Canadian National Championships 2008
Canadians met in St. Georges de Beuce to battle for the right to wear the Maple Leaf Jersey in the Elite categories this week. Reports and results.

From July 4 to the 6th the Canadians battled in St. Georges de Beauce (Quebec) for the National titles. The titles in Canada went to Svein Tuft (TT), Anne Samplonius (TT), Alex Wrubleski (Road) and Christian Meier (Road). A round-up of the Canadian Nationals:

Men’s Time-Trial (40 km)
The Canadian TT title at the elite-men's level was won for the fourth time in his career by Svein Tuft. The three earlier titles were in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Last year he finished second behind Ryder Hesjedal. Hesjedal was not able to defend his title as he is currently racing for Garmin/Chipotle in the Tour de France. Tuft was after 40 km 1.52 faster than Ryan Roth and almost 3.00 faster than team mate Zach Bell.

Elite Men
Individual Time Trial Results
1 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Cycling) 0.51.24
2 Ryan Roth (Team RACE Pro) 1.52
3 Zach Bell (Symmetrics Cycling) 2.52
4 David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies) 3.12
5 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling) 3.41
6 Will Routley (Symmetrics Cycling) 3.47
7 Rob Britton (Trek Red Truck P/B M) 3.51
8 Bryson Bowers (Jet Fuel Coffee) 3.55
9 Alexandre Cloutier (Volkswagen) 4.27
10 Charles Dionne (Équipe du Québec) 4.38
11 Jean-Sébastien Perron (Eva-Devinci) 4.41
12 Garrett Mc Leod (Apogee-Kuota/Elicycl) 4.43
13 Mathieu Toulouse (Eva-Devinci) 4.50
14 Darko Ficko (La Bicicletta/J Lind) 4.55
15 Mark Walters (Team RACE Pro) 4.56
16 Charles Bryer (Ciclo Werks Presents) 5.04
17 Zack Garland (Kona-Adobe) 5.17
18 Guillaume Boivin (Équipe du Québec) 5.31
19 Keir Plaice (Team RACE Pro) 5.48
20 Ryan Béliveau (Apogee-Kuota/Elicycl) 5.55

Elite Men’s Road Race
The Road races at the Canadian nationals were familiar to most of the riders as it was the same course as stage five in the Tour de Beauce. It was a 9.6 kilometer circuit with an uphill finish of 1500 meter.

In the second lap of the race a large group attacked and included Pascal Bussieres (2peer.com), Jean-Sébastien Perron (Eva-Devinci) Jake Erker (Symmetrics), Erik Wohlberg (Symmetrics), Mark Walters (Team Race Pro), Mark Pozniak (Team Race Pro), Georges- Édouard Duquette (Équipe du Québec) and Martin Gilbert (Équipe du Québec). In the third lap Zach Bell bridged across to the break as well.

The break got a maximum lead of 2.30 and every counter-attack was neutralized by Team Symmetrics. Who had Erker and Wohlberg up front. Over half way through the race another four riders bridged across to the break. The four guys were Derrek Ivey (Mazurcoaching.com), Buck Miller (Team RACE Pro), Jeff Sherstobitoff (Symmetrics Cycling) and Bruno Langlois (Volkswagen).

The break worked well together but the bunch which had been reduced by a fast and hard race was not far behind. In the mean time Dominique Rollin and Christian Meier bridged across to the break as well.

With seven laps to go five riders attacked out of the break namely,  Mark Walters, Jakob Erker, Bruno Langlois, Derrick St. John and Christian Meier. Behind the five the group splintered to four to five chase groups spread over the course.

With less than five laps to go only Erker, Langlois and Meier stayed in the front as they dropped Walters and St. John. With two laps to go Erker got cramps and dropped off the back as well so we had Langlois and Meier left in front.

It became clear that the two could not be caught and that either Langlois or Meier would become the new Canadian National Road champion. The two worked well together and they were not able to get rid of each other, though they tried.  It came down to a sprint between the two. On the 1500 meter finishing climb it was Symmetrics rider Christian Meier who took the title ahead of Bruno Langlois.  Jakob Erker who finished as third at 1:08. Eric Wohlberg and Mathieu Toulouse rounded off the top 5.

This is Christian Meier's first year in the elite category. In the past he won U23 champion both on the road as in the time-trial.

Elite Men Road Race Results
1 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 4.38.32
2 Bruno Langlois (Can) Volkswagen
3 Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 1.08
4 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 2.45
5 Mathieu Toulouse (Can) Eva-Devinci
6 Keven Lacombe (Can) Équipe du Québec 3.01
7 David Veilleux* (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifa 3.07
8 Mark Walters (Can) Team RACE Pro 3.37
9 Ryan Roth (Can) Team RACE Pro 4.05
10 Jean-Sébastien Perron (Can) Eva-Devinci 5.59
11 Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 7.16
12 Éric Boily* (Can) Volkswagen 8.49
13 Dave Vukets* (Can) Trek Red Truck P/B Mosaic Homes 10.02
14 Derrick St John (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee 10.24
15 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10.39
16 Dominique Perras (Can) Eva-Devinci 10.49
17 Trevor Connor (Can) Chris Cookies/Swan Cycles 10.55
18 Georges-Édouard Duquette* (Can) Eva-Devinci 11.30
19 Charly Vives* (Can) Calyon pro cycling team 12.23
20 Jean-Michel Lachance* (Can) Volkswagen 13.14

Women’s Time-Trial (20 km)
Anne Samplonius successfully defended her national TT title in Quebec. Samplonius was, after 20 kilometers 4 seconds faster than the new U23 champion Julie Beveridge and Alex Wrubleski. Seven girls finished within one minute of Samplonius.

Elite and U23 Women's ITT Results
1 Anne Samplonius (Équipe du Québec) 29.59
2 Julie Beveridge (Aaron's Women's Pro ) 0.04
3 Alex Wrubleski (Webcor Builders Cycling)
4 Felicia Gomez (Aarons/L5Flyers) 0.11
5 Leigh Hobson (Cheerwine) 0.38
6 Merrill Collins (La Bicicletta/Lindeberg) 0.47
7 Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders Cycling) 0.51
8 Alison Testroete (Aarons Professional ) 1.18
9 Johanne Cyr (Équipe Cascades) 1.30
10 Moriah MacGregor (Giant) 1.32
11 Jennifer Stephenson (Team Ultralink) 1.35
12 Karol-Ann Canuel (Équipe du Québec) 1.49
13 Carrie Cartmill (Team Ontario) 1.51
14 Tricia K. Spooner (EMD Serono Stevens) 2.18
15 Veronique Bilodeau (Rocky Mountain/Lessard) 2.33
16 Vèronique Labontè (Équipe Cascades) 2.43
17 Stephanie Roorda (Giant) 2.53
18 Naomi Cermak (Terry Precision Cycling) 2.55
19 Heather Logan (Team Ontario) 3.02
20 Joanie Caron (Équipe Cascades) 3.03

Julie Beveridge is the new U23 TT Champion.

Women’s Road Race
The women didn’t do the same course as the men’s race. The 114 km (four laps of 28, 5 km) course was not technical and had no major climbs.

The first one to attack was time trial champion Anne Samplonius: she attacked in the second lap. At the end of that lap there formed a new break of twelve riders. The twelve riders were Alex Wrubleski, Leigh Hobson, Felicia Gomez, Julie Beveridge, Anne Samplonius, Erinne Willock, Heather Logan, Sue Schlatter, Merrill Collins, Joelle Numainvill, Audrey Lemieux and Natasha Elliott. Beveridge and Numainville were the only U23 riders in this group.

It became clear early that the national title would go to this elite group of  twelve. Attempts were made to bridge but each met with failure. The twelve worked well together and there were no attacks until half-way through  the final lap. Attacking earlier made little sense as the race was blessed by strong headwinds during the race.

Erinne Willock was the first one to launch an attack in the final lap. She got company of Leigh Hobson and Felicia Gomez. The trio got a maximum gap of 15 seconds but with less than 8 km to go the three were caught by six other riders. Numainville, Lemieux and Elliott who were part of the earlier break of twelve could not follow.

In the final kilometers no, attempts to escape rained on the, but nothing would stick. The race came down to a sprint won by Alex Wrubleski (Webcor). Wrubleski who successfully defended her national title won ahead of Leigh Hobson and Felicia Gomez. Julie Beveridge who finished in 7th is the new national U23 Road Champion which she can add to her time trial title for a double.

Elite & U23 Women's
Road Race Championships Results
1 Alex Wrubleski (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) 3.11.39
2 Leigh Hobson (Cheerwine)
3 Felicia Gomez (Aarons/L5Flyers)
4 Heather Logan (Team Ontario)
5 Sue Schlatter (EMD Serono Stevens)
6 Anne Samplonius (Équipe du Québec) 0.03
7 Julie Beveridge (Aaron's Women's Pro Cycling) 0.06
8 Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) 0.12
9 Merrill Collins (La Bicicletta/J Lindeberg)
10 Joelle Numainville (Équipe du Québec) 1.28
11 Audrey Lemieux (Équipe du Québec) 1.38
12 Natasha Elliott (EMD Serono/ Stevens) 1.47
13 Jennifer Stephenson (Team Ultralink) 7.24
14 Alison Testroete (Aarons Professional Cycling) 8.07
15 Jenny Trew (Giant)
16 Stephanie Roorda (Giant)
17 Joanie Caron (Équipe Cascades)
18 Cara Gillis (OrganicAthlete's Team Vegan)
19 Carrie Cartmill (Team Ontario)
20 Lucie Poulin (Le Yéti)

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