Kabush wins Canadian national cross country title

The Canadian National Mountain Bike Championships saw Canada's top international riders defend their titles on Sunday, as they gear up for the world championships to be held at Mont Ste Anne, Quebec on Labour Day weekend.

Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna) won the men's and women's elite cross country titles under perfect weather conditions amid the beauty of the Rocky Mountains at the 1988 Olympic Nordic skiing centre.

Emily Batty (Trek World Racing) repeated as the women's Under 23 champion, while unheralded Jared Stafford (Team Ontario/Bikesports) took the corresponding men's title.

Pendrel's primary competition, Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), pulled out of the competition less than 48 hours before the start with bronchitis, making Pendrel the overwhelming favourite.

The current leader of the World Cup didn't disappoint, pulling away from the rest of the field on the first seven-kilometre lap of the four-lap race to win by an impressive five-minute margin over Amanda Sin (3 Rox Racing). Mical Dyck (Trek/Terrascape) finished third, nearly seven minutes back.

After Pendrel rode away from the field, and Sin took possession of second place, the race became a matter of seeing how far up the elite field Batty would move, after starting 45 seconds back. In the end, she would catch all but Pendrel and Sin.

Mikaela Kofman (Team Ontario/3 Rox Racing) finished second in U23, and was the fifth rider across the finish line, another impressive ride.

I'm really pleased to keep the national champion's jersey," said Pendrel. "I went out there to push myself hard as I prepare for the next World Cup races and the world championships. Overall, I'm happy with how I rode today, and how my form is right now.

"National championships are always important," she continued. "To wear your national champ jersey is a source of pride. I want to do it; I want to see our jersey out there. It's a special race for everyone, no matter what level you are at."

Kabush, going for his eighth national title (seventh senior title), didn't have it as easy as Pendrel however, with Max Plaxton (Team Sho-Air/Specialized) finishing only 48 seconds back, and Derek Zandstra (3 Rox Racing) at 1:39.

The trio rode away from the rest of the men's field on the first lap of the five-lap event, and stayed together until late in the fourth lap, when Kabush attacked. He quickly opened a 20-second gap on Plaxton, who dropped Zandstra in the chase, and steadily extended his lead to the finish line.

"It wasn't an easy win," said Kabush. "Those guys are getting stronger every year, and pushing me a bit more. I waited until near the top of the steepest climb and then punched it hard, and was able to open enough of a gap to get away from them. I waited for the right moment to create some separation. I guess old school was able to beat new school for one more year."

Plaxton, who is coming off a concussion suffered at a US race, tried to stay with Kabush, but didn't have the power. Nevertheless, he was happy with silver.

"He [Kabush] picked the right time to go," Plaxton explained, "and he can put in such a powerful attack that I couldn't go with him. Geoff's one of the top guys in the world, so there's no shame in being beaten by him. But I'm going to get that jersey one of these days..."

In the morning junior races, Kristina Laforge (Equipe du Quebec/Cyclone d'Alma) finished nearly a minute in front of Lauren Rosser (Cycling BC) for the women's title, while Evan McNeely (Team Ontario/EMD Serono/Specialized) finished 58 seconds ahead of teammate Steven Noble (Team Ontario/Jetpower) in the men's race.

Antoine Perreault (CVM Val-David) won the men's Under 17 (Cadet) title and Amanda Wakeling (Cycling BC) the women's. Overall, British Columbia and Ontario each took three titles, with Quebec taking the other two.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain)1:45:15
2Max Plaxton (Team Sho Air/Specialized)0:00:49
3Derek Zandstra (3 Rox Racing)0:01:40
4Matthew Hadley (XPREZO - Borsac)0:06:18
5Kris Sneddon (KONA)0:06:22
6Andrew Watson (Norco Factory Team)0:07:04
7Cory Wallace (KONA)0:07:23
8Eric Batty (Trek Canada)0:07:38
9Marty Lazarski (Rocky Mountain Factory Team)0:08:32
10Raphaël Gagne (Équipe Québec/Rocky Mountain Factory Team)0:08:32
11Peter Glassford (Trek Canada )0:08:45
12Craig Richey (Aviawest-Blue Competition Cycles)0:10:08
13Daniel Sessford (Aviawest-Blue Competition Cycles)0:11:21
14Adam Morka (Trek Canada)0:11:56
15Leni Trudel (Équipe du Québec/Specialized)0:12:04
16Cameron Jette (La Bicicletta Elite Team)0:12:28
17Ryan Atkins (EMD Serono-Specialized)0:12:38
18Sullivan Reed (Prince George Cycling Club)0:16:14
19Roddi Lega (Pedalhead Bicycle Works)0:17:14
20Marc-André Daigle (Garneau/Club Chaussures-Ogilvy-Renauld)0:17:32
21Manuel Fehlmann (Pedalhead Bicycle Works)0:17:44
22Greg Day (Rocky Mountain-Different Bikes p/b KC Capital)0:19:48
23Thomas Skinner (Aviawest-Blue Competition Cycles)0:20:24
24Cory Zetterstrom (NBR/BCW/Horizon)0:22:37
25Drew Mackenzie (Island Racing p/b Robert W Cameron Law)0:24:35
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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team)1:37:41
2Amanda Sin (3 Rox Racing)0:05:01
3Mical Dyck (Trek Canada/Terrascape Racing)0:06:59
4Catherine Vipond (Norco Factory Team)0:09:11
5Sandra Walter (Local Ride Women's MTB Team)0:09:46
6Cindy Montambault (CVM Val-David)0:10:32
7Brandi Heisterman (Northlands Medical Clinic)0:12:24
8Jean Ann Mckirdy (Local Ride Women's MTB Team)0:13:33
9Wendy Simms (KONA)0:14:03
10Caroline Villeneuve (Norco Factory Team)0:16:43
11Katy Curtis (CMC/Bow Cycle)0:18:01
12Karen Trueman (Oak Bay Bicycles)0:21:25
13Jennifer Schulz (Fresh Air Concept/Balance Point Racing)0:23:54
14Shantel Koenig (Redbike)0:24:00
15Alana Heise (Terrascape Racing)0:26:00
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Under 23 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jared Stafford (Team Ontario/Bikesports Racing)1:57:37
2Francois Morin (Team Quebec/Specialized)0:00:27
3Simon Lalancette (Equipe du Quebec/DEVINCI)0:01:39
4Jon Kinsie (Lapierre)0:02:32
5Félix Cote (CVM Val-David)0:02:54
6Tyson Wagler (3 Rox Racing)0:03:22
7Andrew L'esperance (Cyclesmith/Trek)0:04:39
8Zachary Hughes (Norco Factory Team)0:05:02
9Alex Harvey (Indépendant)0:05:29
10Alexis Cartier (CVM Val-David)0:06:13
11David Gonda (CMC/Bow Cycle)0:07:03
12Jacob Mcclelland (Team Ontario)0:07:35
13Pierre-Louis Chamberland (CVM Val-David)0:09:15
14Matthew Krahn (Redbike)0:10:45
15Patrick Chartrand (CVM Val-David)0:11:46
16Peter Knight (Hardcore Cycling Club)0:13:48
17Brian Robinson (CMC/Bow Cycle)0:15:35
18Jeremi Bussieres (CVM Val-David)0:18:46
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Under 23 women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Emily Batty (Trek World Racing)1:43:31
2Mikaela Kofman (3 Rox Racing)0:01:29
3Rebecca Beaumont (Équipe du Québec/Cyclone d'Alma)0:11:13
4Ashley Barson (Coach Chris.ca/Ted Velikonja)0:11:33
5Cassandre Olivier-Lapierre (Équipe Québec/Subway-Genetik)0:15:33
6Marie-Claude Surprenant (Équipe du Québec/Xprezo)0:18:50
7Anna Schappert (Team Manitoba)0:18:59
8Krystyn Ong (Team Alberta/River Valley Cycle)0:20:27
9Samantha Grover (Pedalhead Racing Club)0:22:36
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Junior men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Evan Mcneely (Team Ontario/EMD Serono/Specialized)1:26:43
2Steven Noble (Team Ontario/Jetpower)0:00:59
3Antoine Caron (Equipe du Quebec)0:01:18
4Mitch Bailey (Team Ontario)0:01:27
5Jérémy Martin (Equipe du Québec/Rocky Mountain Factory Team)0:02:52
6Léandre Bouchard (Équipe du Québec/Cyclone d'Alma)0:04:28
7Felix Wilberg (Team Alberta)0:05:28
8Thomas Neron (Équipe Québec/Subway-Genetik)0:05:32
9Mo Lawrence (Cycling BC)0:06:15
10Daniel Varga (Jetpower)0:06:21
11Etienne Moreau (Team Ontario/Hardwood-Trek)0:06:24
12Preston Wagler (3 Rox Racing)0:07:38
13Karl Hoppner (EMD Serono-Specialized)0:10:11
14Bretton Matthews (Jetpower)0:10:11
15Philippe Paradis (CVM Val-David)0:12:48
16Xavier Perreault (CVM Val-David)0:14:20
17Jordan Doner (Team Spoke O'Motion)0:24:20
18Michael Van Den Ham (Brandon Bike Club)0:29:18
19Simon Boisvert (Le Yéti)0:31:08
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Junior women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Kristina Laforge (Équipe du Québec/Cyclone d'Alma)1:22:53
2Lauren Rosser (Cycling BC)0:00:54
3Valérie Meunier (Équipe du Québec/Cyclone d'Alma)0:01:23
4Laura Bietola (Team Ontario/3Rox Racing)0:01:35
5Emily Fisher (Team Ontario/Angry Johnny's/Cycle Solutions)0:03:06
6Cayley Brooks (Team Ontario)0:06:06
7Caeli Barron (Team Alberta)0:10:38
8Andréane Lantheir Nadeau (Équipe du Québec/Rocky Mountain Factory Team)0:12:59
9Emily Flynn (EMD Serono-Specialized)0:12:59
10Samantha Wagler (Two Wheel Express)0:16:11
11Kristin Drygas (Team Squamish)0:20:50
12Hannah Cooley (Team Saskatchewan)0:27:41
13Sarah Witzke (Team Alberta)0:29:20
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Under 17 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Antoine Perreault (CVM Val-David)1:10:20
2Marc-Antoine Nadon (Team Ontario/Hardwood)0:00:24
3Quinn Moberg (Cycling BC)0:01:41
4Louis Dillon (Cycling BC)0:02:17
5Michael Girolametto-Prosen (Cyclepath Markham)0:03:41
6Alexandre Vialle (CVM Val David)0:04:38
7Vincent Belhumeur (Specialized)0:07:19
8Kevin Stafford (Team Alberta)0:07:46
9Samuel Beaudoin (Team Alberta)0:08:46
10Gabriel Thibeault (Kona Biomax)0:10:43
11Tommy Beaulieu (Juventus)0:11:13
12Eric Ewert (CMC/Bow Cycle)0:14:14
13Thomas Hardy (Independent)0:19:49
14Dylan Smith (Team Saskatchewan)0:22:19
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Under 17 women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Amanda Wakeling (Cycling BC)0:59:51
2Gabrielle April (Lessard Bicycles)0:02:49
3Emily De Freitas (Team Alberta)0:05:51
4Erin Middleton (Team Alberta)0:09:35
5Zoe Dahl (CMC/Bow Cycle)0:11:57
6Hana Boersma (Portage Junk Yard Dogs)0:13:16

 

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