Gallery: Michael van den Ham breaks through at Canadian cyclocross nationals
Often the favourite at nationals, Van den Ham puts together clean ride in Sherbrooke to win ahead of Geoff Kabush and Mark McConnell
Hot Sauce with the holeshot
Rio Olympians Raphaël Gagné and Léandre Bouchard.
Léandre Bouchard finished seventh
Four leaders got a gap
Michael van den Ham dragged McConnell when he attacked.
Van den Ham then got away solo
Behind Geoff Kabush charged past McConnell
Beautiful late-October day in Parc Jacques Cartier
Michael van den Ham for the win.
Kabush rides to second.
Craig Ritchie (L) finished fifth. Van den Ham and McConnell congratulate each other
The elite men's podium.
Michael van den Ham (Garneau-Easton) will rock the maple leaf on his jersey for the next year after a strong ride at cyclocross nationals in Sherbrooke, Que. on Saturday. The experienced ‘cross racer was under-23 champion in 2013 but the elite title was elusive despite consistently being the top ranked Canadian in the men’s UCI standings the past couple of seasons.
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The elite men’s Canadian championships were contested without the 2016 champion Jérémy Martin on the start line. Mark McConnell (Hot Sauce Cycling) went out hard early which drew out four riders. Van den Ham attacked McConnell mid-race and escaped to take the win solo. Behind, a charging Geoff Kabush (Scott Sports-Maxxis) passed McConnell to claim second place.
