November 4, 2010 (Ottawa, ON) – The 2010 Cyclo-cross National Championships will be held in Toronto, Ontario, on Saturday, November 6, 2010. Canada’s top cyclists in cyclo-cross, along with some of the country’s best in road cycling and mountain biking will be amongst those on the start line of the race.

The event is organized by ZM Cycling and Fitness in collaboration with the Ontario Cycling Association (OCA) and is sanctioned by the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA)

The 2010 cyclo-cross Nationals will be held at Cedarvale Park and activities start at 9:00 A.M. The pressure will be high at these National Championships as it represents is a selection race for athletes looking to participate at the 2011 World Championships in St. Wendel, Germany.

The 2010 cyclo-cross Nationals will crown two new champions as the defending champions in the Elite category will be absent. Geoff Kabush of Courtenay, BC is recouping from his mountain bike season and Alison Sydor retired from competitive cycling.

The absence of the two defending champions will open the door to Ontario’s Mike Garrigan, the 2007 National Champion in Men’s Elite and Wendy Simms, the 2008 champion in the Women’s elite to capture the coveted titles. Garrigan competed at the first two world cup races of the 2010-2011 season, while Simms is making a comeback after taking a year out of cycling.

The event will include some recognizable faces on the start line, such as Garrigan, Simms, Catharine Pendrel, Laura Bietola, Mical Dyck, Evan McNeely and Amanda Sin just to name a few.

Cyclo-cross is an exciting cycling sport that is typically practiced by cyclists coming from either mountain bike or road disciplines. The discipline, internationally governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) saw its first World Championship in 1950 in Paris, France.

The cyclo-cross race usually consists of many laps, on a short course built with many obstacles for the cyclists to overcome. Some obstacles, such as steep banks, sand/mud traps or stairs, often requires the cyclist to dismount from their bicycle prior to remount to pursue the race.

Registration for the event will be available until Thursday, November 4th on the Ontario Cycling Association website at www.ontariocycling.org.

The Canadian Cycling Association is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, the CCA aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship medal performances.

With the vision to be a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased national participation and world class event hosting, the CCA manages the National teams, hosts national and international events, and administers community programs to promote cycling in Canada. For more information, please visit: www.canadian-cycling.com.