While cyclocrossers in the States are busy racing at Cincy and HPCX, their friends to the north are headed to Sherbrooke, QC for the 2017 Canadian National Championships.
The race takes place at Jacques Cartier Park along the shores of Lac des Nations, which is where the 2016 Canadian Nationals were also held.
Last year’s Women’s winner Maghalie Rochette (Clif Pro Team) is back to defend her title, while defending Men’s winner Jeremy Martin is not registered for the race. Rochette is missing out on the opportunity to vie for the expanded US Cup-CX overall prize purse to race for the honor of donning the Maple Leaf kit for another year.
Maghalie Rochette had a strong ride for second on Sunday. 2017 Charm City Cross Day 2. © M. Colton / Cyclocross Magazine
The Canadian Nationals races are taking place on Saturday. The Elite Women start at 1:20 p.m. and the Men at 2:20 p.m. Eastern.
Below is a course map for 2017. Last year’s race turned into a mudder, so the course is not a stranger to gnarly cyclocross conditions
2017 Canadian Nationals course map. Sherbrooke CX.
The Women’s race features several names that should be familiar to fans on both sides of the border. Joining Rochette will be Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Sas Macogep Aquisio), Mical Dyck (Naked Factory Racing) and Natasha Elliot (Garneau-Easton p/b Transitions LifeCare). Ruby West (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) will be racing in the Women’s U23 race.
Christel Ferrier Bruneau is one of the riders vying for the Canadian national championship in 2017. ©D. Mable / cxmagazine.com
The Men’s list is headed up by Michael van den Ham (Garneau Easton p/b Transitions LifeCare), Geoff Kabush (SCOTT Sports – Maxxis), Mark McConnell (Hot Sauce Cycling), Craig Richey (Garneau-Easton p/b Transitions LifeCare) and Raphael Gagne (Cannondale 3Rox Racing).
Michael van den Ham is looking to win his first Canadian Nationals since winning as a U23 in 2013. © Randy Lewis/lewisimages
Full start lists for both races are below.
Women's Start List - 2017 Canadian Nationals
| First | Last | City | Providence | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley | Barson | Bolton | ON | Focus CX Canada |
| Lyne | Bessette | Sutton | QC | 100B7/Felt |
| Laurence | Bourque | Boucherville | QC | Club des Dynamiks de Contrecoeur |
| Mical | Dyck | Cumberland | BC | Naked Factory Racing |
| Natasha | Elliott | Gatineau | QC | Garneau - Easton p/b Transitions LifeCare |
| Christel | FERRIER | Granby | QC | Sas Macogep Aquisio |
| Genevi?ve | Fradet-Carlos | Mont-Royal | QC | Stingray-trek par ultime velo |
| Lisa | Holmgren | orillia | ON | Centurion Next Wave |
| Shantel | Koenig | Edmonton | AB | redbike |
| Beatrice | Le Sauteur | Boucherville | QC | |
| Jill | Messier | Gatineau | QC | West of Quebec Wheelers |
| Cindy | Montambault | Val-David | QC | Trek GPL |
| Andr?anne | Murdaca | Montr?al | QC | Dynamiks de Contrecoeur |
| Natascha | Piciga | Toronto | ON | Giant Toronto/Liv pb Powerwatts |
| Maghalie | Rochette | St-Jerome | QC | CLIF Pro Team |
| Anna | Schappert | Winnipeg | MB | |
| Julie | van der Hoop | Woods Hole | MA | GREEN LINE VELO driven by Zipcar |
| Sandra | Walter | Coquitlam | BC | Liv Cycling Canada |
| Jodi | Wendland | Ottawa | ON | Cyclery Racing |
Men's Start List - 2017 Canadian Nationals
| First | Last | City | Providence | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osmond | Bakker | Stittsville | ON | The Bandits |
| Chris | Barson | Bolton | ON | CoachChris.Ca/Joe Rouseau/Garneau |
| William | Blackburn | lasalle | QC | V?lo 2000-Peak Centre |
| Parker | Bloom | Victoria | BC | Broad Street Cycles p/b Stuckylife |
| Leandre | Bouchard | Alma | QC | BH SR Suntour KMC |
| Mathieu | B?langer-Barrette | Quebec | QC | PIVOT CYCLES OTE CANADA |
| Patrick | Chartrand | Bromont | QC | Bromont Represent |
| Marc-Andre | Daigle | Montr?al | QC | Garneau Easton p/b Transsitions Life care |
| Michael | Dalterio | St faustin lac carr? | QC | |
| Ryan | DeWald | Mt penn | PA | Team Skyline |
| Peter | Disera | Barrie | ON | Norco Factory Team |
| Scott | Fitzgerald | Toronto | ON | Mariposa Bicycles |
| Raphael | Gagne | Qu?bec | QC | Cannondale 3Rox Racing |
| Sjaan | Gerth | Ottawa | ON | Mariposa Cycle Racing Team |
| Jan | Goh | Montreal | QC | Bikurious Racing Collective |
| William | Goodfellow | Montreal | QC | VeloSelect |
| Sylvain | Jean | Morin-Heights | QC | Mad Alchemy |
| Geoff | Kabush | Squamish | BC | SCOTT SPORTS - Maxxis |
| Guillaume | L. Walsh | Bromont | QC | Veloselect |
| Richard | Machhein | Maple Ridge | BC | Team Giant Vancouver |
| Peter | Mancini | Montr?al | QC | Crank Studio |
| Cesalpino | Marques Faria | Inhapim | BRA | VALES DE MINAS |
| Mark | McConnell | Calgary | AB | Hot Sauce Cycling |
| Evan | McNeely | Ottawa | ON | Ride with Rendall pb/ Biemme |
| Isaac | Niles | Turner Valley | AB | garneau easton p/b transitions lifecare |
| Xavier | Perreault | Val d'Or | QC | Accro v?lo |
| Antoine | Proulx | Rimouski | QC | V?lo Plein Air |
| Marilyne | Proulx | Bromont | QC | Dalbix |
| Craig | Richey | North Vancouver | BC | Garneau - Easton p/b Transitions LifeCare |
| Philippe | Riopel | Calgary | AB | Ridley's Cycle |
| Derrick | St John | Gatineau | QC | Van Dessel p/b Hyperthreads |
| Jean-Philippe | Thibault-Roberge | Sherbrooke | QC | Trek Cyclocross Collective |
| Edouard | Tougas | Montr?al | QC | |
| Bryan | Tyers | newcastle | ON | Lakeside Storage Cyclocross |
| Michael | van den Ham | Abbotsford | BC | Garneau - Easton Cycling p/b Transitions Life Care |
| Anton | varabei | toronto | ON | TORONTO HUSTLE |
