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Great start for Canada at the cross worlds with fourth in team relay

Carrier, Ackert and the Holmgren sisters in action on Friday

February 2, 2024
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The 2024 UCI Cyclocross World Championship in Tabor, Czechia (Czech Republic) kicked off on Friday with the team relay, and out of the 10 squads, Canada claimed fourth place, just missing out on the podium. France beat the Brits in a thrilling sprint for gold and Belgium rounded out the podium. The relay gave the cycling world a preview of the conditions on the greasy course.

Team Canada consisted of Juniors Rafaelle Carrier and Jayden McMullen, U23 riders Ian Ackert, Ava and Isabella Holmgren, and elite chap Tyler Clark.

Clark rolled the first leg for the Canadians. Ackert would be the anchor.

Poland, Italy and Belgium were the top 3 midway through the first lap, Clark sixth. France led over the line, and Clark tagged McMullen to take on the second lap with 20 seconds to make up. The planks were particularly tricky to bunny hop.

McMullen pursued by a Slovakian on Lap 2.

When Ava took over for Lap 3, France, Belgium and Italy were the top 3 and Canada was eighth. Ava passed a Pole. Near the end of the lap Canada, Czechia, Slovakia and Great Britain were all in a bunch. Holmgren then pushed into sixth. In the lead, France was 26 seconds in the clear.

Ava Holmgren finishes her lap.

Carrier received the tap from Ava to race Lap 4 in fourth place. She shuffled down to sixth and then seventh in a group containing Slovakia, Italy and Belgium. Great Britain took over the race lead from the French.

Carrier after the planks on Lap 4.

Bella Holmgren was the penultimate Canuck. She had to catch Sanne Cant from sixth place. France was 23 seconds behind the leader Great Britain at the beginning of the lap but powered into the lead by the last hand off. Cant clawed her way up to third and Isabella raced into fourth.

Isabella Holmgren pushed team Canada into fourth.

If Ian Ackert was going to hoist Canada onto the podium, he’d have to catch Belgium’s Michael Vanthourenhout on the final lap. Fifth place Czechia, represented by wily vet Zdenek Stybar, was 18 seconds behind Canada. Only seven seconds separated Great Britain from France, but this gap closed and in the sprint for gold a junior held off an elite rider.

Ackert crosses the line in fourth.

Britain did very well to vie for gold, as the team was last on Lap 1.

Carrier, Ackert, Maghalie Rochette and the rest of the elite women will be in action on Saturday.

2024 UCI Cross World Championships, Team Relay
Gold) France 1:01:23
Silver) Great Britain s.t.
Bronze) Belgium +0:32
4) Canada +1:06