June 17/24 16:55 pm - Gravel Championships Take Place in Muddy Conditions
Posted by Editoress on 06/17/24
The second edition of the Canadian Gravel Championships took place at Water Valley, Alberta, under the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains on June 16th. National titles were awarded in the Under-17, Junior, Elite and Masters categories. The 118-kilometre race began in the rain and athletes had to use their skills and grit to navigate the muddy course.
After nearly four hours, it was Quebec's Adam Roberge who finally claimed victory in the Elite men's category, outsprinting Julien Gagné. Michael van den Ham completed the podium, 44.2 seconds behind the race leader.
"It was hard from the beginning and with the weather, it was hard to draft," said Roberge, who has been focusing on gravel racing for the past few years. "I figured being patient would be better with that type of course. With the help of my friend Julien Gagné we were able to push the pace on every climb until there were only three remaining in the lead. We ended up battling it out on the last climb until the end, and I knew my sprint was a little bit faster."
In the women's category, Katja Verkerk took top honours with a time of 4 hours and 37 minutes, just ahead of 2020 mountain bike Olympian Haley Smith (+2:54) and Anna Gabrielle Traxler (+4:00). The British Columbia-born athlete scored her first-ever Canadian championship victory and made no secret of her surprise.
"I'm new to racing, so I don't know anyone," declared Verkerk. "I tried to follow the first five to ten wheels and I followed an attack from a rider I followed for a while, until she had a mechanical, where I could pass her. I wasn't expecting to put a Canadian jersey on today, so it's kind of crazy."
Reigning Canadian champion in the Masters men 35-44 category, John Vanderveen retained his title, however, the maple leaf jersey was awarded to new recipients in all other categories. Winners included Mitchell Williams (Men Under-17), Lydia Stack-Michasiw (Women Under-17), Colton Zabolotney (Junior Men), Nico Knoll (Junior Women), Jenn Proche (Masters women 35-44), Dan Wood (Masters men 45-54), Elizabeth Stack (Masters women 45-54), Greg Clark (Masters men 55-64), Ewa Siarka (Masters women 55-64) and Gregory Patychuk (Masters men 65+).
| U17 (15-16) Men, 78km | |
| 1 Mitchell Williams (SK) Cycledelia | 2:29:00.9 |
| 2 Quinten Macklem (AB) Cyclemeisters / Bow Cycle | 2:50:03.5 |
| 3 Aiden Sandmaier (AB) Juventus CC | 3:06:14.8 |
| DNS William McFarlane (ON) Stimulus Next Wave | |
| Junior ( 17-18) Men, 118 km | |
| 1 Colton Zabolotney (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | 4:22:52.9 |
| 2 Emmett Macklem (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle | 4:22:18.7 |
| DNS Luke Pulford (AB) The Bike Shop | |
| Elite (19+) Men | |
| 1 Adam Roberge (QC) Felt UN1TD | 3:44:31.4 |
| 2 Julien Gagne (QC) EQUIPE QUI ROULE | 3:44:34.7 |
| 3 Michael van den Ham (BC) Giant Cycling | 3:45:15.6 |
| 4 Cameron Jones* (USA) POA Racing | 3:48:57.4 |
| 5 Sean Fincham (BC) Maxxis Factory Racing | 3:49:28.4 |
| 6 Andrew L'Esperance (QC) Maxxis Factory Racing | 3:50:22.4 |
| 7 Carter Nieuwesteeg (BC) 7MESH - WE ARE ONE - SANTA CRUZ - SHIMANO | 3:57:24.1 |
| 8 Emile Hamm (ON) Hustle Pro Cycling | 3:59:11.4 |
| 9 Cory Wallace (AB) Otso Cycles- Rockies 24 | 4:00:58.7 |
| 10 Tyler Clark (ON) Hockley Valley Resort Armada | 4:01:05.8 |
| 11 Quinton Disera (BC) Independent | 4:02:18.8 |
| 12 Oskar Stack-Michasiw (SK) Charge Racing | 4:02:40.9 |
| 13 Warren Muir (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | 4:03:21.6 |
| 14 Cody Scott (BC) Comp Edge Racing | 4:08:00.7 |
| 15 Raphael Couturier (AB) Independent | 4:08:01.8 |
| 16 Mark Fagnan (AB) The Bike Shop | 4:12:14.0 |
| 17 Mathieu Belanger-Barrette (QC) 7mesh/ cervelo | 4:12:34.6 |
| 18 Anthony Audet (QC) CC de l'Academie | 4:12:44.6 |
| 19 Finn Borstmayer (AB) Manteo Cycling | 4:14:36.4 |
| 20 Cole Glover (BC) Diversion | 4:15:16.6 |
| 21 Logan Cobham (ON) Halton MTB Racing | 4:21:32.4 |
| 22 Mackenzie Potter (AB) The Bike Shop | 4:26:43.7 |
| 23 Josh Denison (AB) Concept3 | 4:27:52.8 |
| 24 Titus Chan (AB) Calgary Cycle Race Team | 4:30:31.0 |
| 25 Tyler Hartle (MB) Victoria Wheelers p/b Novus Properties | 4:31:37.6 |
| 26 Jacob Prapavessis (BC) Diversion | 4:42:29.7 |
| 27 Mckenzie Sanford (AB) Track Lord | 4:46:29.9 |
| 28 Patrick McCrady (AB) Independent | 4:50:39.9 |
| 29 Alexander Kolesov (AB) BICISPORT | 4:59:59.9 |
| 30 Matthew Singbeil (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | 5:05:30.3 |
| 31 Steven Anderson (ON) Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club | 5:08:02.7 |
| 32 Benjamin Brignall (AB) Independent | 5:09:06.4 |
| 33 Colin McKague (AB) Bow Cyclist Club | 5:11:39.6 |
| 34 Alexander Philipp (AB) Track Lord | 5:25:57.5 |
| 35 Matthew Moore (SK) HPL Cycling | 5:36:34.3 |
| 36 Matthew Teel (AB) Calgary Cycle Race Team | 6:10:19.2 |
| DNF joseph Lupien (QC) UTC-ButcherBox Cycling p/b LOOK | |
| DNF Nick Monette (BC) Hustle Pro Cycling | |
| DNF David Larson (AB) Pedalhead Race Room | |
| DNS Aidan Oliphant (BC) Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
| DNS Seth Cowie (BC) West Coast Gunners | |
| Masters I (35-44) Men | |
| 1 John Vanderveen (BC) Riverway Dental Racing | 4:00:03.3 |
| 2 Andrew Davidson (AB) Manteo Cycling | 4:02:39.0 |
| 3 Clint Perrett* (AB) Manteo Racing | 4:12:16.4 |
| 4 Nigel Wray (BC) Blizzard Bike Club | 4:18:33.8 |
| 5 Charlie Gorman (ON) Nine2FivePro p/b GravelCup.com | 4:29:25.5 |
| 6 Matt Atyeo* (BC) Independent | 4:30:10.1 |
| 7 Michael Gavelis (SK) HPL Cycling | 4:32:38.6 |
| 8 Piotr Siarka (AB) Deadgoat Racing | 4:36:23.9 |
| 9 Paul Moffat* (BC) Tru Grit | 4:36:58.6 |
| 10 Dan Boileau (AB) Peloton Racing | 4:38:14.6 |
| 11 Andrew Arnold (AB) Peloton Racing | 4:43:14.6 |
| 12 Neal Currie (BC) Independent | 4:45:43.5 |
| 13 Josh Barker (AB) Central Alberta Bicycle Club | 4:51:03.9 |
| 14 Dougal Owen (AB) bicisport | 5:12:38.8 |
| 15 Cameron LaValley (AB) Wheelhouse | 5:15:05.5 |
| 16 Kale Edwards (AB) Juventus Cycling Club | 5:19:05.7 |
| 17 Nicholas Campbell (AB) bicisport | 5:19:50.5 |
| 18 Michael Mercer (AB) Peloton Racing | 5:21:21.8 |
| 19 Ian Wilson (AB) Camrose Ski Club & Bike Club | 5:26:32.2 |
| 20 ryan remington (AB) Independent | 5:52:05.9 |
| 21 Kevin English (BC) Independent | 6:01:50.8 |
| 22 Eric Sy (SK) Regina Cycle Club | 6:06:01.1 |
| DNF Mike Bidniak (AB) Prw | |
| DNF Calum Thirlwell* (AB) Independent | |
| DNF Troy Perry (AB) Independent | |
| DNS Albert Nguyen (AB) ERTC | |
| DNS John Churchill (AB) TCR Bike Shop | |
| DNS Andrew Rockwell (AB) bicisport | |
| DNS Erik Loewen (AB) Peloton Racing | |
| DNS Graham Diehl (AB) Peloton racing p/b momentum cycling | |
| DNS Garth Stotts (AB) Peloton Racing | |
| DNS Michael Beauchamp (AB) Peloton Racing | |
| DNS Jesse Bauer (AB) United Ride Club | |
| DNS Carson Brown (AB) Bicisport | |
| DNS Jordan Bryden (AB) RMCC | |
| Masters II (45-54) Men | |
| 1 Dan Wood (AB) Independent | 4:03:55.5 |
| 2 Mark Daws (BC) Independent | 4:16:21.1 |
| 3 Chris McNeil (BC) Independent | 4:24:12.1 |
| 4 Scott Desmarais (AB) bicisport | 4:26:31.4 |
| 5 Dallas Morris (AB) Bow Cyclists Club | 4:28:34.8 |
| 6 Paul Cobham (ON) Steve Neal Performance/Glasvan Great Dane | 4:35:34.0 |
| 7 ANdrew Haughian (BC) Tru Grit Racing | 4:37:18.5 |
| 8 glenn harris (AB) deadgoat racing | 4:37:40.1 |
| 9 Scott Manktelow (BC) Riverway Dental Racing | 4:37:40.2 |
| 10 shane savage (BC) Independent | 4:42:31.7 |
| 11 Kevin Masters (AB) Pedalhead | 4:49:11.8 |
| 12 Andrzej Lyczko (AB) Independent | 4:51:32.1 |
| 13 Jared Gervais (AB) RMCC | 4:51:54.7 |
| 14 Duane Ashley Myers (AB) Independent | 4:55:54.6 |
| 15 Ryan Hamilton (BC) Independent | 4:58:51.5 |
| 16 Jason Proche (AB) bicisport | 5:00:34.5 |
| 17 Kurt Beaudoin (AB) Special K and Bee Truck Racing | 5:01:18.2 |
| 18 Jon Bula (BC) Tru Grit Racing | 5:05:40.5 |
| 19 Michael Waldhuber (AB) Peloton Racing | 5:08:07.7 |
| 20 Brad Readman (AB) Special K and Bee Truck Racing | 5:13:26.6 |
| 21 Kees Sinke (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow cycle | 5:13:43.9 |
| 22 Darryl Heidebrecht (AB) Pedalhead Race Room | 5:14:27.7 |
| 23 Joe Stankevicius (AB) PRW | 5:25:32.7 |
| 24 Carl Miiller (AB) Independent | 5:27:41.8 |
| 25 philip hoyle (AB) Central Alberta Bicycle Club | 5:27:58.2 |
| 26 Calvin Leithead (AB) Cylcemeisters | 5:28:50.7 |
| 27 Lampros Antoniou (AB) Peloton Racing | 5:29:31.5 |
| 28 Jayar Mendoza (AB) CABC | 5:34:31.0 |
| 29 Warren Nishimura (AB) Peloton Racing | 5:49:11.7 |
| 30 Jack VanDyk (AB) Independent | 6:03:56.4 |
| 31 Daniel Gregoire (AB) Bicisport | 6:08:34.5 |
| 32 Ken Lewis (AB) Central Alberta Bicycle Club | 6:17:08.9 |
| 33 Loy Sullivan (AB) Independent | 6:20:35.2 |
| 34 Bart-Jan Jorna (AB) Independent | 6:56:50.0 |
| DNF Greg Yanicki (AB) bicisport | |
| DNF Cody Bradford (AB) Independent | |
| DNF Adam Boyko (AB) Independent | |
| DNF Chris Page (AB) Independent | |
| DNF David Miller (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | |
| DNS Tom Brodzinski (AB) Deadgoat Racing | |
| DNS Grant Kaiser (AB) Terrascape | |
| DNS Nick Lynem (AB) Cranked | |
| DNS michael kohl (AB) Juventus Cycling Club | |
| DNS Devin Erfle (AB) Deadgoat Racing | |
| DNS Andrew Wiese (AB) Independent | |
| DNS Paul Martin (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle | |
| DNS Curtis Schlossberger (BC) Independent | |
| DNS Steven Soon (AB) Cyclemeisters / Bow Cycle | |
| DNS Rod MacAlister (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle | |
| Masters III (55-64) Men | |
| 1 Greg Clark (ON) Hockley Valley Resort Armada | 4:36:31.6 |
| 2 Uli Mayer (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 4:37:24.7 |
| 3 Don Larsen (BC) Spoke Bike and Ski | 4:38:20.3 |
| 4 Clayton Paradis (AB) Pedalhead Race Room | 4:47:56.3 |
| 5 Don King (AB) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle | 4:48:19.5 |
| 6 Daniel de Mos (USA) Independent | 4:56:55.8 |
| 7 Greg Veitch (BC) TAG Cycling | 4:59:44.1 |
| 8 Charles Bougie (AB) RMCC | 5:11:29.0 |
| 9 Geoff Clark (AB) Deadgoat Racing | 5:23:40.5 |
| 10 George Irwin (AB) Juventus | 5:25:32.3 |
| 11 Mike Johns (AB) Central Alberta Bicycle Club | 5:32:33.9 |
| 12 Craig Fraser (AB) Peloton Racing p/b Momentum Cycling | 5:37:45.9 |
| 13 Ken Corner (AB) Independent | 5:43:07.8 |
| 14 Owen Scott (BC) Independant | 5:56:46.2 |
| 15 Scott McLeod (SK) Cycledelia | 6:08:40.2 |
| 16 Andrzej Siarka (AB) Independent | 6:19:27.9 |
| 17 Scott Bratt (AB) Deadgoat | 6:20:34.0 |
| 18 Paul Tarrant (AB) Highwood Cycling Club | 6:29:45.2 |
| 19 jay loder (BC) Independent | 6:34:13.5 |
| DNF Lorenzo Caterini (NS) Craftsman Construction | |
| DNF Gary MacGregor (BC) Riverway Dental Racing | |
| DNF Peter Lawrence (AB) Soul Sportif | |
| DNS Robert Savin (AB) bici sport | |
| DNS Kevin Bowles (AB) Independent | |
| DNS David Jaeger (AB) ERTC | |
| DNS Karol Siarka* (AB) Deadgoat Racing | |
| DNS Robert Martens* (AB) Independent | |
| DNS Mark Adams (AB) ERTC | |
| DNS pat doyle (AB) Deadgoat | |
| Masters IV (65+) Men | |
| 1 Gregory Patychuk (AB) RMCC | 5:40:20.0 |
| 2 Brian Zulkoskey (SK) HPL Cycling | 5:40:46.5 |
| 3 Bill Burtnik (AB) Juventus | 5:56:13.8 |
| 4 Brent Piercy (AB) Independent | 6:39:47.5 |
| DNF Russ Redshaw (AB) Rundle Mountain Cycling Club | |
| DNS Michael Adams (BC) NA | |
| DNS Lawrence Keller (AB) Deadgoat Racing | |
| DNS Garth Campbell (BC) Broad Street Breakaway | |
| DNS Scot Brodie (AB) CABC | |
| U17 (15-16) Women | |
| 1 Lydia Stack-Michasiw (SK) Stimulus Next Wave | 3:09:09.0 |
| Junior (17-18) Women | |
| 1 Nico Knoll (AB) Cyclemeisters / Bow Cycle | 5:26:21.9 |
| 2 Eleanor Winchell (BC) Charge Racing | 5:28:12.1 |
| 3 Maria McCartney (SK) Team Sask | 5:55:16.7 |
| DNS Keely Hamilton (BC) | |
| Elite (19+) Women | |
| 1 Katja Verkerk (BC) Physical Culture Straight Up Cycles | 4:37:45.7 |
| 2 Haley Smith (QC) Trek Driftless | 4:40:40.5 |
| 3 Anna Gabrielle Traxler (AB) Independent | 4:41:46.2 |
| 4 Kelsey Duffield (AB) Peloton racing | 4:42:57.2 |
| 5 Emily Neill (BC) Diversion | 4:45:44.8 |
| 6 Sara Poidevin (AB) DNA Pro Cycling | 4:49:37.1 |
| 7 Hannah Simms (ON) Kona-Shimano-Lazer-Peppermint Cycling-Flow Formulas-Maxxis-NRG Enterprises | 4:54:33.9 |
| 8 Sidney McGill (AB) Cervelo Orange Living | 5:01:40.6 |
| 9 Francesca Seal (AB) The Bike Shope | 5:03:32.4 |
| 10 Lindsay Glassford (BC) MAD Endurance | 5:13:30.9 |
| 11 BRENNA PAULY (BC) Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 5:19:43.3 |
| 12 Ella Myers (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | 5:23:26.8 |
| 13 Mikayla Neal (BC) Red Kilo | 5:55:16.5 |
| 14 Emma Novotny (BC) DIVERSION | 6:01:08.7 |
| 15 Sophie Perry (BC) UBC Cycling | 6:08:01.0 |
| 16 Madison Strange (AB) Independent | 6:13:36.3 |
| 17 Erin Sachs (AB) The Bike Shop Racing | 6:13:57.6 |
| 18 Sarah McMaster (AB) PRW | 6:18:48.9 |
| 19 Hannah Fennell (ON) UBC Cycling | 6:52:21.5 |
| DNF Eva Poidevin (AB) Maxxis Factory Racing | |
| DNF Eva Poidevin (AB) Maxxis Factory Racing | |
| DNF Christiane Bilodeau (AB) Juventus Cycling Club | |
| DNS Kathryn Ayroud (AB) Red Truck Racing P/B Mosaic Homes | |
| DNS Annie Scott (AB) Cyclery Racing | |
| Masters I (35-44) Women | |
| 1 Jenn Proche (AB) bicisport | 6:00:57.5 |
| DNF Jodi Wendland (ON) The Cyclery | |
| DNF Becky Tees (AB) Independent | |
| Masters II (45-54) Women | |
| 1 Elizabeth Stack (SK) Independent | 5:44:34.6 |
| 2 Heather Sirounis (SK) Independent | 6:01:34.2 |
| 3 Gemma Hamilton (BC) Independent | 6:13:36.1 |
| 4 Michelle Jackman (AB) Terrascape Racing | 6:20:40.4 |
| 5 Cindy Bakke (AB) Deadgoat Racing | 6:20:41.4 |
| 6 Sonia Utting (AB) independant | 6:20:49.1 |
| DNF Janelle Chubey (AB) Peloton Racing | |
| DNF Susanne McArthur (AB) Terrascape Racing | |
| DNS Justine Sagan (AB) Terrascape | |
| DNS Cristin Schlossberger (BC) independant | |
| Masters III (55-64) Women | |
| 1 Ewa Siarka (AB) Independent | 6:18:02.0 |
| 2 Wanda Mauricio (AB) ERTC | 6:24:19.8 |
| DNF Lori Andrews (AB) Peloton racing | |
| DNF Hillie Van't Klooster* (AB) Cranked |
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