July 30, 2005 (Fernie, B.C.) – In classic Fernie fashion, cross-country race day was hot, and the fun but relentless 7.7-kilometre course was dry and dusty. The Canada Cup series resumed in the west with two first-time winners in the elite men’s and women’s races.

Espoir-aged Matt Hadley (NB, Radical Edge) decided to start conservatively because of the heat, but then he thought: “These guys aren’t going that fast,” he said. “I figured I might as well go for it.” He steadily moved up from eighth place until it was just New Zealand’s Mike Northcott (NZL, Jamis) in front of him. The two played a back and forth game for some time. On the final lap, Northcott attacked on a climb, getting a small gap on Hadley. Hadley caught back up on the following downhill and then counterattacked on a small uphill. The gap held and Hadley pulled out all the stops for the final big climb. Hadley will race at next weekend’s 45-kilometre point-to-point Canada Cup race from Fernie to Sparwood.

Northcott held on for second place, only allowing Hadley to put 43 seconds into him. Marty Lazarski (ON, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) grabbed the third podium spot.

Wendy Simms (BC, Frontrunners) attacked from the gun in the elite women’s competition. “I just took off like a rocket to see how long I could hold it for,” said the women’s cyclocross National Champion. After some bad luck earlier in the season, Simms focused on having fun today, which was not hard to do on the twisty, singletrack-heavy loop.

Mical Dyck (AB, Terrascape) put in a fourth second-place Canada Cup ride and continues to lead the series. “I felt good the whole race,” she said, adding that she made sure to drink a lot because of the heat. Dyck is itching for a win, which she will try for again at next week’s point-to-point event.

X-Terra racer Danelle Kabush (AB, Timex) finished third. “It was the best I’ve felt in a long time,” she commented.

B.C.’s Neal Kindree (BC, Team Squamish) pulled off an impressive ride, winning by almost three minutes over Junior National Champion Raphael Gagne (QC, La Vie Sportive). Third-place finisher Ian McAvity (NB, Darlings Island Bike Shop) said “heat was a factor” during the four-lap race, which started in the early afternoon, the hottest part of the day. The junior men started at 1:30 p.m. along with the elite men and women.

The heat didn’t bother the junior women’s winner, Emily Batty (ON, Gears Racing) as much as she expected, but she admitted things weren’t as hot for her 11:30 a.m. start as it was for the later races. She put almost six minutes into second-place finisher Isabelle Jacques (QC, La Vie Sportive). Batty is excited for the upcoming Canada Summer Games, which take place in Regina, Sask. next week. Her goal is to win the women’s cross-country event. “It will be tough though,” she said. The 17-year old will be up against women that are up to 23 years old.

Emilie Beaumont (QC, Cyclone Alma) pushed into third spot in the junior women’s race.

Results

Elite Men, 5 laps, 38.5km

1. Matt Hadley (NB, Radical Edge) 2:08:25
2. Mike Northcott (NZL, Jamis) at 0:43
3. Martin Lazarski (ON, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) 1:29
4. Kris Sneddon (BC, Kona-Les Gets) 2:26
5. Andrew Watson (ON, Gears Racing) 3:11
6. Frederic Bussieres (QC, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) 3:54
7. Tim Heemsherk (AB, United Cycle) 9:28
8. Tristan Galbraith (Kona) 9:59
9. Brendan Macintosh (BC, Riders Cycle) 10:28
10. Jonathan Boulanger (QC, Equipe du Quebec) 12:03

Elite Women, 4 laps, 30.8km

1. Wendy Simms (BC, Frontrunners) 2:06:59
2. Mical Dyck (AB, Terrascape Racing) at 1:00
3. Danelle Kabush (AB, Timex) 5:16
4. Meghan Kindree (BC, Team Squamish) 7:57
5. Catharine Pendrel (BC, Bike Barn) 8:45
6. Sandra Walter (BC, AdventureBound.ca) 9:59
7. Madelaine Bate (AB, Terrascape Racing) 10:40
8. Elsie Torresan (QC, Devinci) 13:09
9. Trish Grajozyk (AB, Bow Cycle) 16:31
10. Jean Ann McKirdy (BC, Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) 18:52

Junior Men, 4 laps, 30.8km

1. Neal Kindree (BC, Team Squamish) 1:43:13
2. Raphael Gagne (QC, La Vie Sportive) at 2:51
3. Ian McAvity (NB, Darlings Island Bike Shop) 6:49
4. Leni Trudel (QC, Le Yeti) 10:55
5. Georges-Edouard Duquette (QC, Sportif Bromont) 12:04

Junior Women, 3 laps, 23km
1. Emily Batty (ON, Gears Racing) 1:40:20
2. Isabelle Jacques (QC, La Vie Sportive) at 5:52
3. Emilie Beaumont (QC, Cyclone Alma) 6:35
4. Katherine Short (BC, On the Edge) 10:10
5. Danielle Kenny (AB, Bow Cycle) 11:22