City set to host cyclocross nationals
Cycling’s fastest-growing race will bring 500 competitors to Peterborough for the 2018 Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships Nov. 9-11.
The Peterborough Cycling Club unveiled the 3.2 kilometre course they’ll use at Nicholls Oval on Sunday in race four of the local cyclocross series. The course incorporates the nearby Rotary Park and Trail.
Organizers used the race to promote the upcoming nationals in hopes of attracting spectators to the free event. The Friday will feature children’s and corporate races. Saturday is the national championships and Sunday has an International Cycling Union (UCI) points race.
Cyclocross is a short course hybrid of road racing and allterrain mountain biking.
“It’s a super high-intensity sport that Is full gas for 30 minutes to an hour,” said race director John Hauser. “You’re essentially riding a road bike with knobby tires over grass, asphalt with obstacles on the course that force dismounts.
“I call it the steeplechase of cycling. It has that obstacle course element and is much shorter than mountain bike and road courses. It’s on a closed short circuit so as a spectator you get to watch the racers go by 10 or 11 times.”
About 100 riders raced Sunday many to check out the course like Toronto’s Anton Varabei. He won the expert men’s division 10 seconds ahead of local rider Kai Christensen. Peterborough’s Kathy Eggenberger won the women’s expert division.
“The main purpose was to see what the course is going to look like and study it,” said Varabei. “It was great. The weather is going to change for November so wet conditions might make it a completely different race. The back-side has some good hills and run ups. It’s pretty interesting,”
Christensen, 37, attended his first nationals in Sherbrooke, Que., last year.
“Cyclocross has been growing pretty steadily in town at the club or grassroots level,” said Christensen. “Word is getting around that Peterborough has a good scene for cyclocross racing.”
Hauser said riders of a wide variety of ages and abilities will participate at nationals.
“It’s cool you can come to an event and watch the absolute highest calibre of racers and you can participate on the exact same course,” said Hauser. “It’s almost like going to a Toronto Maple Leafs’ game but you get to play on the ice before the Leafs.”
For more event information visit www.ptbocx.com.