The Yukon Road Championships held Saturday proved to be the best-attended event held yet by the fledgling U Kon Echelon bike club.

A record number of 30 cyclists participated in the event, held out of Jake’s Corner, east of Whitehorse.

Club founder Trena Irving said she was pleased to see U Kon Echelon reaching new heights.

“I am so pleased to reach my goals in this race,” she said.

Goals included cracking the 30-cyclists plateau, while at the same time attracting youth and female riders. Fourteen youth competed in the event, alongside four women, Irving said.

Participants were able to select from a variety of routes during the road championships. Young riders completed a 20-kilometre route, while more experienced youths completed 40 km.

Sport men and women rode an 80-km route, while the expert riders completed 92 km.

Aaron Foos earned a hard-fought victory in the expert category, narrowly edging Stephen Ball with a time of 2:07:49.

Ball was just one second off the winning pace, not too bad for a new father of a three-week-old baby, said Irving.

Spenser Morgan finished third in 2:08:14, before turning around and pedalling back to his truck left in Jake’s Corner.

In the sport category, Geof Harries won the 92-km race in a time of 2:21:36, followed a few minutes later by Jon Heaton (2:26:29).

Chris Rider and Jody Cox earned victory in their respective 80-km divisions, while Mael Pronovost picked up the youth 40-km crown.

Fourth-place finisher Caius Taggart-Cox – this year’s Tour de Skagway winner – showed his sportsmanship by turning around to help his brother Lucas with a flat tire. Lucas eventually flatted out.

Ava Staley was the top U-13 female rider, winning the 20-km division by one second over Annie Cable.