Adam Roberge (Felt UN1TD) outsprinted Julien Gagné (Équipe Qui Roule) to win the elite men’s title at the Canadian Gravel Championships on Sunday, while Katja Verkerk (Physical Culture Straight Up Cycles) outlasted Haley Smith (Trek Driftless) to take the elite women’s gravel national title.
"It was hard from the beginning and with the weather, it was hard to draft,” said Roberge in a Cycling Canada media release. “I figured being patient would be better with that type of course."
After the third and final feed zone with 30km to go, Roberge and Gagné had made separation with Michael van den Ham (Giant Cycling) at the front of the race. Van den Ham was dropped with 5km to go. In the final kilometres on the pavement, Roberge rushed to the line for the win in 3:44:31, three seconds ahead of Gagné. Van den Ham held on to third place, 44 seconds back.
Verkerk came into the gravel championships after a spring of road racing, where she had stage wins at Valley of the Sun Stage Race and Tucson Bicycle Classic in Arizona in category 4 and 3 divisions, respectively. The Victoria, British Colombia rider took the solo victory in 4:37:45, 2:54 in front of Smith. Anna Gabrielle Traxler was third, another one minute back.
“I’m new to racing, so I don’t know anyone,” Vervek said in the media release. “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.”
This year’s nationals were part of Ghost of the Gravel weekend, an hour from Calgary in Water Valley. The same 118km course, called the Scary Ghost, was used for other start waves for recreational fondo riders. Last year the gravel nationals were held in Ontario.
Results - elite women top 5
| Pos. | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katja Verkerk (Physical Culture Straight Up Cycles) | 04:37:45 |
| 2 | Haley Smith (Trek Driftless) | 00:02:54 |
| 3 | Anna Gabrielle Traxler | 00:04:00 |
| 4 | Kelsey Duffield (Peloton racing) | 00:05:11 |
| 5 | Emily Neill (Diversion) | 00:07:59 |
Results - elite men top 5
| Pos. | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Roberge (Felt UN1TD) | 03:44:31 |
| 2 | Julien Gagné (Équipe Qui Roule) | 00:00:03 |
| 3 | Michael van den Ham (Giant Cycling) | 00:00:44 |
| 4 | Cameron Jones (POA Racing) | 00:04:26 |
| 5 | Sean Fincham (Maxxis Factory Racing) | 00:04:57 |
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