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CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2024 ANNUAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

Ottawa, ON (Jan. 13, 2025) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Annual Awards, which recognize individuals and events that made large impacts in the cycling community over the past year.  

“Congratulations to our 2024 Annual Award recipients,” said Mathieu Boucher, Cycling Canada Chief Executive Officer. “These awards highlight the passion, commitment and dedication that fuel the growth of cycling across the country. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an inspiring community of athletes, coaches, officials and organizers who make an impact every day. Thank you to all the nominees, nominators and everyone who participated in this year’s awards process.” 

The 2024 Annual Award recipients are: 

Canadian International Commissaire of the Year
Geordie Ma – Calgary, AB 

Canadian National Commissaire of the Year 
Christian Côté – Sherbrooke, QC 

Coaches of the Year
BMX: Nicolas Londono – Bromont, QC
Cyclo-cross: Robert Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Mountain Bike: Robert Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Road: Eric Van Den Eynde – Bromont, QC; Chris Rozdilsky – Shefford, QC; Christine Gillard – Beaupre, QC
Track: Rob Good – Kitchener ON 

Community Coaches of the Year
Jeff Currie – Berry Mills, NB
Steph Sutton – Dundas, ON 

Events of the Year
BMX: Drummondville BMX Canada Cup – Drummondville, QC
Canadian Championship: Canadian XCM MTB Championships – Thunder Bay, ON
Cyclocross: Cyclocross de Lévis – Lévis, QC
International: UCI Mont-Sainte-Anne MTB World Cup – Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC
Mountain Bike: Dieppe MTB XCO & XCC Canada Cup – Dieppe, NB
Road: Tour de Gatineau – Gatineau, QC 

President’s Trophy
Isabella Holmgren – Orillia, ON 

 Russ Copeland Award
Rafaëlle Carrier – Lac-Beauport, QC

Commissaire of the Year recipients were nominated by their peers and respective Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO) for their exceptional accomplishments, contributions and assignments at local, national and international events. A UCI International Commissaire in cyclo-cross and newly appointed International Commissaire in mountain bike, Christian Côté earned the national title in recognition of his involvement in more than 80 events in cyclo-cross, mountain bike, road and track across all sanctioning levels since 2022. His commitment to developing the sport extends to training the next generation of commissaires: 16 candidates became provincial/territorial commissaires under his tutelage, with four more currently in training. The international award went to Geordie Ma for notable assignments in 2024 that included the Paris Olympic Games, UCI BMX World Championships and World Cups in BMX and mountain bike. He is dedicated to commissaire development from the provincial/territorial to international level, serving as Chair of Cycling Canada Officials’ Committee and a member of the UCI Commissaire Training Board. 

Coach of the Year recipients were selected through a nomination process supported by their athlete and/or team that won a 2024 Canadian Cycling Championship title. The awards were given to: Nicolas Londono for Canadian BMX Junior Women Champion, Thessalie Bruneau; Robert Holmgren for Canadian Mountain Bike Champions, Émilien Belzile (XCC and XCO U17 Men) and Ava Holmgren (XCO U23 Women), and Canadian Cyclo-cross Champions, Ian Ackert (Elite Men), Belzile (Junior Men) and Isabella Holmgren (Elite Women); Eric Van Den Eynde for Canadian Road Champions, Benoit Lalumière and Maximilien Moreau (Para Road Race Tandem) and Louis Albert Corriveau Jolin (Para Road Race T1 and T2); Chris Rozdilsky Canadian Road Criterium Women Elite Champion, Magdeleine Vallières Mill; Christine Gillard for Canadian Road Time Trial Men Elite Champion, Pier-André Coté; and Rob Good for Canadian Track Women U17 Champion, Alex Fangeat. 

The Community Coaches of Year were nominated by community members and supported by their PTSO. Representing the Dieppe Cycling Centre, Jeff Currie partnered with Vélo New Brunswick to deliver the HopOn program. A leader of grassroots programming in New Brunswick, he was instrumental in supporting HopOn festivals activated through Sport Canada’s Community Sport for All (CSAI) grant. Steph Sutton also delivered HopOn programing through Golden Horseshoe Cycling Hub and Ontario Cycling. The care she takes in her work to ensure a positive, safe environment and mentor new HopOn instructors optimizes the experience for all participants. 

Event of the Year recipients were selected through a combined public and internal voting process, the results of which highlighted events that exceeded expectations in terms of operations, atmosphere and overall experience. Several repeat winners highlighted Canadian event organizers’ commitment to sustained excellence: the Dieppe MTB XCO & XCC Canada Cup won its fourth award, while the Drummondville BMX Canada Cup and Cyclocross de Lévis were recognized for a second year. 

Isabella Holmgren was awarded the President’s Trophy for a second consecutive year, as voted on by members of the Canadian National Cycling Team. Representing a best performance in World Championship competition, Isabella notably secured the honour with not one, but two wins over the same weekend at the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. There, she claimed the Women U23 rainbow jerseys in both the Cross-country Short Circuit (XCC) and Cross-country Olympic (XCO) disciplines.  

Rafaëlle Carrier was also recognized by her fellow Canadian National Cycling Team members with the Russ Copeland Award for best Junior rider. The reigning Canadian Champion in Women Junior’s Cyclo-cross, XCC and XCO made an impressive UCI World Championship debut in 2024, capturing silver in the Mountain Bike XCO World Championship and cracking the top 20 at the Cyclo-cross World Championship. 

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TRACK ATHLETES ON THEIR WAY TO FIRST CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE 2025 SEASON

Ottawa, ON (Jan. 8, 2025) – More than 150 athletes in the Elite, Masters and Para categories will take part in the 2025 Canadian Track Championships, held in Bromont, QC, from Jan. 10 to 12.   

Athletes will compete for maple leaf jerseys in individual, team, sprint and endurance events over three days of racing. 

“We’re thrilled to kick off the 2025 Canadian Track Championships with Elite, Para and Masters athletes in Bromont,” said Jen Eaton, Cycling Canada Events and Officials Manager. “Every lap, every pedal stroke and every moment will be a testament to the spirit of competition and fuel the passion for cycling.”  

Several athletes from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be in action, including sprinters Sarah Orban, Nick Wammes, James Hedgcock, Tyler Rorke and Ryan Dodyk as well as endurance specialists Fiona Majendie, Erin Attwell, Carson Mattern and Mathias Guillemette.

Paris Paralympians Alex Hayward, bronze medallist in the men’s C3 individual pursuit, and Mel Pemble, world record holder in the women’s C3 time trial, will also be on hand.  

In the Masters categories, several Canadian champions crowned in 2024 will be back to defend their titles.   

The Sylvan Adams Velodrome will host the Championships for the third time since it opened in 2022.  

The complete technical guide and important event information are available on the Events page of the Cycling Canada website. 

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HISTORIC MEDAL FINISH FOR JEAN WILLIAM PRÉVOST AT 2024 UCI URBAN CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Dec. 21, 2024) – Jean William Prévost of Kirkland, QC, won Canada’s first-ever UCI Urban Cycling World Championship medal after three days of competition from Dec. 18-21, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.  

Prévost represented the red and white in the BMX Freestyle Flatland Men Elite category. His consistency was on display with fourth-place finishes in qualification and the semi-finals, ultimately leading to a bronze-medal finish with a score of 84.00 points. 

“I’m happy to hit this coveted podium at Worlds. I look forward to outdoing myself next year in Riyadh,” said Prévost, who also came third overall in the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup – Flatland earlier this year. “I had an incredible experience this time around competing in Abu Dhabi. I’m stoked I could hold onto fourth place through qualifying and semis and then even climbed up on the podium to end the year.” 

Matthias Dandois (FRA) captured gold on a score of 90.67 points, while silver went to Moto Sasaki (JPN) with 86.83 points. 

In the BMX Freestyle Park Men Elite category, two Canadians made their way to the finals: Whitby, ON’s Mike Varga cracked the top ten in seventh place (84.88 points) and reigning Canadian Champion in BMX Freestyle Park, Maxime Chalifour of Boisbriand, QC, finished twelfth (76.70 points). Xavier Wright of Pickering, ON, made a commendable World Championship debut, placing 39th in the qualification round (24.20 points). 

The gold medal went to Australia’s Logan Martin (94.30 points), with Jose Torres Gil of Argentia (91.60 points) and Justin Dowell of the United States (90.74 points) rounding out the podium. 

Olympian Jeffrey Whaley was also entered in the BMX Freestyle Park Men Elite competition but was unable to compete after an injury sustained during training.  

Full results from the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships can be found here. 

Team Canada – Results
Maxime Chalifour – 12th
Jean William Prévost – 3rd
Mike Varga – 7th
Jeffrey Whaley – DNS
Xavier Wright – 39th 

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CANADA TO HOST TWO STOPS IN NEW UCI CONTINENTAL SERIES 

Ottawa, ON (Dec. 18, 2024) – Cycling Canada is proud to announce that two Canada Cup events – the Canmore Canada Cup XCO and SilverStar Canada Cup DH – will serve as stops in the recently announced UCI Continental Series for mountain bike. 

The Continental Series will be held during standard UCI calendar events in the cross-country Olympic (XCO) and downhill (DH) disciplines. Each continent will host six XCO and six DH stops to comprise their respective series. For 2025, Canada will host one stop in each discipline, highlighting two longstanding events on the national calendar. 

First is the Canmore Canada Cup XCO, scheduled for June 11-14 in Canmore, AB, hosted by the Alberta Nationals Mountain Bike Race Association. 

“Since 2017 when the Alberta Nationals Mountain Bike Race Association was formed and organized the Canadian XCO Mountain Bike Championships, we have been building to this moment,” said Ron Sadesky, Event Director of the Canmore Canada Cup. “Canmore is ripe for taking on higher-level international events and a UCI Continental Series status is the perfect opportunity to showcase the foundation we’ve built over many years of high-level hosting. We are incredibly excited about how a series like this will add to the vibrancy of XCO racing in North America and about welcoming new athletes to Canmore.” 

The second UCI Continental Series stop will coincide with the SilverStar Canada Cup DH on Aug. 2-3 in SilverStar Mountain, BC, organized by SilverStar Mountain Resort as part of the Crankworx Summer Series. 

“We hosted our first downhill race, the Grundig World Cup, in 1994 and since then SilverStar Bike Park has dedicated itself to delivering gravity-fueled fun to the biking community,” said Ian Jenkins, Director of Sales, Marketing and Events at SilverStar Mountain Resort. “Being selected as the first stop of the UCI DH Continental Series 2025 is a testament to our commitment to the dirt for over 30 years, as we’ve shaped the bike park into one of North America’s premiere biking destinations. We look forward to welcoming athletes and spectators to experience the excitement of SilverStar and see why people come back year after year long after the snow has gone!” 

The Series creates valuable opportunities for high-level international competition, both domestically and in easily accessible neighbouring countries. It also offers an additional route to the UCI World Cup for riders not registered in a World Series Team: For each category, the top five from each event will gain ‘Golden Ticket’ entries to a World Cup of their choosing in 2025, plus the top five in the final overall standings will win entries to the following UCI World Cup season. Series standings will also be considered in World Cup wildcard allocations for UCI mountain bike teams. 

For more information, visit the Events Page of the Cycling Canada website.   

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FIVE ATHLETES ON THEIR WAY TO 2024 UCI URBAN CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Dec. 12, 2024) – Five athletes will be competing at the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from Dec. 17 to 21.

Paris 2024 Olympian Jeffrey Whaley will take part in BMX Freestyle Park along with Maxime Chalifour, who was crowned Canadian Champion last October in Bromont, QC.  Silver medalist at the Canadian BMX Freestyle Championships, Mike Varga and 19-year-old rookie, Xavier Wright will also be packing their bags to join the Canadian team.

In the flatland category, Jean William Prévost will be the sole Canadian representative. Reigning Pan American Champion and leader in the UCI BMX Freestyle Flatland Men Elite Ranking, Prévost will be one to watch.

“We’re really excited to be bringing a crew of five riders to this year’s Urban Cycling World Championships,” said Dave Thomas, National Team Coach. “Going from three spots to five from 2023 to 2024 is a huge accomplishment we are already tremendously proud of. Each rider brings a lot to the table, and it should be a very exciting event. We are excited for this one and the bright future of the Canadian BMX freestyle program!”

Competition for Canadian athletes begins on Dec. 18 and continues throughout the weekend. The complete schedule, start lists and important information are available here.

Team Canada: 
Maxime Chalifour – Boisbriand, QC
Jean William Prévost – Kirkland, QC
Mike Varga – Whitby, ON
Jeffrey Whaley – L’Assomption, QC
Xavier Wright – Pickering, ON

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VOTING OPEN FOR 2024 CYCLING CANADA ANNUAL AWARDS 

Ottawa, ON (Nov. 29, 2024) – It’s that time of the year where we recognize the hard work done during the 2024 season through our annual awards. Each award will be given to the race organization or individual who went above and beyond their duties. Awards include: 

Event of the Year
Riders can vote on which national event stood out most based on registration, timing and the quality of course or track. Based on participant feedback through an online survey, the award will be given to the race organizer for their outstanding work. 

Submission Form – Events

Coaching Recognition Awards
The Coaching Recognition Award is presented to coaches whose Canadian athletes or teams won gold while competing at any of the Canadian Championships during the 2024 season. The Coaching Recognition Award – Community is presented to a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) coach who delivers quality, safe and inclusive grassroots programming. 

Submission Form – Canadian Championship Coaches
Submission Form – Community Coaches 

Commissaires of the Year
Nominated by their peers or a Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO) staff member, Commissaire of the Year is awarded to those who have made national and international contributions to the sport. 

Submission deadlines are set on Dec. 12, 2024 for all awards. The winners will be announced in January 2025. 

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EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR CYCLING CANADA OPERATIONAL COMMITTEES 

Ottawa, ON (Nov. 20, 2024) – Cycling Canada welcomes personal expressions of interest for the identification of individuals who are capable, willing and motivated to serve the organization in a volunteer capacity on one of four operational committees: 

 

Committee  Vacancies Available  How to Apply 
Events Committee  Three (3)  Email the Events Candidate Self-Evaluation Form to general@cyclingcanada.ca with the subject ‘Committee Expression of Interest’ 

 
Officials Committee   Four (4)  Email the Officials Candidate Self-Evaluation Form to general@cyclingcanada.ca with the subject ‘Committee Expression of Interest’ 

 
Coach Development Committee  Three (3)  Email the Coach Development Candidate Self-Evaluation Form to general@cyclingcanada.ca with the subject ‘Committee Expression of Interest’ 

 
High Performance Committee  Three to five (3-5)  Online via this form 

 The deadline to submit expressions of interest is Dec. 11, 2024. Following the deadline, staff will review, assess and identify the ideal individuals for each of the committees.  

 Detailed committee responsibilities, terms of reference and the desired committee member skills matrix can be found in the Cycling Canada Policy on Operational Committees. For 2025, the High Performance Committe is specifically seeking candidates knowledgeable in BMX racing, mountain bike, para-cycling and track cycling. 

 Committee members will be selected on an annual basis with each appointment lasting two years, starting January 2025. Size is flexible and is based on the ability to find a competent cross-section of skills and experience. Expected time commitment for committee members is a few hours per month, mainly for teleconference meetings, with one or two face-to-face meetings per year. 

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U23 ATHLETES CONQUER ELITE FIELD AT 2024 CANADIAN CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Ottawa, ON (Nov. 18, 2024) – There was plenty of action at the 2024 Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships, presented by Lazer, held on Nov. 16 in Lévis, QC, as a new class of Canadian champions were crowned.   

Racing through rain and mud, 350 athletes put on quite a show for the local crowd.   

Ian Ackert and Isabella Holmgren, both 19 years of age and usually competing in the U23 category, gave a masterclass in the Elite categories, in which they were both upgraded for the occasion. The two Ontarians dominated their races, establishing a gap of over 40 seconds on the runner-up positions, occupied by Maghalie Rochette in the women’s category and Gunnar Holmgren in the men’s. Sidney McGill and Tyler Clark took bronze.  

“I don’t think I’ve had that much fun in a long time,” Isabella told Canadian Cycling Magazine. “I was just trying to focus on my own race because it was so slippery. I made sure to power on the straightaway. I didn’t plan an attack or anything, I just rode as hard as I could.” 

Earlier in the day, Mika Comaniuk and Marin Lowe were crowned winners of the U23 category after taking an early lead in the race, creating a significant gap over silver medallists Alexander Woodford (+31.83s) and Mia De Martin (+2:21m).   

“I love these conditions,” said Lowe “I was excited for the race and felt calm going into it and I was open to all possibilities. I just wanted to deliver a good race and stay smooth in conditions that I love and am used to from back home, so I’m happy about how I executed my plan. It’s very special to win this jersey.”  

Rafaëlle Carrier, national title holder in the Junior women’s XCO and XCC mountain bike events, took her third title of the 2024 season. The Junior men’s race got underway in the sprint, with Émilien Belzile winning against Evan Moore.   

Alexa Haviland (Women U17), Carter Deveer (Men U17), Kelly Welbourn (Women 55-64), Sue Haviland (Women 45-54), Jodi Wendland (Women 35-44), James Laird (Men 65+), Jean-François Blais (Men 55-64), Aroussen Laflamme (Men 45-54) and Eric Jeannotte (Men 35-44) also took honors in their respective categories.    

Full results from the event can be found here. The 2025 Canadian Cyclo-Cross Championships will be held once again in Lévis, QC; more details on the 2025 Championships Calendar are available here.  

 

 

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LÉVIS HOSTS THE CANADIAN CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Nov. 13, 2024) – Canadian athletes in the U17, Junior, U23, Elite and Masters categories are gearing up for the final national championships of the season, the 2024 Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships, presented by Lazer and held in Lévis, QC, on Nov. 16.  

A myriad of internationally proven athletes, including Elite Women and U23 Men Pan-American champions Sidney McGill and Ian Ackert, 2023 Junior World Champion Isabella Holmgren and World Cup top 10 regular Maghalie Rochette will all be behind the starting line.  

2023 Canadian champions in their respective categories, Ackert, Ava Holmgren, Rafaëlle Carrier, Evan Russell, Ethan Wood, Jayden McMullen, Gail O’Reilly and Bob Welbourn will also be present, hoping to get their hands on the maple leaf jersey for another year.   

“We are thrilled to bring the final Championship event of the 2024 season to Lévis,” said Josh Peacock, Director of Marketing and Events at Cycling Canada. “In choosing the site for this year’s Championships, we were confident that the organizers in Lévis possessed the perfect mix of community support, hosting expertise and a top-notch cyclo-cross venue. With the popularity of cyclo-cross continuing to grow across our country, we’re confident this competition will showcase some of the best performances this sport has to offer.” 

The full technical guide and important event information can be found on the Events Page of the Cycling Canada website. 

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CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES BOARD OF DIRECTOR UPDATES

Ottawa, ON (Nov. 6, 2024) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce updates to the composition of its Board of Directors following its Annual Meeting held via video conference on Sept. 24, 2024.

At the Annual Meeting, Cycling Canada’s member Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations voted to elect three incumbent directors from a slate of 10 nominees. Each of these directors will serve three-year terms in the role of Director-at-Large.

Cycling Canada directors elected Sept. 24, 2024: 

  1. Mark Collins (Milton, ON)
  2. Louizandre Dauphin (Abbotsford, BC)
  3. Denise Ramsden (Toronto, ON)

Subsequent to the Annual Meeting, the Cycling Canada Board elected Mark Collins (Milton, ON) to serve as Chair of the Board for a term that will conclude at the next Annual Meeting in September 2025. This is Collins’ second year as Chair, succeeding Pierre Laflamme (Quebec, QC), who had served as Chair since December 2018.

Stepping down from the Cycling Canada Board is Curt Harnett (Toronto, ON), who served from September 2019 to 2024. The Board would like to recognize and thank Curt for his significant contributions over his time on the Board, particularly in the areas of fundraising, where he spearheaded the launch of the Club 1882 program.

Continuing their ongoing terms on the Cycling Canada Board of Directors are Directors-at-Large Lara Check, Andrea Eby, Pierre Laflamme and Kelly Murray. The position of Athlete Representative continues to be held by Forrest Riesco by virtue of his role as Chair of the Cycling Canada Athletes’ Council.

Cycling Canada would like to extend a warm welcome to its returning directors as well as a sincere thank you to all the candidates who put their names forward as nominees in the recent election.

The role of the Board of Directors is to provide overall strategic direction, leadership and stability for the organization. The Board establishes the overall mission and purpose for the organization and it is responsible for a number of key governance-related activities including approving the appointment of (and providing direction to) the CEO and senior management team, the development and adoption of organizational policies, financial oversight and approval of the annual budget.

Cycling Canada Board of Directors (October 2024) 

Lara Check Director-at-large
Mark Collins Director-at-large/Chair
Louizandre Dauphin Director-at-large
Andrea Eby Director-at-large
Pierre Laflamme Director-at-large
Kelly Murray Director-at-large
Denise Ramsden Director-at-large
Forrest Riesco National Team Athlete Representative

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