worlds respectively, world junior cross-country mountain bike silver medalist Peter Disera, and Jeremy Martin.
The women’s side will also feature an intense skirmish. BC champion Catharine Pendrel (33rd ranked) must contend with 2012 national champ Mical Dyck, ranked 40th in the world, and 79th-ranked Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team), a relative newcomer to cross who is having a terrific first season. 2012 Olympian Pendrel will also have her hands full with Wendy Simms (3rd in BC’s provincials, 22nd at Louisville worlds), and Natasha Elliot (Rare Vos Racing-Stevens) who placed 8th last year and is currently ranked 108th in the world. One would be remiss to ignore BC provincials runner-up Sandra Walter, 74th-ranked Pepper Harlton, Julie Lafreniere, and the Albertan trio of Chantell Widney, Andrea Bunnin and Shantel Koenig.
Pendrel’s fellow Olympian Emily Batty – 2011 champion, 3rd in 2012, 16th at the Louisville worlds and 67th ranked – will miss this year’s nationals.
The elite women, junior women and junior men hear the gun at 2:00 PST and the elite men charge off with the under-23 mean at 3:15. Join Canadian Cycling for live coverage Saturday.
