OTTAWA, ON (September 17, 2026) – Cycling Canada is thrilled to celebrate Ava Holmgren, who today earned an impressive third-place finish and bronze medal at the prestigious Tour de Gatineau.
“Nadia was drilling it on the front, and Bella was also helping keep the pace high. She asked me what she could do to help, and I told her to stay on my right, because I was planning on passing on the right, and I wanted to make sure no one passed me,” noted Ava. “In this sprint, the positioning mattered a lot more than the max power I had. I fought and gave it everything I had.”
The Orillia, Ontario athlete delivered a remarkable performance on home soil to secure her spot on the podium against a world-class international field. Holmgren’s podium in Gatineau is a breakthrough moment in her road season, building on domestic and international results over the past years. A true multi-discipline talent who races at the highest levels across road, cyclocross, and mountain biking alongside her twin sister Isabella, Ava’s resume already includes a Canadian Under-23 National Title in the Individual Time Trial, a 4th-place finish at the Elite Canadian Road National Championships, and top-10 international finishes at the World Championships ITT, Navarra Women’s Elite Classics, and Stage 2 of the Tour de Normandie Féminin.
Looking ahead, Holmgren will carry this podium momentum straight onto the world’s biggest stage next week, having been selected to represent Team Canada on home soil at the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal. She is set to line up in both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race, taking on the world’s best as the championship returns to Canadian roads.
Cycling Canada congratulates Ava Holmgren on her podium performance at the Tour de Gatineau as she celebrates this milestone achievement alongside her sister Isabella, and teammates. To view full event results, please click here.
