Pendrel and L’Esperance Take Bear Mountain Canada MTB Cup Series Opener Wins

April 01, 2018 (Victoria, BC) – The 2018 Canada Cup Mountain Bike Series opened on Saturday with wins in the Elite women and men by Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro) and Andrew L’Esperance (Forward Racing – Norco). Held at Bear Mountain Resort, just outside Victoria, BC, the course is situated in the foothills of Mount Finlayson with breathtaking views of Victoria’s seaside harbour. Bear Mountain Resort is the national training centre for Canada’s mountain bike squad.

Pendrel, the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist and defending champion at Bear Mountain, rode away from the rest of the women’s field to win by nearly one minute over Haley Smith (Norco Factory). Smith will head to Gold Coast, Australia, from Bear Mountain, to represent Canada at the Commonwealth Games. American Haley Batten (Clif Pro) took third, with Canadian national champion Emily Batty (Trek Factory) in fourth. Batty will also represent Canada at Gold Coast.“Bear Mountain treated us to some dry conditions,” said Pendrel. “I had a strong start, following Haley Smith, who led the race out. There was a pretty big group of us still at the descent, but coming to the climb I went to the front and was able to open a gap, which I held to the finish.”

In the men’s race, L’Esperance held off Commonwealth Games athlete Leandre Bouchard (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour) by a slim two second margin to take the victory. National champion Peter Disera (Norco Factory) finished third, despite flatting twice and having to fight his way back into the top-3.“It was a really fast race from the beginning,” said L’Esperance, “there were no laps where we took it easy. I led out on the first lap, which was my plan; to put pressure on, on the first descent. By the second lap it was down to four of us – me, Leandre, Peter and Sean [Fincham, L’Esperance’s team mate]. Pete got off the front, but flatted, so it was just ‘Dre and I until the last lap when Pete got back up. In the last 300 metres I managed to get to the front and hold on for the win.”

In the Junior Expert categories, Mireille Larose-Gingras (Equipe du Quebec/Sigma) won the women’s race over Marianne Theberge (Equipe du Quebec/Mathieu), while Holden Jones (Cycling BC) won the men’s, a bare one second in front of Carter Woods (Dodge City Cycles/RMB/CBC). “The race started fast, like I planned,” said Jones. “Three of us got into the singletrack together at the front. I attacked on the final climb and just managed to hold on for the finish.”

Results

U17 Expert Women 1. Emilly Johnston (Trek BC Dev) 44:20 2. Juliette Larose-Gingras (Equipe Quebec) 46:37 3. Nicole Bradbury (NCCH) 51:24

U17 Expert Men 1. Jacob Yells (River City CC) 38:59 2. Owen Clark (Homestead Racing) 39:02 3. Erik Ashton (Trail Bicycles) 40:16

Junior Expert Women 1. Mireille Larose-Gingras (Equipe du Quebec/ Sigma Assurances) 1:07:52 2. Marianne Theberge (Equipe du Quebec/Mathieu performanc) 1:08:37 3. Madeline Robbins (Team USA) 1:10:22 4. Mina Ricci (Team USA) 1:11:02 5. Eva Poidevin (Rundle Mountain Cycling Club) 1:12:51 6. Lucy Schick 1:13:20 7. Kaitlyn Shikaze (Team Ontario/Cyclepath Oakville) 1:17:18 8. Evelyne Ward (equipe du Quebec) 1:20:47 9. Sorsha Henning DNF

Junior Expert Men 1. Holden Jones (Cycling BC) 53:48:00 2. Carter Woods (Dodge City Cycles/RMB/Cycling BC) 53:49:00 3. Markus Heuer (Danish National Team) 53:50:00 4. Kevin Vermaerke (Team USA) 54:30:00 5. Scott Funston (Team USA) 55:33:00 6. Paul Fabian (Team USA) 55:34:00 7. Dylan Fryer (Bear Development Team) 55:53:00 8. Tyler Clark (Team Ontario) 56:23:00 9. Turner Conway (Team USA) 56:41:00 10. Seth Saxton (Team USA ) 57:09:00

Elite Women 1. Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team) 1:21:25 2. Haley Smith (Norco Factory Team XC) 1:22:19 3. Haley Batten (Clif Pro Team) 1:22:22 4. Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing XC) 1:22:43 5. Sandra Walter (Liv Cycling Canada) 1:24:18 6. Catherine Fleury (Equipe du Quebec/Cyclone d’Alma) 1:24:39 7. Jenn Jackson (Team Ontario / AWI Racing) 1:24:45 8. Savilia Blunk (Whole Athlete p/b DNA Cycling) 1:25:14 9. Kelsey Urban (Whole Athlete p/b DNA Cycling) 1:26:28 10. Mackenzie Myatt (Cyclesmith Cycling Club ) 1:26:52

Elite Men 1. Andrew L’Esperance (Forward Racing-Norco) 1:26:50 2. Leandre Bouchard (KMC Ekoi Sr Suntour) 1:26:52 3. Peter Disera (Norco Factory Team) 1:27:18 4. Sean Fincham (Forward Racing – Norco) 1:27:54 5. Reece Tucknott (Specialized) 1:29:21 6. Quinton Disera (Norco Factory Team) 1:29:39 7. Evan Guthrie 1:30:07 8. Raphael Auclair (Pivot Cycles OTE) 1:30:20 9. Cole Paton (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) 1:31:01 10. Felix Burke (Rocky Mountain) 1:31:55