VAN DEN HAM TOP CANADIAN ON DAY 2 OF CYCLO-CROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cycling Canada – LUXEMBOURG, Jan. 29, 2017 – Michael Van den Ham of Edmonton was the top Canadian rider on Sunday at the Cyclo-cross World Championships in Bieles, Luxembourg, finishing 38th in the Elite Men’s race.

Rain overnight turned an already muddy course into a slick and treacherous one, with riders coated in mud after the first lap of the course.  Cyclo-cross powerhouse nations Belgium and Netherlands dominated the Elite race, taking the top six spots, with Wout van Aert of Belgium winning the title ahead of Dutch rival Mathieu van der Poel.

Only 29 of 64 starters finished on the same lap as the winner, with Van den Ham finishing two laps down. Canadian national champion Jeremy Martin of Quebec City was 47th, 3 laps back, and Mark McConnell of Calgary was 55th, 4 laps down.

Photo Rob Jones/Canadian Cyclist (All Rights Reserved)

“It was really muddy today,” agreed McConnell.  “But I’ve never had more fun at a race, I think.  There was obstacle after obstacle, but the crowd was fantastic. I had the worst luck…I crashed at the start and had a flat, but it was just carnage today. I was just doing everything to focus on my lines and keep it upright.”

In the Under-23 Men’s race, held earlier in the day, Trevor O’Donnell of Barrie, Ontario, was the only Canadian entrant, finishing 46th, 3 laps down on winner Joris Nieuwenhuis of the Netherlands.
 
About Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, Cycling Canada aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic, and World Championship medal performances. With the vision of being a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased national participation and world class event hosting, Cycling Canada manages the High Performance team, hosts national and international events and administers programs to promote and grow cycling across the country. Cycling Canada programs are made possible through the support of its valued corporate partners – Global Relay, Lexus Canada, Mattamy Homes, Louis Garneau and Bear Mountain Resort – along with the Government of Canada, Own The Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

-30-