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8 days of UCI sanctioned cyclocross racing coming to Canada in 2018

Toronto and Sherbrooke to host two days of cyclocross racing with Peterborough set to hold the national championships

Elite women in Sherbrooke at the Canadian championships

On Friday, Cycling Canada announced the national and international events calendar for 2018. Cyclocross in Canada will see the most considerable boost with eight days of UCI sanctioned competition taking place on Canadian soil.

After years of absence on the UCI calendar, Toronto will host two days of cyclocross competition on September 1 and 2. Toronto use to host a UCI sanctioned race in Centennial Park and has held rounds of the Ontario Cup series these in years past. The organizers Full Moon Vista Productions put on Rochester Cyclocross in the U.S..

Sherbrooke, Que., fresh off of hosting the past two editions of the Canadian championships will continue to hold a high profile event with a weekend of UCI racing on October 20 and 21. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau and Michael van den Ham are the most recent winners at the venue in Parc Jacques-Cartier.

The venue for the Canadian national championships moves to Peterborough, Ont. for the next two years and in 2018 will host a UCI C2 event in conjunction with the championships. The Canadian national cyclocross championships take place on November 10 with the C2 race the following day on Nov. 11.

Peterborough Cycling Club (PCC) is organizing the three day event which begins on the Friday in conjunction with CykelHaus Race Promotions. The venue will feature variations in elevation and terrain with the race taking place around the Peteborough lift locks.

“Among cycling disciplines, cyclocross is certainly one of the most engaging and appealing for spectators,” said CykelHaus principal John Hauser. “The short course offers great visibility, riders are on the limit from start to finish, and oft-unpredictable conditions make for great racing and give fans plenty to cheer about. It’s something we’re very excited to bring to, and share with, Peterborough.”

Peterborough and the Kawarthas is a popular cycling destination in Ontario. “Peterborough has a great cycling culture, and our cyclocross race series in particular has seen tremendous growth over the last several years,” says PCC president Jeff Faulds. “Seeing this develop into selection as the host city for the national championships is incredibly rewarding.”

Ruby West
Ruby West in action at the Silver Goose. Photo: Lenore Dickson

The Silver Goose in Midland, Ont. will once again host a UCI weekend on November 17 and 18. In 2017, the venue hosted two successful days of racing with Ruby West and American Jack Kisseberth sweeping the elite races on Oct. 21 and 22. The event is moved back nearly a month which makes it unlikely the gorgeous hot weather from this year is repeated.

There were only three days of UCI competition in Canada in 2017 with The Silver Goose and the Canadian championships in Sherbrooke on the calendar. The boost in UCI sanctioned events in the country demonstrates the growing profile of cyclocross in Canada.

2018 UCI cyclocross racing in Canada

Toronto CX – UCI C1 and C2 – Sept. 1-2
Sherbrooke CX – UCI C2 – Oct. 20-21
Canadian cyclocross championships – Peterborough, Ont. – Nov. 10
Lift Lock Cross – UCI C2, Peterborough – Nov. 11
The Silver Goose – UCI C2, Midland, Ont. – Nov. 17-18