Reigning U23 men's Pan-American cyclocross champion Ian Ackert (Trek Future Racing) dominated his first foray in the elite men's race at Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships, presented by Lazer, and rode solo for the maple leaf jersey on Saturday.
On a cool, cloudy afternoon in Lévis, Quebec, Ackert took control of the race after the third of seven laps. Gunnar Holmgren (KMC Ridley), the U23 champion four seasons ago, took the silver medal at 1:04 off the winning pace. Tyler Clark, the 2022 elite champion, settled for the bronze.
It was a third national title for Ackert, who won the men's junior and U23 crowns in 2022 and 2023, respectively. This time he was the youngest competitor in the elite field of 26 riders.
The junior and U23 fields raced together on Saturday on the CX de Lévis course, located on the site of an old abbey near the St Lawrence River which provided relentless short climbs and tricky descents in slippery conditions from earlier rain.
Mika Comaniuk (Equipe Du Quebec) secured the men's U23 title with a solo effort. Emilien Belzile (Stimulus Trek) earned the junior men's victory in a head-to-head sprint against Evan Moore (Collingwood Collective).
Results
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