MILTON VELODROME OFFICIALLY OPENED, INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE UNDERWAY
Team Canada takes top honours in three of four team events
(January 9, 2015 – Milton, ON) The Cisco Pan Am Velodrome in Milton is officially opened, and the team events took place on this inaugural day of competition at the three-day Milton International Challenge.
The event started Friday with the team sprint and team pursuit events, and the riders from nine countries raced on the brand new Siberian pine track on the outskirts of Toronto, where the 2015 Toronto Pan-American Games will take place.
Team Canada, the primary World Cup squad, easily won the gold medal facing Team Canada Development (B) by overtaking their opponents just past the 2.5km mark of the 4-km race. The winning team featured world cup medallists Jasmin Glaesser, Stephanie Roorda, Laura Brown and Kirsty Lay.
Monique Sullivan and Kate O’Brien proudly showcased their new Canadian Champion jersey, and defeated the Trinidad and Tobago team in the women team sprint final. The two ladies took the gold medal edging Team Netherlands by just 0.05 seconds.
“It’s always fun to compete, and always really fun to win,” said Kate O’Brien, who also competes in bobsleigh throughout the winter months. “It’s been so fun to do both cycling and bobsleigh at the same time. Both federations have worked really well together. It sounds cliché, but I am totally living the dream right now.”
For Sullivan, who lost her voice in the last couple of weeks, she couldn’t be happier. “It’s awesome to be here. I can’t believe we are doing our final preparation for the next World Cup right here at home, on this track. I am still today in shock that this velodrome is ours.”
The men’s team pursuit team comprised of Adam Jamieson, Aidan Caves, Sean McKinnon and Eric Johnstone also came out on top of the podium, quickly catching their competitors just 1625m into the race to win the gold medal.
“Judging by our coach Ian Melvin, we were right on pace. The fact that we caught them just 1600m is pretty impressive. We were expecting to go through to the 3-3.5 km mark just like we did at Canadian Championships [last week],” said Eric Johnstone, a member of the young men’s team pursuit squad. “From where we were a year ago to where we stand today, it’s absolutely amazing. The progression we’ve made in the last 12 months is tremendous, and it’s so cool to be part of this program. We’re hoping for a really good ride in Cali, and crack the Top 8. We’ve looked at the numbers after London, we and were so close from the Top 10, knocking on the door. We are going to have to fight hard next year all the way, with the World Cup season and the Pan-Am Games, if we want to get to the Olympics.”
Canadian men team sprinters faced the powerful Trinidad squad in the finals, and took the silver medal. Trinidad had among its group a London 2012 Olympic finalists in Njisane Phillip, who finished fourth in the individual sprint at the last Olympic Games. Trinidad won the event with a final time of 46.356 seconds in the gold medal showdown, taking on the Canadians by more than one second.
In the women scratch race, Norway’s Anita Stenberg won the gold medal thanks a powerful effort in the last lap, beating Americans Judith Bloem and Colleen Hayduk at the finish line.
The exciting men’s scratch race saw Nicholas Rogers of the United States take the victory after a solo effort in the last five laps. Rogers was part of a three-man attack that successfully lapped the field which included Zachary Kovalcik of the USA, second, and Dylan Davis of Canada, third.
Team NCCH took both team pursuit titles in the junior category.
Racing continues Saturday and ends on Sunday.
- Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
- Flash quotes: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/media
- Full schedule: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/schedule
- Full results: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/results
Photo: Cycling Canada/Kevin Vagg
