July 16, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The Elite/u23 Men’s XC race is underway as defending champ Geoff Kabush (BC, Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) is a marked man in the field of 37 Elite riders. His biggest threats are Max Plaxton (BC, Sho-Air/Specialized) and Derek Zandstra (ON, 3 Rox Racing. The Elite men will complete a start loop and 5 laps for 35.5km. The U23 men’s field of 28 riders are on course at the same time and will complete a start loop and 4 laps for 28.7km.

 

 

Elite/u23 Men’s XC race Start

Lap 1

Plaxton jumped to the front for the start loop… it’s Zandstra in front as the Elite men start the first lap. The pack is right behind with Kabush in second and Plaxton in third.

U23 – In the U23 men’s race it’s Jared Stafford (ON) Team Ontario/Norco Factory Team taking the lead.

At the 1/2 point down the Eyedropper Zandstra, Kabush and Plaxton have a gap on two chasers – Matthew Hadley (MB) Xprezo-Borsao and Neal Kindree (BC) Riderepublic.Com/Sram/Chromag – then it’s Andrew Watson (ON) Norco Factory Team followed by Stefan Widmer (BC) West Point Cycles and Peter Glassford (ON) Trek Canada.

U23 – Leandre Bouchard (QC) Équipe Du Québec is the new race leader…

 

Lap 2
Plaxton is leading and starts the second lap in 21:35.5 followed by Zandstra and Kabush – then it’s Kindree right behind and Hadley is with him… at 30s it’s Glassford leading a group of 5 chasers – then a group of 4 more lead by Eric Batty are 10s back.

U23 – Defending champ Evan Mcneely (ON) Team Ontario/Emd Serono/Specialized has taken over the lead and he’s got Mitch Bailey (ON) Team Ontario/Trek Canada and Bouchard with him as they hit the top of the climb on the second lap – Bouchard was in front finishing lap 1 in  22:03.0.

Behind chasing it’s Evan Guthrie (BC) Team Cycling Bc/Rocky Mountain Factory on his own – then Antoine Caron (QC) Équipe Du Québec/Cvm Subway, Jeremy Martin (QC) Équipe Du Québec/Rocky Mountain Factory, Zachary Hughes (ON) Norco Factory Team and Tyson Wagler (ON) 3 Rox Racing

 

Lap 3
Plaxton attacked thru the second lap and now has a strong lead of 23.6s on Kabush in second with Zandstra in 3rd at 53.2 as they start the third of five laps at 40:22.0.

Then it’s Kindree in 4th at 1:25.3, Morka in 5th at 2:02.9, Hadley is right on his wheel in 6th at 2:03.2 – Glassford trails by 20s in 7th with Cory Wallace and Stefan Widmer with him.

U23 – Bailey takes over the lead as they start the third lap (time was 42:37.8) but Bouchard is right on his wheel as McNeely is just behind at 5s. Thru the lap Bouchard and Bailey up the pace as they drop McNeely now at 20s.

Lap 4 (U23 Final)
Plaxton looks in control as he starts the penultimate lap in 59:39.6 with 25+ seconds on Kabush as Zandstra wanes now at 1:46… here’s the top 10 with 2 to go.

1. Max Plaxton    59:39.6
2. Geoff Kabush           25.9
3. Derek Zandstra    1:46.6
4. Neal Kindree    2:30.9
5. Adam Morka    3:06.9
6. Matthew Hadley    3:07.4
7. Andrew Watson    3:26.5
8. Peter Glassford    3:31.9
9. Stefan Widmer    3:36.5
10. Cory Wallace       4:10.1

U23 –  It’s a 2-horse race in U23 Men’s field as Bouchard has the upper hand leading Bailey by 4s and starts his final lap in 1:03:21.2. Further back is a group of three battling for third – Guthrie, McNeely and Martin.

1. Leandre Bouchard 1:03:21.2
2. Mitch Bailey 4.1
3. Evan Guthrie 1:09.0
4. Evan McNeely 1:09.5
5. Jeremy Martin 1:09.7

About 2/3 of the way thru the lap Plaxton is pulling away from Kabush – now with a 45-second lead over the defending champ and looking strong while Kabush looks out of gas.

U23 – Bouchard has attacked and is pulling away from Bailey… now 20s in front.

U23 – Bouchard WINS

Lap 5 (Elite Men’s Final)
Plaxton is looking unstoppable and ready to claim his first Elite title as he starts the bell lap in 18:34.5 as Kabush settles in for second place at 1:08.7 while Zandstra is 3rd at 3:08.5 with Kindree 4th at 4:01.0. The real race now is for fourth and fifth as Hadley and Morka duke it out at just under 5 min.

Plaxton is taking no prisoners as he powers thru the final lap… he knows he’s got the title in his grasp.

Results

U23

1. Leandre Bouchard (QC) Equipe du Quebec 1:23:43
2. Mitch Bailey (ON) Team Ontario/Trek Canada 0:38
3. Jeremy Martin (QC) Equipe du Quebec/Rocky Mountain Factory Team
4. Evan Guthrie (BC) Team Cycling BC/Rocky Mountain Factory 2:09
5. Evan Mcneely (ON) Team Ontario/EMD Serono/Specialized 2:59
6. Antoine Caron (QC) Equipe du Quebec/CVM Subway 3:07
7. Zachary Hughes (ON) Norco Factory Team 5:34
8. Jean-Philippe Thibault-Roberge (QC) CVM Val-David 7:21
9. Jared Stafford (ON) Team Ontario/Norco Factory Team 7:22
10. Tyson Wagler (ON) 3 Rox Racing 8:09
11. Xavier Perreault (QC) CVM Val-David 8:10
12. Steven Noble (ON) Team Ontario/Opus-OGC 10:59
13. Andrew L’esperance (NS) Norco Factory Team 11:22
14. Etienne Moreau (ON) EMD Serono/Specialized CC 12:14
15. Alex Lavertu (QC) CVM Val-David 12:25
16. Jesse Melamed (BC) Team Whistler 12:39
17. Simon Wagler (ON) Two Wheel Express 14:30
18. Preston Wagler (ON) 3 Rox Racing 15:57
19. Sebastien Cadieux-Duval (QC) Equipe du Quebec 16:41
20. Michael Van Den Ham (MB) Team Manitoba/United Cycle 17:25
21. Emmanuel Boily (QC) CVM Val-David -1 lap
22. Stephen Cooley (SK) Team Saskatchewan -1 lap
23. Troy Henry (YT) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle -1 lap
24. Peter Knight (AB) Team Alberta -1 lap
DNF Simon Lalancette (QC) Equipe du Quebec/DeVinci
DNF Pierre-Louis Chamberland (QC) CVM Val-David
DNF Patrick Chartrand (QC) Equipe du Quebec
DNF Paul Benson (MB) Alter Ego Sports

Elite Men –

1. Max Plaxton (BC) Specialized Factory Team 1:38:28
2. Geoff Kabush (BC) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain 1:42
3. Derek Zandstra (ON) 3 Rox Racing 3:23
4. Neal Kindree (BC) Riderepublic.com/SRAM/Chromag 4:40
5. Adam Morka (ON) Team Ontario/Trek Canada 5:39
6. Matthew Hadley (NB) Xprezo-Borsao 6:07
7. Peter Glassford (ON) Trek Canada 6:50
8. Stefan Widmer (BC) West Point Cycles 7:14
9. Andrew Watson (ON) Norco Factory Team 7:43
10. Kris Sneddon (BC) KONA 8:23
10. Craig Richey (BC) CyclocrossRacing.com p/b Blue 8:23
12. Cory Wallace (AB) KONA 10:29
13. Félix Côté (QC) Espresso Sports 12:31
14. Graham Torrie (AB) Team Alberta 12:56
15. Cameron Jette (ON) 3 Rox Racing 13:31
16. Ryan Atkins (AB) Kunstadt Sports Cycling Club 14:30
17. David Gonda (YT) Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle 15:39
18. Jamie Lamb (NS) Independent 16:07
19. Drew Mackenzie (BC) Condo Group/Shimano/Marin 17:42
20. Gordon Jewett (AB) RMCC Express -1 lap
21. Raphaël Gagné (QC) Equipe Quebec/Rocky Mountain Factory Team -1 lap
22. Matthew Krahn (AB) Redbike -1 lap
23. Jon Kinsie (ON) Lapierre Canada -1 lap
24. Leni Trudel (QC) Garneau-Club Chaussure-Norton Rose -1 lap
25. Marty Lazarski (BC) Nativo Concept/Devinci -1 lap
26. Eric Batty (ON) Trek Canada -1 lap
27. Jamie Wagler (ON) Two Wheel Express -2 laps
28. Dylan Harris (MB) Olympia Cycle -2 laps
DNF Roddi Lega (AB) Team Alberta/Pedalhead
DNF Marc-André Daigle (QC) Garneau Club Chaussures- Norton Rose
DNF Shawn Bunnin (AB) ATB Financial
DNF Brian Cooke (AB) Café Racers
DNF Jonathon Firth (AB) Honey Stinger/Cafe Racers/Norco Grass Roots
DNS Thomas Skinner (BC) Oak Bay Bicycles/Rocky Mountain Bicycles