Cycling Canada has, five days after racing concluded, made a decision to award some results from Sunday’s canceled 2026 Canadian gravel championships.
The event was canceled mid-race due to unexpected and record-setting heat. According to an earlier statement from race director Jon Watkin, a growing number of racers in various categories were suffering from heat related issues and “Medical teams reached capacity while responding to multiple incidents and could no longer guarantee safe response times in the very remote areas of the course.” As a result, the race was canceled. Rider safety is incredibly important and we are relieved that no one has reported serious injury from the event.
UPDATE: We contacted Cycling Canada with a few clarifying questions. It’s answers are included at the bottom of this story.
Some champions, other categories canceled
Some riders had already finished racing by the time the event was canceled. According to a joint e-mail from Cycling Canada and Burnt Bridge Gravel Fondo organizers, Panache Cycling Sports that was shared with Canadian Cycling Magazine, some of those rider’s efforts will be rewarded with official results. Others are not so lucky.
In the e-mail sent to racers, Cycling Canada provided a brief explanation of how results from some categories were deemed reliable while others could not be:
“Following the event cancellation, officials conducted a thorough review of the available timing data. After careful consideration, we have decided to proceed with using a data-based approach based on the reliability of timing data. Officials have identified 13 categories where results have been established with a high degree of confidence”
Results are considered validated in 16 categories. All of these categories raced shorter distance courses (52km or 80km). No categories racing the full 128km will be recognized with official results.
Categories that will not be recognized as having official results include the elite men’s and women’s races. It also excludes men’s and women’s results from the following categories: Masters A 35–39, 40–44, Masters B 45–49, 50–54.
“We understand that this news may be disappointing to some participants, and we appreciate the time and effort you have put into this race. Cycling Canada remains committed to prioritizing fairness, transparency, and the integrity of the Canadian Championships while recognizing athletes wherever reliable results can be established.”
A further note explains that Cycling Canada is currently working with the UCI to determine how this will impact qualification for 2026 gravel world championships.
No elite champions and remaining qualification questions
That means Mike Woods, who dug incredibly deep to arrive back at the finish line ahead of Ben Perry and Andrew L’Esperance, will not be officially recognized as the Canadian champion. Neither will Kaitlyn Rauwerda, who led the women’s field with 23km left to go. Nor will anyone who raced in the canceled master’s categories, despite many of them completing the course (since, for many, it was the only way back to the finish line).
“I’m disappointed, for sure,” Woods said at the venue, shortly after Cycling Canada’s initial cancellation announcement was broadcast over the event speakers. “I went so deep. One of the deepest I’ve ever gone. To now find out that there might be a podium or results? It’s a shame.”
A couple days later, after the news had properly sunk in, Woods was less thrilled. He shared that after the fatigue faded, he felt a growing annoyance that he’d traveled from Europe just for a race to be canceled after he’d already won. While most of the women’s field, whose results were still subject to Cycling Canada’s decision, spoke out less in the immediate aftermath, other top riders shared their displeasure that the race did not appear to be prepared to deal with the heat.
We have reached out to Cycling Canada for further comment. The race organizer has declined to comment beyond issuing public statements.
UPDATE: Cycling Canada did respond to our questions about results on Friday afternoon. Note: these questions only relate to results. And only results from the championship categories. They do not address the decision to cancel racing or how that decision was carried out. Fondo results are up to the event organizer.
Canadian Cycling Magazine: What does a “data-based approach based on the reliability of timing data” mean? What data is – or is not included in that approach? Or does that just mean only information from the official timing system was considered?
Cycling Canada: Correct. Only timing data was considered in decision making.
CCM: Why did riders have to wait five full days for their results? Could the shorter distance events not have been published sooner?
CC: Yes they could have been sooner but we wanted to communicate all decisions regarding the championships at once.
CCM: Were any athletes involved in / contacted as part of this process?
CC: Yes – feedback from athletes was received and considered.
CCM: Were other approaches, beyond this “Data-based approach” considered?
CC: Other options were considered but we ultimately used a data-based, objective approach to come to our decision.
CCM: Is there an appeals processes for athletes in the 123km course that disagree with this decision?
CC: Yes. Appeal Policy is here.
CCM: For some of the 123km categories, why not take results from positions when the raced was canceled?
CC: There were no intermediate timing points in order to determine alternate positions.