Zandstra of Ontario-based SCOTT-3RoxRacing took the Elite men’s title by attacking his teammate and three-time Olympian Geoff Kabush, and the two-time defending Canadian champion Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Cannondale) of Victoria, BC with two laps to go in the six-lap, 36km race.
“I am pretty fired up to win the title and wear the Red and White jersey. I have had a lot of second and third places in the past, always being so close,” said Zandstra, who was elated to win his first Elite title.
Cameron Jette (SCOTT-3 Rox Racing) set an early fast pace forcing everyone to be on their toes as a 10-strong chase group formed behind. By the second lap there were five leaders including Kabush, Zandstra, Plaxton and Raphael Gagne (Rocky) but soon after Kabush attacked. By the third lap it was a 3-horse race with Plaxton and Zandstra trying to reel in Kabush. On Lap 4 it looked like Zandstra was fading but by the halfway mark he’d surged to take over the lead and never looked back.
“We certainly had some team tactics today. We had three of us [SCOTT-3 Rox Racing] in the top 4 today. We played around at the beginning of the race, something we tried last weekend to see how it would work… and it worked out pretty awesome today. Geoff and I had some different setups out there, and we were able to capitalize on our strengths and weaknesses, and use them to our advantage,” explained the new champ.
“It was a long race and going into the last lap, I couldn’t feel my legs, but I stayed focused and relaxed and tried not to mess it up! I’ve been doing it for so long that you just know what you’ve got to do at the end, and hope for the best. It’s a bonus to know that you are pulling away time as you are just pacing yourself. It gave me a little more confidence,” added Zandstra.
With the victory, Zandstra becomes the first Ontario rider to win an Elite title at the Canadian Cross Country Mountain Bike Championships.
Kabush went on to take the second place by attacking in the last section of the course, with Plaxton taking the third place.
Women’s Race
In the women’s race, it was no surprise to see Batty, racing with team Trek Factory Racing, winning the title as the four-time defending champion Catharine Pendrel was not on the start line, nursing a fractured collar bone. Batty has been in fine form this season, stepping once on the World Cup podium in Val di Sole, Italy.
Batty started her domination very early in the 5-lap race, and never looked back riding with confidence throughout the race. Behind her Canada MTB Cup series leader Sandra Walter (Liv/Giant) established herself in second place with Amanda Sin (Scott-3Rox Racing) and teammate Mikaela Kofman chasing her down. As Batty pulled away Walter held her own in second as Sin tried to close in vain. On the fourth lap Kofman had an untimely crash and was out as the final podium was formed by the three leaders.
“I was so excited way back when it was announced that Hardwood Ski and Bike would host the Canadian championships. I just know the course like the back of my hand. I know it very well. I am really happy on how I was feeling throughout the race, despite waking up this morning with an extremely bad sore throat,” said Batty post-race, surrounded by a large crew of supporters.
“I am really honoured to not be wearing my black team kit! I am excited to go to Europe proudly wearing the Maple Leaf on my back as Canadian champion.”
“I was really looking forward to getting a chance to win the Elite title. It’s so unfortunate that Catharine couldn’t be here (nursing a collar bone fracture). I know exactly what she is feeling having been through the same injury last summer. I think both of us acknowledged that we would have had an awesome battle,” added Batty.
The Elite title is the first for Batty in cross-country, after winning four consecutive U23 titles before turning elite two seasons ago. This was also Walter’s first National medal and she couldn’t be happier.
“I’m really happy with my race today and left it all out there. I knew it would have taken something incredible to win the jersey but I still came to the start line knowing anything is possible. Finishing second to an amazing athlete like Emily is an honour and sharing the podium with her and a fighter like Amanda was an honour. The fans were great and a my team and friends helped me earn a spot on the podium,” commented Walter.
Sin, who has won several National medals, was also happy with her race, “I’m very happy with my race and felt good out there today. The course suited me with the technical features and steep climbs.”
The two Elite titles represent a milestone for Ontario, which had not won an Elite title at the Canadian Cross-Country Mountain Bike Championships since 2000, when Chrissy Redden won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000 when both races were held at Camp Fortune, QC.
U23 Races
In the U23 races, Frédérique Trudel of Breakyville, QC, riding for the Équipe du Québec/Specialized Racing Canada, sent a strong message today, imposing herself in her first Canadian championships in the U23 age category. Trudel, a two-time Canadian Junior champion and past Canada Cup Champion, started her race with a nice tempo, and managed to bring herself back to the front of the group in the last two laps to take the victory. Andréane Lanthier-Nadeau (QC) Rocky Mountain Factory Racing Team who lead for the first half of the race finished second, while Maghalie Rochette of Powerwatts-Nord rounded out the podium in third.
Mitchell Baily of Barrie, ON (Trek Canada Racing Team) took his first Canadian title in the U23 category since winning back-to-back titles as a Cadet (U17) rider in 2007 and 2008. Baily ended Léandre Bouchard’s run of two consecutive titles in the highly competitive age category. 2010 Junior Canadian Champion Evan McNeely of Ottawa, ON took second place, followed by Antoine Caron of Stoneham, QC (Équipe du Québec/Specialized Racing Canada) in third.
Junior and U17 Races
Brothers Peter and Quinton Disera left a mark on their home turf on Saturday, both winning a Canadian title in their respective age categories.
Peter, who won notably the junior time trial race at the Canadian Road Championships earlier in Lac Mégantic, QC, and the junior title at the Canadian Cyclo-Cross Championships last fall, was without a doubt the number one rider to watch today in the men’s junior race. Disera certainly delivered a spectacular performance, taking the title by over two minutes over his closest competitor, Félix Burke of Mont-Tremblant (CVM 2 Vals), and almost three minutes on third-place finisher Félix Belhumeur (Équipe du Québec-Lessard Bicycle).
“It was unexpected for the both of us. Those wins were something different for us,” acknowledged Peter, who lives six kilometres from the Championships venue and trains at Hardwood Ski and Bike. “This title feels awesome. The other title I won this year, the time trial, was one where I just showed up and did my best. The Cyclo-cross was also one that I was gunning for, and it went well. This one today, I was training hard for, and knew the competition would be there, and that I had to go.”
Peter Disera extends the streak to four of Ontario wins in the Junior Men category. In the last four editions of the event, an Ontario rider has won the junior men’s MTB category.
Younger brother Quinton, in his first year as a Cadet and making his first appearance at the Canadian Cross Country Championships, also demonstrated his skills by winning the race by 2:23 over Tyler Orschel (Team Ontario-Trek Store) in second place. Cédrik Cantin (Équipe VESR) finished third to complete the podium.
“It feels pretty awesome to wear this jersey. All the hard work that we put into it just paid off today, and I am looking forward to the next races this season. I’d be interested in racing in the junior races next year,” commented Quinton.
“There are many people that my brother and I have to thank, including my parents who have trucked us to all these races and paid for all this jazz. Team Ontario have been a great help, as well as both of our coaches and neighbour in the community,” added Peter.
In the women’s junior race, Rachel Pageau (Équipe du Québec-Devinci) took the opportunity left by the departure of two-time defending champion Trudel to the Espoirs category, and rode away to win her first Canadian championships jersey. Pageau spent some this year in Europe, racing at the UCI World Cup in Val di Sole (ITA) representing the Canadian National Team. Haley Golding (Team Ontario-CSAJCC p/b Norco) took second place, followed by Gabrielle April (Rocky Mountain Bicycle/Procycle) in third.
After Kristina Laforge’s victory in 2010, and Trudel’s two-year stretch, Pageau continues Québec’s strong performances in the Junior women’s category, earning the fourth consecutive title by a Quebec rider.
In the women’s cadet race, Soren Meeuwisse of Barrie, ON, and daughter of race organizer Glenn Meeuwisse, rode the very familiar course with ease, and took the title with a lead of over two minutes on Liah Harvey of Banff, Alberta. Arianne Lewis of St-Sauveur, QC ended her day on the mountain in third position.
The races were held at the Hardwood Ski and Bike Resort, near Barrie, ON, which underwent dramatic changes to its trails to welcome the best Canadian riders for these Championships, including the addition of climbs and man-made technical sections which offered the riders a tough course.
Racing resumes tomorrow with the presentation of the exciting and face-paced Team Relay, with Team Ontario looking to defend its two-year reign at the top, as well as the Championship races for the Masters categories.
Full results HERE.