A young Yukon teen proved herself against older competitors, winning the overall women’s title at last weekend’s Tour de Juneau.

Ava Irving-Staley, 12, started building her lead in the Tour’s first stage. The prologue, a short time trial, had cyclists start on a flat section and finish just over the crest of a steep hill.

“It’s kind of weird because it’s so short,” said Irving-Staley. “I just went as hard as I could.”

She finished in six minutes 40 seconds to claim the winner’s yellow arm band. The second-place women’s rider, Irving-Staley’s mom, Trena Irving, finished in 7:04.

On the men’s side, Bill Curtis was eighth in 7:17, David Jackson was ninth in 7:28 and Johna Irving-Staley was 11th in 10:15.

Irving-Staley continued to build her lead in the second stage, the hill climb, earning the polka-dot armband in 26:18.

She and Irving started the ride together, but Irving-Staley soon pulled ahead.

“I created a gap between her and me and the gap just got bigger,” she said, noting that she doesn’t normally like hill climbs, but this one, up to a ski hill, was different.

Irving held on for second in 27:42.

Jackson climbed to fourth place in the men’s race, earning the King of the Mountain pin for his efforts. Johna Irving-Staley was 11th in 41:50.

In the third race, the time trial, conditions continued to be wet and cold.

“It didn’t stop raining,” said Irving-Staley.

She tried out some new gear for the race, including aero bars and a time trial helmet and secured her third win of the weekend, finishing in 29:11. Irving was second once again in 30:32.

Jackson placed fourth again in 24:07, while Curtis was ninth in 28:54 and Irving, competing on the youth course, was 11th in 17:26.

The final event of the tour would prove to be the most challenging – an 80 kilometre scenic road race.

In June, Irving-Staley logged her longest ride ever, a 100K journey towards Lake Laberge with a lunch break and swim at the Takhini Hot Springs to break it up.

“It took me the whole day,” she said.

Her 80K performance in Juneau was the longest race she’d ever done.

Irving-Staley was pulled by her mom and a family friend, meaning she rode behind them as they broke the wind to make for easier riding conditions.

She said the course was hilly, but scenic and she finished in 3:17:43, good enough for second place.

Jackson tied for first in the expert men’s division with Will Coleman, finishing in 2:12:55. Johna Irving-Staley raced the 20-mile youth course, finishing in1:23:15.

As the dust settled and the overall times were tallied, the chocolate trophies were handed out.

In the overall youth men’s division, Johna Irving-Staley took the title.

In the overall expert women’s class, Irving-Staley claimed the top spot as well as the youth women’s division title.

“For the record,” said Irving in an email to the Star, “I was trying my best, I just couldn't keep up or pass her at all.”

With Jackson’s road race performance, he moved into third place in the overall expert men’s class standings.

The next event for Irving-Staley is a training camp in Kelowna over the Labour Day long weekend.