November 6, 2010 (Toronto, ON) – New champions were crowned on Saturday as the Canadian National Cyclo-cross championships, commonly held in the western part of the country, moved east this year as Ziggy Martuzalski of ZM Cycle & Fitness brought the race to Toronto.

Fabulous fall weather with bright sunshine, blue skies and zero degrees greeted riders for the day of competition. While the racing was slated to start at 9am eager riders were already assembling their bikes in the parking lot before 7am. The venue, Cedarvale Park, is no stranger to cyclo-cross as the site has been used for Ziggy’s Turkey Cross events for the past several years. Today the undulating course took a fierce toll on some riders.

In the 9am Master 50+ Men’s race, Toronto’s own Robert Sule of Chain Reaction stormed away from the field to take the title by more than a minute over Peter Wellsman from Victoria, BC. Jim Laird (ON) TI Cycle Racing took the final spot on the podium.

The Master 30+ women’s field formed the second wave of the 9am race. Julie Lafrenière of Quebec’s Kunstadt Sports Cycling Club would build an insurmountable gap to take the win in front of HB Cycling Club’s Michelle Cordy with Mélissa Houde (QC) Sportif Bromont claiming the bronze.

In the massive Master 40-49 Men’s field, Derek Hardinge from Toronto’s Lapdog Cycling Team held an early lead but an unfortunate mishap with a park pedestrian ended his race within the first few laps. The chase group battled it out and BC’s Normon Thibault of Nanaimo’s Frontrunners team would prevail over local favourite Andrew Croutch of True North Cycles for the title with Marc Boudreau (ON) DisasterRecovery.com in third.

To no one’s surprise, Peter Mogg of the Hub Cycling Team took the Master 30-39 Men’s race but not with the dominance that Ontario racers have become accustomed to. Calgary’s Chris McNeil of Team H&R Block gave spectators a show and Mogg a run for his money finishing a scant 7 seconds behind the winner. Ontario’s Kim Steed of Steed Cycles landed the final spot on the podium.

In the Junior Men’s race, Karl Hoppner of EMD Serono/ Specialized made a valiant, early effort but was reeled in by St. Catharines rider Benjamin Perry who took the win. Quebec’s Felix Cote Bouvette (Vélo Sélect-Prud’Homme-Glasshield) was an early contender as well but settled for third as Hoppner overtook him on the final lap for the silver. “It’s a good course – the power sections suited me,” said Perry post-race. “I bridged up to Felix and he seemed tired and had some sort of mechanical so I just kept hammering to the finish.”

In the U23 Men’s race Ontario’s Evan McNeely of EMD Serono/Specialized dominated for the title. Defending champ Evan Guthrie (BC) Rocky Mountain Bicycles Factory Team took an early lead but McNeely and Jared Stafford (ON) BikeSports Racing Team caught him with McNeely taking over as race leader by the second lap, a position he would not relinquish. Stafford rode a strong race to claim the silver while Garrett McLeod (Team H&R Block) from Nova Scotia took the bronze. Guthrie who’s been recovering from illness ended up in fifth. At the finish both spectators and riders felt the race ended before the 50-minute mark but when asked if he felt another lap would have made a difference, Stafford replied, “Evan was in a league of his own today.”

Winner McNeely was happy with his victory, “After the start loop I was able to pass some riders and get the front and pick up the pace. I knew Jarod and the others were chasing so kept a fast pace and checked to make sure my lead was holding up to the end.”

Some big names graced the start line for the relatively small Elite women’s field and with retired defending champ Alison Sydor not on the start line there were many contenders. When the dust settled it was veteran BC rider Wendy Simms (Ridley-FSA), back after a year off to have her first child (son Tycho), topping the podium to take her fifth National ‘cross title. Simms, Natasha Elliott (ON) Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault, Katy Curtis (AB) Team Alberta and Pepper Harlton (AB) Team Alberta/Juventus Cycling Club established 4-rider lead with reigning Canadian MTB champ ranked #1 in world, Catharine Pendrel (BC) Luna Pro Team, close behind. Harlton crashed at the end of the second lap as Simms and Curtis battled at the front while the others chased. But Simms could not be matched by the Calgary rider as she claimed the victory. Pendrel showed her prowess on the bike powering from 5th place to 3rd as she caught and passed Elliott and Harlton on the final lap for the bronze.

“Katy was on my wheel the whole race and I did not want Pepper and her against me so I went to the front and pushed it. Katy is super strong and a smart rider,” said Simms celebrating here fifth CX title. “I had to give it everything I had to stay ahead of those two – great racing for sure and an awesome course.”

In the Elite Men’s race, Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain Bicycles p/b Shimano) from BC launched an aggressive attack from the start. Local celebrity Mike Garrigan (ON) Independent and Edmonton’s Aaron Schooler (Team H&R Block) were the only ones to close the gap and the three formed a break for most of the race. Another favourite Derrick St. John (ON) Garneau-Club Chaussures-Ogilvy Renault trailed behind in 4th and did not have the gas today to bridge to the leaders. Towards the end of the race, Garrigan would challenge and only Sheppard would answer, leaving Schooler to fend for himself. Dueling back and forth, disaster struck with half a lap to go when Garrigan’s tubular rolled off. Sheppard sailed to victory as Garrigan was able to ride the last few hundred meters cautiously on the off-camber sections to take the silver with Schooler holding on to 3rd.

“It was a really challenging course – the climbing separated the men from the boys pretty quick,” commented Sheppard who won his first CX national title. “I was hoping we could work together and stay away from fast riders like Derrick St. John. I just kept driving at the front and it all worked out.”

A big thank you to Martuzalski, ZM Cycle and crew for having the vision and perseverance to bring this race to Toronto proving once again that top level bike racing can happen in the city.

Masters results here.
Junior Men’s results here.
U23 Men’s results here.
Elite Women’s results here.
Elite Men’s results here.