September 24/21 22:14 pm - First Time Champions at XCO Mountain Bike Nationals
Posted by Editoress on 09/24/21
For the first time since 2019, Canadian championships were held for the cross-country (XCO), and new champions won titles in every category on Friday, in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec. In the Elite categories, Jenn Jackson (Norco Factory) and Leandre Bouchard (Pivot - OTE) won their first ever Elite titles, as did Emilly Johnston (UCI World Cycling Centre) and Gunnar Holmgren (Pivot - OTE) in Under-23. The Junior titles went to Ophelie Grandmont (CC Mont Sainte-Anne) and Owen Clark (Homestead Racing).
Rain was forecast for the entire day, but it held off until late in the women's race, and fell intermittently during the men; heavily towards the end. The circuit had two long climbs per lap and many rough, rooty and technical sections.
Women
The Elite women had only eight riders in the field, with defending champion Emily Batty (Canyon Factory) not starting - a victim of the physical and mental fatigue that many riders are suffering at the end of this long season. Jackson and Laurie Arseneault (Canyon Factory) jumped out to an early lead on the first lap, with Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro) and Sandra Walter (Liv) chasing, but gradually losing ground. For Pendrel, it was the final Nationals of a long and illustrious career, that includes an Olympic bronze medal (and four Olympic appearances), two world titles and multiple World Cup wins and titles. Jackson dropped Arseneault on the last lap and a half to solo in for the title, with Walter gapping Pendrel on the final lap to take third.
"I've honestly been thinking about this since I won the Under-23 title in my first season of mountain biking [2017]," said an emotional Jackson. "I knew that I was going to be at the front of the race to contest and [a fast start] was how I was going to do it. It means more to me to race at the front here for the win then to race mid-pack [at the World Cups]. Laurie's a fast starter too, so I knew that was how it was going to happen. I let her lead for a section, but I felt like I had a bit of an edge, so I moved back to the front and stayed on my pace. She [Arseneault] closed a lot on the last lap; my head was ... 'oh my god, just make it down' ... when you start thinking like that you make mistakes ... but I held on."
In the Under-23 race, Johnston and her perennial rival, Marianne Theberge (Pivot - OTE) rode away from the rest of the field on the first lap, and Johnston then dropped her rival in Lap 2, to open a commanding margin of nearly two and a half minutes by the finish line. Sidney McGill (Pedalhead Race Room) took third.
Ophelie Grandmont
The Junior race was a race-long battle between Grandmont and Marie Fay St Onge (Dalbix Siboire), with Grandmont winning by a slim nine seconds. Ella Myers of Alberta took third.
Men
Bouchard has come close to the national title before, including second at this very venue in 2016, but, remarkably, he has never won. This year, he went in as the favourite - the top Canadian rider on the World Cup circuit and at the world championships. He and team mate Marc Andre Fortier broke away on the first lap, and the only rider that could go with them was Tyler Orschel (Durham Shredders). The Norco trio of Peter and Quinton Disera, and Andrew L'Esperance chased hard on the first lap, but were gradually distance for the remainder of the race.
The leaders stayed together until Lap 3, when the two Pivot - OTE riders sprinted up the first climb, gapping Orschel. Orschel would hold on for third place. The two leaders rode together until late in the penultimate fourth lap, when Bouchard attacked to solo away to victory.
"It's definitely a great day," said a beaming Bouchard under the mud. "I've been chasing the Elite title for a while ... I guess the waiting allowed me to do it in front of my home crowd [Bouchard is from nearby Alma]. I was very happy to put it together today and be strong in front of my family, my fans ... it's really great. I knew I was the favourite and I'm happy I delivered. My strategy was just to make it hard, you have to go hard from the gun at Nationals, and take every opportunity at the front to increase the pace."
The Under-23 race was expected to be a continuation of the season-long battle between Holmgren and Carter Woods (Norco Factory). However, Woods was another rider who did not start due to fatigue. Holmgren didn't have it all his own way, though, with Victor Verreault (Vélo2max St-Félicien) joining him at the front until the final lap, with Holmgren attacking to take the title by a mere 12 seconds. Charles Antoine St Onge (Dalbix Siboire) took third.
Owen Clark
The Junior race was all Clark, after pre-race favourite Cole Punchard (Ontario) suffered a flat on the opening lap, eventually working his way back up to fourth. Lief Rodgers (Giant Canada Off-Road Team) was second, but two minutes back, and Zorak Paille (Vélo Pays D'en Haut-PG) took third.
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