HALEY SMITH AND ANDREW L’ESPERANCE WIN CANADIAN XCM CHAMPIONSHIPS | Cycling Canada Cyclisme

HALEY SMITH AND ANDREW L’ESPERANCE WIN CANADIAN XCM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Sept. 5, 2023) – The first Canadian XCM Champions after a three-season hiatus were determined in Whitehorse, YK, on Sept. 3, 2023.

Athletes from across the country traveled north to experience Cycling Canada’s first-ever event in the Yukon. Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance, both of Maxxis Factory Racing, brought their recent experience from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships to bear to win the Elite Women and Elite Men categories, respectively.

“It feels great to win a national title in the XCM and super happy that this event is back on the calendar,” commented L’Esperance. “It came back in a special way with the cycling community of Whitehorse and the Yukon welcoming us to their corner of the country. Aside from the racing, it was an incredible experience to get to visit a northern territory, learn about the culture, meet so many people and enjoy the incredible trails and scenery. Overall, a top-notch weekend.”

The celebratory feel of the weekend was enhanced with the premiere of Together on the Trail: Mountain Biking in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The short film, presented by Cycling Canada and Yukon’s airline, Air North, shines a light on the territory’s unique mountain bike community. It can be viewed online here.

Geof Harries, President of event organizer, Cycling Association of Yukon, summarized, “This weekend and the entire week will be a legacy for Yukon cycling and cycling in the Canadian north as a whole.”

The full list of results from the Canadian XCM Championships can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the BMX Freestyle Championships, which will be held on Oct. 27 in Markham, ON. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.