Trevor Hopkins wrapped up his cyclocross season on a high note this past weekend, with a strong showing in a muddy 2006 Cyclocross National Championships.
Competing in the Masters 30 to 39 category, which had more than 40 racers, Hopkins finished his day in 10 th place, just three minutes back of the winning time set by Norman Thibault. He was just over a minute and a half back of the podium.
“It was the muddiest race I have ever done,” said Hopkins. “Muddier than any mountain bike race. Super happy with my result though. The field stayed together for most of the race and ended up a sprint for the finish on the last two laps.”
Cyclocross is growing in popularity across the country, a hybrid of road of mountain biking that takes place in the fall when both of those seasons have wrapped up. The bike is similar to a road bike with a higher bottom bracket and slightly wider and knobbier tires. The courses are a mix of road, gravel and dirt with mandatory obstacles where riders have to get off their bikes and run or hike.
The nationals took place in Nanaimo in heavy rains, but with a truly national field of over 400 riders in different categories.
Hopkins, who races with Team Whistler / Natures Path Organic, was the only local rider in the championships, although sometimes-Whistler-resident Andreas Hestler raced in the elite group, finishing ninth.
Road riders appeared to have the edge on this course, with Greg Reain edging mountain biker Geoff Kabush for the elite title, and Lyne Bessette besting Wendy Simms in the elite women’s race.
Complete results are available online at www.canadiancyclist.com
