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> The 2026 Canadian Gravel Championships in Duncan, British Columbia descended into absolute chaos on Sunday as blistering heat ripped through the peloton, forcing riders to abandon with heat stroke and ultimately bringing the national championship to a shocking halt.
> By midday, the Cowichan Valley had turned into a furnace. Temperatures surged toward 35°C, and the heat began tearing through the field. Riders were collapsing with heat exhaustion before the halfway point, support crews were overwhelmed, and the medical tents were already full.
> With the men’s race deep into the decisive phase, Cory Wallace launched an early attack before being reeled in. A powerhouse trio — Mike Woods, Benjamin Perry, and Andrew L’Esperance — broke clear and were driving the pace when chaos struck.
> At the top of the final descent, with 35 km to go, officials stopped two of the leaders and told them the unthinkable:
> The race was cancelled.
> In the women’s race, Haley Smith, Kaitlyn Rauwerda, and Lucy Hempstead had formed the day’s elite breakaway. But when the women’s peloton reached the finish area, they were met not with a finish line… but with officials announcing the race was over.