Kirchmann claims third Canadian time trial title

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Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb) successfully defended the women's time trial title at the Canadian Road Championships, winning the third ITT title of her career.

Held on the same roads as the Tour de Beauce time trial a week prior, riders faced a rolling 28-kilometre course on rough pavement.

Kirchmann was the favourite, having finished second two weeks earlier to former world champion Amber Neben at the Chrono Gatineau. Kirchmann's time of 38:51 was 29 second faster than her main rival, former champion Karol-Ann Canuel (Boels Dolman). Marie-Soleil Blais (Team Astana) was third at 1:51, a fraction of a second ahead of Annie Foreman-Mackey (The Cyclery).

Olivia Baril (Macogep Tornatech Specialized) was the top under-23 rider, finishing 11th overall. Magdeleine Vallières-Mill (Equipe du Quebec) dominated the Junior race.

"I'm really happy to win another title, but I had to work really hard for it today," said Kirchmann. "This course was really demanding, always either up or down, and there was some wind. It was a painful ride.

"I went out quite hard in the first five K, and then I realized that maybe I needed to be a little smarter with my pacing. I saw Karol-Ann ahead of me on the final climbs, so then I really gave everything. It was enough to take the victory."

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