With seven national classes battling it out across only a three-day doubleheader weekend – this time, a tripleheader in the pro categories – it’s easy for a few stories to go understated during each round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship.
From the major headlines that require a bit more detail, to the hidden gems that are left out of the spotlight, here are some added notes from the third round of the 2025 season at RAD Torque Raceway
Young/Dumas rivalry reaches new territory
Despite their close results, it hasn’t always been easy to call it a rivalry between Ben Young and Alex Dumas. Considered two of the most easy-going, friendly, and professional riders in the paddock, Young and Dumas have rarely had any animosity between them.
That changed slightly on Saturday in Edmonton.
Make no mistake, the two former champions still hold plenty of respect for each other. But Young’s bold race-winning pass on Dumas changed the tone at the podium and afterwards, something many other riders and team members commented on throughout the weekend.
Both sides were justified; Dumas was far from bitter, accepting that the pass was within the rules but closer than you would like as both riders went wide in a tight turn two. As for Young, the reigning champion admitted himself that it was perhaps as aggressive as he’s ever been, but maintained it was a clean pass that you “have to go for” when a win is on the line.
It’s a defining moment in what has become one of the biggest rivalries - now undeniably - in CSBK history, with two of the most successful riders in series’ history at the top of their games, often split by just thousandths of a second.
Regardless, the result seemed to fuel Dumas even more on Sunday, as he took 41 of a possible 50 points in races two and three to take over a slim championship lead and set up yet another dramatic finish at CTMP.
Gold-medal Paralympian Tristen Chernove makes CSBK debut
There are always inspiring stories to come out of the CSBK paddock on any given weekend, but few in history stack up to the story of debutant Tristen Chernove.
The Cranbrook, British Columbia native was diagnosed in 2009 with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a rare neurological disorder that affects muscle control throughout the nervous system, typically affecting strength and causing symptoms similar to muscular dystrophy.
Chernove responded to the diagnosis – which affects his lower legs – like a true fierce competitor, taking up competitive cycling to both serve his passion for the sport and slow the symptoms of CMT.
He would qualify for the Canadian National Team on his first attempt in 2016, and his resumé since is nothing short of astounding: three Paralympic medals in Rio De Janeiro 2016 (including gold in Road Time Trial), another Paralympic silver medal in Tokyo 2020, five World Track Championships, two World Road Championship medals, and two Canadian Para-Cyclist of the Year awards.
Chernove would also put in a strong weekend at RAD Torque, finishing fifth in each race, though he would have cemented himself as one of the greatest and most inspiring athletes in CSBK history even before turning a wheel on Friday.
Verbeek braves the elements for first national win
Much has been made of the exclusive company Bronti Verbeek has joined in her brief CSBK career, becoming one of the few female Pro Superbike competitors in history last season before taking a historic podium in her Twins Cup debut at round one.
Her victory on Sunday put her in even more rarified air, but just adding Verbeek’s name to a list doesn’t do her performance justice.
In what was the first race of the day in very heavy rain, Verbeek hit the front right away and quickly threatened to escape from championship leader J.P. Tache – a rider who looked practically unbeatable coming into the weekend.
Her chances were helped slightly when Tache crashed at the end of lap two, but it may have made no difference as Verbeek won by a ridiculous 41.796 seconds over race one victor Dante Bucek, one of the largest margins of victory in CSBK history.
Laliberté-Girard battles through six-race weekend
If there was an Ironman award handed out at RAD Torque Raceway, it’s safe to say Laurent Laliberté-Girard would have been the unanimous winner.
The reigning Amateur Supersport champion completed all six pro races that were held this weekend, making the most of his trip west with tripleheaders in both the Pro Supersport and GP Bikes Pro Superbike classes. Only one other rider (Torin Collins) completed even four races, making his “triple-double” all the more impressive.
Laliberte-Girard wasn’t just putting around, either. The Nadon Sport Yamaha rider earned his second career Supersport podium in a great race three performance, battling with championship leader Torin Collins early on, just hours after a career-best finish of fifth in Superbike race two, extending his lead atop the Pro Rookie of the Year standings.
The 21-year-old wasn’t fazed by the marathon, hilariously brushing it off on his way to the podium on Saturday. “I’m fine - the bike was holding me up!” he said.
Laflamme makes massive Sunday comeback
The breakout season of Cole Alexander has overshadowed what has also been a largely impressive campaign for Zaim Laflamme, one of the early championship hopefuls who has endured his fair share of bad luck in 2025.
Laflamme had compiled an impressive nine podiums in ten races entering Sunday at RAD Torque, missing out only when he ran out of fuel while leading in round one. Still, it would have been easy to write off the 23-year-old with Alexander winning eight of those ten attempts over Laflamme to take a pair of championship leads.
Instead, the Triumph rider responded with perhaps the best day of his CSBK career.
Laflamme would win both the Amateur Superbike and Amateur Supersport contests by a combined eleven seconds, looking far more comfortable than Alexander (fourth in each race) in the changing weather conditions as he got himself back into the title mix in both classes.
The Longueuil, Quebec native will now have a bit of the momentum in his favour entering the season finale at CTMP, a gutsy turnaround after having his back against the wall on Sunday.
