WORLD CUP SEASON ENDS ON A HIGH FOR CANADIAN PARACYCLING TEAM
Next up for para-cyclists: The 2012 Paralympic Games in London
(Baie-Comeau, QC – July 8, 2012) The 2012 World cup season has ended for the para-cyclists world-wide, and Canada ended the three-day UCI Para-cycling World Cup Finals on a high, with six World Cup titles.
In the C races, Brayden McDougall rode to the first place of the C1 category, his first win of the season. Teammate Jaye Milley was forced to abandon as he is nursing a leg injury. Reigning Canadian Champion Arnold Boldt rode to the second place in the C2 race, while Matthieu Parent was forced to abandon the same race midway.
“I am very pleased to win. It was a tough race, but I am very happy how I raced. Before the race, Team Canada had a plan of working together and doing our best to try to get all three Canadians, for sure one, on the podium. Throughout the race, we did a good job to always counter the attacks. With that hill [Côte St-Goerge] and the wind today, it was harder than a normal road race,” said McDougall.
Last year on the same course, McDougall went on to win both the time trial and the road race. “This course has been nice to me. For whatever reason, everything comes together in Baie-Comeau.”
McDougall, a strong hope for Canada at the upcoming Paralympic Games, is looking forward to some well-deserved time off before entering final preparations for the most important event of the season.
“For the next little bit, I’ll take a week or so for recovery, and then ramp it up to hopefully be faster comes September for the Paralympic Games.”
Marie-Claude Molnar finished first in the C4 women race. Molnar finished the season at the top of the rankings, and took home the World Cup trophy.
The afternoon races featured the fast tandem race. Two-time 2012 Canadian Champion Robbi Weldon and pilot Lyne Bessette rode to the first place to cap off an excellent World Cup season. The powerful duo won the World Cup trophy, which was already secured entering into the event. Geneviève Ouellet and Émilie Roy did not finish.
The men’s tandem had an American team in the mix. Canada’s top ranked tandem of Daniel Chalifour and Alexandre Cloutier crossed the line first, and jumped from the third place of the world cup rankings all the way to the top of the standings. Chalifour/Cloutier attacked on the fourth of six laps, and rode solo to the finish line. In doing so, the squad secured their first UCI World Cup title, and proudly received the sought-after white jersey, as well as the trophy.
The Canadian tandem of Alexandre Carrier and pilot Luc Dionne finished third, behind in the American squad.
In the team relay, three teams were entered, including two from Canada, and one from the United States. Canada A team comprised of Robert Labbé (H1), Mark Beggs (H2) and Mark Ledo (H3) and crossed the finish line in second place, behind the American squad, who is the defending World Champion team in the event. Canada B took the third place.
The race in Baie-Comeau was organized by Paramanic International, the same organizing committee who organized the 2010 Para-cycling Road World Championships and the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup Finals.
Cycling Canada will announce the selection pool for the 2012 Paralympic Games on Tuesday, and the official team nomination will be held later in July.
RESULTS – ROAD RACES – 2012 UCI WORLD CUP FINALS – BAIE-COMEAU, QC
Tandem, Women
1. WELDON, Robbi / BESSETTE, Lyne WB CANADA 1:56:33
DNF. OUELLET, Genevieve / ROY, Emilie WB CANADA
Tandem, Men
1. CHALIFOUR, Daniel / CLOUTIER, Alexandre MB CANADA 2:23:24
2. RACHFAL, Clark / SWANSON, David MB USA +3:25
3. CARRIER, Alexandre / DIONNE, Luc MB CANADA +7:22
Cycle, Women
1. MOLNAR, Marie-Claude WC4 CANADA 1:27:18
Cycle, Men
1. McDOUGALL, Brayden MC1 CANADA 1:50:39
2. SCHWAB, Georg MC1 AUSTRIA +13:27
DNF. MILLEY, Jaye MC1 CANADA
1. KEITH, Aaron MC2 INDEPENDANT 1:45:11
2. BOLDT, Arnold MC2 CANADA +7:54
Team Relay
1. Team USA (LACHENAUER, William / DAVIS, Marianna / SANCHEZ, Oscar) 41:55
2. Team Canada A (BEGGS, Mark / LEDO, Mark / LABBE, Robert) 46:21
3. Team Canada B (ADAM, Myriam / HARRINGTON, Simon / MOREAU, Charles) 50:10
