What the 2023 Canadian cyclocross championships have shown us
There was some incredible racing mixed in with some dramatic moments
Photo by:
NIck Iwanyshyn
The 2023 Canadian CX national championships returned to Layritz Park, just outside Victoria, B.C. on Saturday. The early races were on the cold side, and as the day went on, that turned into muddy conditions for the racers.
The Holmgren sisters divide and conquer
Two of Canada’s brightest stars in cyclocross already have their fair share of championship jerseys, including maple leaves, Pan-American and, of course, a rainbow. Both of them race in the under-23 category, but Ava chose to race elite just as she did in 2022. Bella took the win in the under-23 race–but it wasn’t easy. She faced tough competition with Jenaya Francis, who would finish second.
“Jenaya’s a super strong rider, so I was definitely a little worried,” Holmgren said after the race. “She went into the pits on one lap, and I just kept my pace pretty hard, kept putting down the power and made the gap.”
In the elite women’s race, Ava took another win. The last time she won the elite nats, just a year ago, she was a junior. “I was expecting it to be slick no matter what. Even if it dried up a bit, it was still going to be a mudder,” Ava said. “I really enjoy those conditions; it’s a lot of fun.”
Ackert again
The Holmgrens’ teammate Ian Ackert of the Stimulus-Orbea team brought even more hardware home for the Ontario-based squad. Just like the Holmgren twins, this is Ackert’s first nationals competition as an under-23. Ackert was able to repeat his win in the junior category last year with an under-23 title this weekend.
“In the middle of that lap, I looked back and saw I had a couple of seconds out of a corner,” Ackert said. “I just focused for the next few corners and came out with five seconds, so I just went from there.”
Carrier carries on winning
Throughout the fall, Rafaelle Carrier showcased her dominance in junior women’s racing, excelling in events such as the USCX series and Pan American championships. During Saturday’s race, Nico Knoll from Alberta provided strong competition for the first half. Although the Pan Am champion managed to create some distance in the closing laps, the race remained closely contested until the finish line.
Masters battle for maple leaf jerseys at Canadian cyclocross championships
Carrier secured the title, with Knoll finishing in second place, and Quebec’s Lily-Rose Marois claiming the third spot on the podium.
In the junior men’s race, it was Jayden McMullen who took the win, although he had a less than optimal start. “I couldn’t really get clipped in. But as soon as I did, I found a gap on the right side on the first corner and I scooped six people,” he said. “I just kept looking for gaps to get to the front and when we hit the first greasy section it was just carnage behind me.”
Luke Valenti suffers a mechanical at the worst time
2022 U-23 champion was also racing in the elite category, despite being only 20. Right off the start, the top riders emerged at the forefront, with Evan Russell, Valenti, Quinton Disera, and the defending national champion, Tyler Clark, going clear.
Ultimately, Valenti would have a decent lead, some 10 seconds on Russell. But as he came around a corner, disaster struck. “My chain fell off then it was stuck in my pedal, then in my chain guide,” he said after the race.
He would ultimately remount, but Russell had gone clear with just two laps to go.
“Luke broke away from those two other guys and started chasing me down. It was a proper tiger hunt. It was pretty scary seeing him make gains every single corner,” Russell said. “I just tried to stay consistent and make it last until the end.”
