Representing Team Alberta, Darwin Orsler of Bragg Creek won the U17 title at the National Canadian Cyclocross Championships on Oct. 27 and 28 in Sherbrooke, Que.
Due to last minute mechanical issues, Orsler rode on a borrowed bike, which, although challenging, enabled him to pull off a commanding lead, breaking away from the lead group of three riders with two laps remaining.
"I've been training hard for this all year. I'm really lucky to have some amazing people to race against back here in Alberta where the cyclocross scene is so strong,” Orsler said.
“My coach, Tanya Dubnicoff of the Canadian Sports Institute in Calgary, was hugely supportive and helped structure my campaign so I peaked at just the right time and didn't let nerves get to me too much.
“Local businesses like Calgary Cycle, Cycle 22X in Bragg Creek and Cafe Roubaix in Cochrane have also been very generous in helping me, so I feel very lucky. I'm hoping to get on a major development team next year.”
The course was quite muddy, which is a characteristic that makes cyclocross so thrilling. Not only must riders possess exceptional fitness and power, but also considerable bike-handling skills as they negotiate a wide variety of challenges, from steep, slippery grass and mud to thigh-busting run-ups and barriers, which require rapid dismounts and remounts.
Two years ago, Orsler also won the U15 National title in Winnipeg, so it’s probably fair to say that he has a very bright future in the sport, which is attracting increasingly large crowds.
Nearly 400 of the best riders from across the country competed at the championship.
Cyclocross is an exciting, spectator-friendly cycling discipline which is rapidly growing in popularity across Canada and the US, with a major, well-established following in many European countries, most notably Belgium and the Netherlands.
