Mulmur teen represents Canada at cyclo-cross worlds

With some big wins under his belt, Mulmur teen Matthew Leliveld is off to the World Cup in Switzerland to compete in cyclo-cross.
A second place win at nationals, a third place win at the panam championships and a first at the Ontario Cup series are among the results that have earned the 17-year-old Hardwood Next Wave team member a place at worlds.
The Ontario Cycling Association defines cyclo-cross as a unique sport, combining elements of cross country running, mountain biking, hurdles, and road cycling. Races consists of many short laps on a 2.5 to 3.5 km circuit, featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills, and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstruction and remount.
Different from mountain biking, cyclo-cross bikes are road bikes with drop bars and knobby tires to navigate the mud, dirt and other off-road conditions.
Leliveld said he tends to perform best on the flatter courses and outperforms his opponents when it comes to the technical aspects of the course. For example, he may be required to dismount and cross a sand pit or run up a set of stairs with his bike but where others may dismount to navigate hurdles, he can hop them and keep riding.
“Efficiency pretty much determines what you do on a racecourse because you don’t want to waste energy but you also don’t want to waste time,” said Leliveld.
In the junior category the races last about 45 minutes.
When asked why he is drawn to this sport, Leliveld says he get asked that a lot. “I just enjoy doing it. I like pushing myself. I honestly like getting muddy and it has a lot to do with the environment around the races. Everybody has the same mindset. They love their sport. It’s a fun community to be in,” he said.
Leliveld said he entered his first mountain bike race at Hardwood Hills at the age of four, his first Ontario Cup race at the age of nine, and his first Canada Cup that same year. He has been racing all over North America ever since.
Leliveld is relatively new to cyclo-cross. This is only his second season competing. By accumulating points at various races, through the Union Cycliste Internationale, he was selected to represent Canada at Worlds in February. Over the holidays, Leliveld will be participating in a Christmas Cross training camp in Europe hosted by Team Canada.