July 22, 2018 (Canmore, AB) – Superb conditions greeted riders as 13 titles were awarded at the 2018 Canadian XCO Championships on Saturday headlined by Emily Batty (ON) Trek Factory and Peter Disera (ON) Norco Factory who defended their Elite Women’s and Men’s titles respectively at the Canmore Nordic Centre in Alberta.

Elite Women’s Race
Batty was the clear favourite in the Elite women’s 6-lap 22.5km race with perennial rival, Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team), still recovering from injury. Coming off three back-to-back podiums in Europe on the UCI MTB World Cup circuit, Batty gunned it from the start and took no prisoners en route to her third consecutive title with a 3:40 gap at the finish.

“It’s great to win the title again,” said Batty at the finish. “With lots of travel recently and having just returned from Europe you never know but I felt good. I was under pressure by the other girls for the first couple of laps but I raced the course like a World Cup as anything can go wrong.”

Sandra Walter (BC) Liv Canada took the silver as she battled with Haley Smith (ON) Norco Factory who was ahead during the opening laps but flatted opening the door for Walter who passed Smith and hammered as she extended her lead to 2:20 over her rival at the finish as Smith settled for the bronze.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to continue my strong results in Europe at home,” said Walter. “I was really motivated when I got by Haley following her flat and really started pushing it until the finish.”

Elite Men’s Race
The Elite men’s 7-lap 22.5km race saw early action as defending champ Disera took an early lead but Raphael Gagne (QC) Silverback OMX, the winner in 2016, took over gaining a strong gap of 52 seconds by the final lap.

Fate was not on Gagne’s side as a flat forced him into the pits for a wheel change as Disera passed him and soloed into victory to defend his national title. Gagne recovered to take the silver as Leandre Bouchard (QC) KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour took the bronze.

“I wasn’t on today and didn’t feel fantastic. I spent all my matches at the beginning trying to get a gap but Raph counter-attacked and then the gap grew,” said Disera. “I wasn’t riding clean and was upset with myself the entire race. It was tough and it hurt but it always does. Then when I finally accepted that I’d be second I saw Raph in the pits on the last lap and gave it my all to the finish. I’m really happy with this victory and hats off to Raph, he rode amazing but that’s racing sometimes.”

“I have a lot of reasons to be happy, but one reason that is tough to swallow,” said Gagne. “It’s going to take a while to get over this one. But, I’d rather have good legs and not deliver, than the opposite, so I’m happy with my fitness. Today I was strongest I think, I proved it, but sometimes you need a bit of luck. That’s racing.”

U23/Junior Races
Laurie Arseneault (QC) ACQ took an early lead and never looked back to win the U23 women’s title over Emily Unterberger (BC) Pendrel Racing who moved up well during the race to claim second. Sophianne Samson (QC) CVM Sigma Assurance was third. Roxanne Vermette (QC) Equipe du Quebec defended her title as the Junior women’s champ.

In the Under-23 Men’s race, Sean Fincham (BC) Forward Racing Norco was unstoppable as he quickly established a gap and moved up well through the Elite men’s field – with a 2-min gap – to finish 4th overall. Marc-Andre Fortier and Raphael Auclair both with Team Pivot-OTE, were second and third respectively. In the Junior Men’s race it was Carter Woods (Cycling BC) who claimed the title.

Results here.