City to host national meet
2018 Canadian Cyclecross Championships
Peterborough has been named host site for the 2018 Canadian Cyclecross Championships.
The historic Peterborough Lift Lock will be the backdrop and part of the course upwards of 500 cyclists will traverse Nov. 9 to 11, 2018.
The Peterborough Cycling Club and Cykelhaus Race Promotions announced Friday their bid to stage the event had been chosen.
The Canadian championship will be hosted on the Saturday bookended by community events and other races on the Friday and a Union of Cyclists Internationale (UCI) race on the Sunday.
Cyclecross is a hybrid of road racing and mountain biking where riders do laps on a short course, generally two to four kilometres, navigating multiple surfaces and obstacles. The course will utilize trails and green space south of the Lift Lock Visitors Centre, Ashburnham Drive, the Lift Lock and a small portion of Armour Hill east of the Peterborough Centennial Museum.
“Peterborough has a great cycling culture and our cyclocross race series in particular has seen tremendous growth over the last several years,” said PCC president Jeff Faulds. “Seeing this develop into selection as the host city for the national championships is incredibly rewarding.”
The PCC started its cyclecross series in 2010 with six riders and this year welcomes its 100th rider.
Kris Sieber, Peterborough CX the sport has experienced similar growth across Canada.
“It’s the fastest growing segment of cycling,” Sieber said. “Part of it is the hybridization of road biking and mountain biking.”
The event will have divisions for all skill levels from novice to elite. One of the attractions to the sport, Sieber said, is it’s open to all levels making it an ideal family sport.
“Typically most competitors will come with families and there will be a ton of kids around the race course,” he said.
Races last between 30 to 60 minutes and are intense workouts, he said.
“It’s a real challenge,” Sieber said. “Your heart rate is at its peak for about an hour and you’re facing mud, snow, asphalt, gravel, sand and we throw logs in the way that you have to hop over or carry your bike over. It’s unlike anything else and I think that’s the real appeal.”
The short course makes for ideal spectator sight lines. The event’s proximity to East City’s commercial area and downtown Peterborough augment the location for visitors, say organizers.
“Among cycling disciplines, cyclecross is certainly one of the most engaging and appealing for spectators,” said CykelHaus principal John Hauser.
“The short course offers great visibility, riders are on the limit from start to finish and oft-unpredictable conditions make for great racing and give fans plenty to cheer about. It’s something we’re very excited to bring to, and share with, Peterborough.”
Faulds said cyclecross also has a unique culture not seen in most sports.
“Hand-ups, cowbells, heckling, costumes; it’s equal parts sport and carnival at times,” he said. “We’re focused on delivering a memorable weekend for racers and spectators.”
Sieber said the club is also going to create a fundraiser to coincide with the event. Details are to be finalized.
“Any time you can get a group of people together of that size it’s nice if you can use it for some degree of community betterment,” Sieber said.
The club also hopes to attract new riders.
“It’s something we are very passionate about and because it’s easy and accessible to do we hope there will be some residual effect. That once people see it and immerse themselves in it, it’s something they may choose to take up, too,” Sieber said.