WHITTEN, CANUEL DELIVER TOP-15 PERFORMANCES IN TIME TRIAL AT ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Canada secures additional starter for the Elite Women Time Trial at Rio 2016 Olympic Games
(Ottawa, ON – September 22, 2015) The time trial event continued Tuesday at the 2015 UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia, and Canada’s elite women did not disappoint with two Top-15 performances, earning an additional starter in the discipline for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Tara Whitten, who is making her comeback to competitive cycling after stepping away from the sport following the London 2012 Games, posted an impressive time of 41:56.10 to finish the painful day in 13th position.
“I am definitely a little bit disappointed with how I rode today. I think I started out a bit quick, but I always do. It was my goal not to, so it’s a little bit disappointing to do that again. At the same time, I gave it everything I had and fought to the end. I have to be happy with that and just look at it as a first step in my comeback process,” said Whitten after the race.
The last time trial Whitten completed at the World Championships goes back to 2011 in Denmark, where she finished fourth. This year, she participated in three UCI time trials, notably finishing second at the Pan-American Championships and sixth at the Amgen Tour of California Invitational.
With the performance, Whitten secured an additional spot for Canada in the elite women time trial race at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Canada can thank the USA, Germany and the Netherlands for the additional start, with each country allowed the maximum of one additional starter for the Olympic Games. Canada was bumped to the 10th position.
Canuel, who last year surprised many by posting the sixth fastest time at her first World Championships participation, finished the day in 15th position, posting a time of 42:02.36.
Canuel easily won the 2015 Global Relay Canadian Championships elite women time trial with more than one minute lead on her closest rival, and finished second at the 2015 Chrono Gatineau. Earlier in the week, Canuel won the coveted Rainbow Jersey in the Team Time Trial with her professional team Velocio-SRAM, repeating her 2014 accomplishment.
In the junior men, Derek Gee posted the best Canadian results in 27th place, completing the 30-km course in 40:39.68. Joel Taylor ranked 46th.
Gee stated after the gruelling race: “It was a super hard course. I am happy with my performance, but disappointed with my finishing place. It got me more motivated for the road race on Saturday.”
The Elite men will tackle their individual time trial Wednesday. Canada’s Hugo Houle and Ryan Roth will both be in action.
RESULTS – INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL – ELITE WOMEN
1. VILLUMSEN, Linda Melanie (NZL) 40:29.87
2. VAN DER BREGGEN, Anna (NED) 40:32.41 +2.54
3. BRENNAUER, Lisa (GER) 40:35.13 +5.26
4. GARFOOT, Katrin (AUS) 40:39.19 +9.32
5. ARMSTRONG, Kristin (USA) 40:50.45 +20.58
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13. WHITTEN, Tara (CAN) 41:56.10 +1:26.23
15. CANUEL, Karol-Ann (CAN) 42:02.36 +1:32.49
RESULTS – INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL – JUNIOR MEN
1. APPELT, Leo (GER) 37:45.01
2. COSTA, Adrien (USA) 38:02.23 +17.22
3. MCNULTY, Brandon (USA) 38:44.75 +59.74
4. GIRDLESTONE, Keagan (RSA) 38:52.74 +1:07.73
5. MADER, Gino (SUI) 38:56.39 +1:11.38
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27. GEE, Derek (CAN) 40:39.68 +2:54.67
46. TAYLOR, Joel (CAN) 42:21.53 +4:36.52
