November 25, 2007 (Bolton Ontario) – Ontario’s Cyclocross season culminated today with the provincial championships being contested on a slick course winding its way around the Albion Hills conservation area just outside of Bolton, Ontario. Snow was still present on the ground following Southern Ontario’s first taste of winter this week, however with today’s warmer temperatures the snow gave way to mud and the stage was set for an exciting race.

With two equally strong cyclocross series in Ontario, the provincial championships, along with the Pro-Am UCI cyclocross races in Toronto mark the two times that competitors from both series meet to race. For many of the competitors today’s races marked the end to a long season which began nearly nine months ago at the Uxbridge Icebreaker. For others today’s race was the last before heading across the pond to compete in Belgium, or at the World Cyclocross Championships in Treviso, Italy.

Racing got underway at 10am with the Under 17 and Masters fields getting the first crack at the course. Conor O’Brien (Ride with Rendall) traveled all the way from Ottawa to claim the provincial title in the Under 17 Category with Mitchell Bailey (Epic Ride, Jetpower) coming in second and Karl Hoppner (Ride with Rendall) claiming third.

At 11am, three hotly contested fields took to the course to vie for a provincial title. In the Southern Ontario women’s series Jill Vail (Coach Chris, Ted Velikonja) has been a dominant force all season, but as has been the case for the last couple of seasons, Jennifer Stephenson (Team Ultralink) has made it a point to travel from Ottawa to rain on the Southern rider’s parade. Displaying the form that has made her a provincial champion in the past, Stephenson put one minute into a hard charging Jill Vail (Coach Chris, Ted Velikonja) with birthday girl Sue Trimble-Haviland (Norco Factory Team) riding to a strong third place. Denise Ramsden (CyclocrossOntario.com) came in forth in the senior women’s race, just missing the podium but in the process claiming the title as top Junior Woman in the province.

While the women were fighting it out, the Junior men were also riding in a hotly contested battle. Jarrod Stafford (HB Cycling Club) has been the dominant rider in Southern Ontario this fall, however he was joined by Devon Novakowski, Kom winner at the Tour d’Abitibi and overall GC winner at the Green Mountain Stage Race. Racing was fast from the gun however it was the mud that would be the deciding factor in the race with mountain biker Stafford piloting his bike through the snow and muck towards a well earned provincial title. Novakowski took second and Bennent Winn (Impala Bicycles) displaying one of the best suffer-faces of the day rode in for third.

In the Master B Race skill in the mud and snow again made the race as Ted Ingam (Cycle Solutions/Angry Johnny`s Racing) was able to use his technical skills to earn the win over the consistently strong Paul Greene (Chain Reaction CC). Robert Orange (Ride with Rendall) rode a strong race to claim third.

With all but two of the categories decided for the day the stage was set for the Senior Men and Master A provincial championship races. Almost as soon as the riders from the earlier races were finished, riders were on the course checking out the lines and warming up. A couple of the riders experimented with a line that would bring them directly into the barriers bypassing a chicane intended as a speed check before the dismount. Several riders also took the time to play with the air pressure in their tires trying to find the perfect balance between traction and rolling resistance. As the riders rolled around for their warm up laps, the pundits began to weigh in on their choices. Mike Garrigan (Epic Ride, Jetpower) was a strong favourite; the reigning national champ is a proven performer in muddy condition and is intending to attend Cyclocross worlds in Italy. Andrew Watson (Team Race.com/Barrie Cycling Club) is the leader in the Southern Ontario series and took an impressive win on the second day of the UCI cross at Toronto. Nathan Chown (Handlebars:Queen City Cyclists) is riding strong with two top fives at the UCI cross weekend in Toronto. Along with such perennial contenders as Aaron Fillion (Ottawa Bicycle Club) and Peter Morse (Jet Fuel Coffee), there were easily five top riders who could take the win and many dark horse candidates waiting in the wings to step up.

From the gun, the race was fast with. Garrigan, Watson and Chown confirming their strong legs with the three riders separating themselves from the pack by the end of the first lap. A strong train formed behind the three containing Fillion, Morse, Kyle Douglas (3Rox Racing) and Eric Box (Hub Bicycle Club). Riders were still bunched up coming into the barriers for the first several laps and this made for some excitement as riders fought for space. Race Promoters moved quickly to tape off the second line to the barriers as riders were hitting the dismount entirely too quickly. Zach Gammage (HB cycling club) was one of the unfortunate cyclists who clipped the barriers while attempting to go over them. Gammage however was unique in the fact that he somehow managed to rip the front of his shorts pretty badly in the process and was forced to retire from the race.

Several laps in, Garrigan made his move and a slip-up by Chown in one of the corners allowed Watson and Garrigan to get away. Chown dropped back as far as 6th place at one point riding at the back of the chase pack. Garrigan was able to put time into Watson and the gap held at 10 seconds between the two for the rest of the race. The gap back to the chasers quickly ballooned to over two minutes as Garrigan and Watson simply rode away from the rest of the field. In the end Garrigan was able to fend off Watson to claim the win on the day and the provincial title. Watson rode a strong race to finish up in second place. Behind the two Fillion and Chown had dropped eventual fifth place finisher Kyle Douglas and were lining it up for a sprint finish for third. Chown led out the sprint and in doing so was able to claim yet another podium finish. His string of good results as of late is sure to bolster his confidence as he intends to race in Europe later on this year.

In the Master A race Andrew Croutch (True North Cycles) was the story of the day. Capping off a strong season Crouch led from start to finish and never seemed to be in any danger. Steve Proulx (Stevens Cross) and Jon Barnes (Team Trek Store/Ride for Karen) both rode strongly to claim second and third respectively.