The Canadian Cyclocross National Championships took place this past weekend in Langford, British Columbia, and North of the Border correspondent, Nick Iwanyshyn, was on site. Ava Holmgren and Tyler Clark won the elite races on Saturday to earn the 2022 Canadian champs jerseys.
The men raced first and shooting conditions were already difficult with overcast skies and rain. By the time the women hit the track, it was already getting so dark some riders finished with headlamps. Because of this, we could not grab usable photos of Sandra Walter and Holly Henry who finished second and third in the women’s elite championship race.
Despite the formidable challenges inside and outside of the tape, Nick was able to capture most of the action. Here’s what it looked like.
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Five-time elite national champ, Michael van den Ham battles with Gunnar Holmgren at the front. Tyler Orschel lurks behind.
Orschel leads van den Ham and Quinton Disera. Orschel brought good form to nationals after finishing on the podium both days at the North Carolina Grand Prix the previous weekend. He finished fifth on the day at CX Nats.
Bloody and muddy, Holmgren battles to keep Clark’s wheel.
Clark committed to a full CX season and it paid off on Saturday.
Number 44 in your program, number 1 on the track. Clark skirts the spectators who braved the wet conditions to take in CX Nats. Even Cycling Canada’s Chief Sports Officer was on hand to take in the damp festivities.
“You never know if a Disera will show up.” Despite being a full-time MTB racer, Quinton has never missed a CX Nats. This is his seventh straight. He won the junior champs jersey in 2015.
It wasn’t the day the No. 1 seed wanted, but MvdH is already determined to win the jersey back in 2023.
Tyler Clark, your Men’s Elite 2022 Canadian Cyclocross National Champion.
The 2022 CX Nats podium debriefs on how the race played out. Holmgren finished third, Disera finished second. Clark takes the win.
Women’s Elite
Ava Holmgren successfully petitioned Cycling Canada to race with the elites despite being a 17-year-old junior.
Ruby West left the dry, predictable conditions of the velodrome for a shot at cyclocross glory. She was in the mix for the win until an ill-timed mechanical.
Holmgren tracks down West as the light begins to fade on the women’s elite race.
Jenn Jackson cleaned the mothballs off her cyclocross rig to do battle with the young upstart. Jackson was racing at the front before mechanical issues ended her race.
Jackson was looking to go one better on her two elite second-place CX Nats finishes.
Holmgren floats over the mud on her way to CX Nats glory.
Holmgren celebrates with her family. Her sister, Isabella, won the junior jersey, and teammate Ian Ackert the men’s junior jersey giving their Stimulus Orbea team all new kits for the rest of the season.
Amazing ride by Holmgren- another one for the youngers- but more info re Ruby and Jens mechanicals please - from the pics it looks like Ruby was in the race to win. Mechanicals all part of CX vibe but how significant were they - and what were they? PS Did no one do a Vlog or pirate the live stream - asking for the U.K. Props also to the men’s podium - looks like the second favourite Canadian has been usurped by the youth on MTBs .
Amazing ride by Holmgren- another one for the youngers- but more info re Ruby and Jens mechanicals please - from the pics it looks like Ruby was in the race to win. Mechanicals all part of CX vibe but how significant were they - and what were they? PS Did no one do a Vlog or pirate the live stream - asking for the U.K. Props also to the men’s podium - looks like the second favourite Canadian has been usurped by the youth on MTBs .