News – Page 56 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

SILVER MEDAL FOR CANADA AT FIRST E-MTB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Mont-Ste-Anne, QC (August 29, 2019) – Canada’s Maghalie Rochette won a silver medal on Wednesday at the first ever edition of the women’s electric pedal-assist mountain bike (E-MTB) competition at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec. Rochette led for much of the race before being overtaken by Switzerland’s Nathalie Schneitter on the final lap. In other competition, Canada was fifth in the Team Relay event.

“I am super disappointed,” admitted Rochette. “I really wanted to win; it is the very first one in history and it would have been really cool to win it here in Canada. I gave it my all but, in the end, Nathalie was better. I’m a bit mad at myself because I made a mistake on the last lap that cost me. On a technical climb I put my foot down, and when I tried to get going again I crashed, and that’s when Nathalie caught me.”

Peter Disera rode anchor for Canada in the Team Relay, and brought the team up to fifth from eighth. “I’m pretty proud of my ride, because I haven’t been riding too well [since earlier World Cups], but today I came out very focussed. On a whole, it’s been really impressive to watch the growth in Team Canada.”

CANADA WINS THREE MEDALS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY AT PARAPAN AM GAMES

Lima, Peru (August 28, 2019) – The Canadian para-cycling team continued to excel in the track events at the Parapan Am Games, winning three medals for the second consecutive day. In the women’s tandem time trial, Canada stood atop the first two steps of the podium once again, with Annie Bouchard and pilot Evelyne Gagnon pulling off a gold medal time of 1:15.310, and fellow Canadians Carla Shibley and pilot Meghan Lemiski finishing in 1:16.132 for the silver.

“It is just amazing, it’s a great feeling,” said Annie Bouchard. “To represent Canada, we have fought so much, and made so many sacrifices and there are no words today, just wow.”

Marie-Claude Molnar, a Games veteran with two Paralympic Games and two Parapan Am Games to her name, also added a silver medal for Canada. The C4 racer qualified in second for the women’s C4-5 individual pursuit final, where she ultimately finished behind American Samantha Bosco.

In the men’s tandem time trial, Lowell Taylor and pilot Andrew Davidson missed out on a podium spot by just a tenth of a second, finishing in fourth.

CANADA WINS THREE MEDALS IN THE INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT AT PARAPAN AM GAMES

Lima, Peru (August 27, 2019) – Canada kicked off the first day of the para-cycling events at the Parapan American Games with three medals in the Individual Pursuit. The women’s tandem teams both qualified for the gold medal final, with Carla Shibley and pilot Meghan Lemiski taking the top spot with a time of 3:50.575, just ahead of their teammates Annie Bouchard and pilot Evelyne Gagnon who earned the silver medal. In the men’s category, Lowell Taylor and pilot Andrew Davidson also reached the podium with a silver, finishing behind Colombians Nelson Serna and pilot Marlon Perez.

“I’m super excited and surprised with our result,” said Shibley. “I didn’t expect us to win a gold medal, I wasn’t feeling the greatest after the semi-final and I was having some breathing issues, but I was able to tough it out. I told myself that I just needed to suffer a little more in the last four laps just to win by that last second. I couldn’t be prouder with this result.”

“I felt so much pride not in myself but pride in the country,” said Taylor. “I actually had a lot of gratitude for all the support, from Canada, from my family, for Andrew, everybody who has been alongside me to get here. Para sport is not about the individual, it’s about the team so I was just feeling so much gratitude for everybody today.”

CANADA SENDS WORLD-CLASS TEAM TO PAN AM TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (August 27, 2019) – A few weeks after the conclusion of the Pan American Games in Peru, Team Canada is headed to Cochabamba, Bolivia, for the Pan American Track Championships, to be held on September 4-8.

The team of 16 athletes includes Pan American and Commonwealth Games champions, plus two members of Canada’s Olympic bronze medal team from the 2016 Games – Allison Beveridge and Georgia Simmerling. Pan Am Championships provide an important opportunity to gain points in the world rankings, which will be used to determine the number of athletes Canada will be allowed to enter in next year’s Olympic Games.

“The PanAm Champs is the second highest Olympic Qualifying event that our team has on the season calendar and, although logistically challenging to prepare for and get to, we are sending a full team to compete,” said Brendon Cameron, Head Coach for the track program at Cycling Canada. “We’re looking for strong performances but the team is also mindful of the long season ahead and are making sure there’s a balanced approach with their training. The event is being held at an altitude of 2500m, so the coaching team have had to put some detail into preparation of the athletes for this campaign.”

Sprint Women
Lauriane Genest (Team Sprint, Sprint, Keirin, 500m time trial) – Levis, QC
Kelsey Mitchell (Team Sprint, Sprint, Keirin, 500m time trial) – Edmonton, AB

Sprint Men
Joel Archambault (Sprint, Keirin) – St-Christine, QC
Hugo Barrette (Sprint, Keirin) – Iles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Nick Wammes (Sprint, Kilo) – Bothwell, ON

Endurance Men
Aidan Caves (Team Pursuit, Scratch) – Vancouver, BC
Vincent De Haitre (Team Pursuit, Kilo) – Ottawa, ON
Michael Foley (Team Pursuit, Madison, Points) – Milton, ON
Derek Gee (Team Pursuit, Omnium, Madison) – Ottawa, ON
Jay Lamoureux (Team Pursuit, Individual Pursuit) – Victoria, BC

Endurance Women
Allison Beveridge (Team Pursuit, Omnium) – Calgary, AB
Ariane Bonhomme (Team Pursuit, Individual Pursuit) – Gatineau, QC
Annie Foreman-Mackey (Team Pursuit, Individual Pursuit) – Kingston, ON
Kinley Gibson (Team Pursuit, Points, Madison) – Edmonton, AB
Steph Roorda (Team Pursuit, Madison, Scratch) – Vancouver, BC
Georgia Simmerling (Team Pursuit) – Vancouver, BC

LE CANADA ENVOIE UNE ÉQUIPE DU HAUT CALIBRE AUX CHAMPIONNATS PANAMÉRICAINS SUR PISTE

Ottawa, ON (le 27 août 2019) – Seulement quelques semaines après la clôture des Jeux panaméricains au Pérou, l’équipe canadienne se dirige à Cochabamba, en Bolivie, dans le cadre des Championnats panaméricains sur piste, qui auront lieu du 4 au 8 septembre.

L’équipe composée de 16 athlètes comprend des champions des Jeux panaméricains et des Jeux du Commonwealth, ainsi que deux membres de l’équipe canadienne médaillée de bronze aux Jeux olympiques de 2016, à savoir Allison Beveridge et Georgia Simmerling. Les Championnats panaméricains offrent une occasion importante de gagner des points au classement mondial, qui serviront à déterminer le nombre d’athlètes que le Canada sera autorisé à inscrire aux Jeux olympiques de l’an prochain.

«Les Championnats panaméricains sont le deuxième événement de qualification olympique le plus important que notre équipe a sur le calendrier de la saison et, bien qu’il soit difficile sur le plan logistique de s’y préparer et de s’y rendre, nous y envoyons une équipe complète» a déclaré Brendon Cameron, entraîneur en chef du programme de piste de Cyclisme Canada. «Nous recherchons de bonnes performances, mais l’équipe est également consciente de la longue saison à venir et nous veillons à ce qu’il y ait une approche équilibrée dans notre entraînement. L’événement se déroule à une altitude de 2500m, l’équipe d’entraîneurs a donc dû introduire des détails spécifiques à la préparation des athlètes pour cette compétition.»

Sprint Femmes
Lauriane Genest (Sprint par équipes, sprint, Keirin, 500m contre-la-montre) – Lévis, QC
Kelsey Mitchell (Sprint par équipes, sprint, Keirin, 500m contre-la-montre) – Edmonton, AB

Sprint Hommes
Joël Archambault (Sprint, Keirin) – St-Christine, QC
Hugo Barrette (Sprint, Keirin) – Iles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Nick Wammes (Sprint, Kilo) – Bothwell, ON

Endurance Hommes
Aidan Caves (Poursuite par équipes, course scratch) – Vancouver, CB
Vincent De Haitre (Poursuite par équipes, Kilo) – Ottawa, ON
Michael Foley (Poursuite par équipes, Madison, course aux points) – Milton, ON
Derek Gee (Poursuite par équipes, Omnium, Madison) – Ottawa, ON
Jay Lamoureux (Poursuite par équipes, poursuite individuelle) – Victoria, CB

Endurance Femmes
Allison Beveridge (Poursuite par équipes, Omnium) – Calgary, AB
Ariane Bonhomme (Poursuite par équipes, poursuite individuelle) – Gatineau, QC
Annie Foreman-Mackey (Poursuite par équipes, poursuite individuelle) – Kingston, ON
Kinley Gibson (Poursuite par équipes, course aux points, Madison) – Edmonton, AB
Steph Roorda (Poursuite par équipes, Madison, course scratch) – Vancouver, CB
Georgia Simmerling (Poursuite par équipes) – Vancouver, CB

TEAM CANADA SENDS DEVELOPMENT SQUAD TO GRANDS PRIX CYCLISTES

Ottawa, ON (August 22, 2019) – Cycling Canada has announced the team of seven riders that will race in national team colours at the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal (GPCQM) on September 13th (Quebec City) and 15th (Montreal). The GPCQM, who will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, are the only events on the UCI WorldTour race calendar in the Americas, the highest level of international competition for professional men.

The team will be led by James Piccoli, who has had a breakthrough season, winning the Tour of the Gila and finishing among the top two at every single stage race he has entered in. He will be joined by Elevate KHS teammates Jordan Cheyne and U23 time trial champion Adam Roberge.

The team will be rounded out by U23 riders, including Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay winner and current U23 road champion Nickolas Zukowsky, as well as Evan Burtnik, Charles-Etienne Chrétien and Laurent Gervais.

“Our objective this year is to keep an emphasis on U23 development,” said team manager Kevin Field. “This race will be the final testing ground for our athletes prior to the World Championships and will provide them with valuable exposure to the WorldTour level. The changes we’re making in our road programs, including how we select athletes for these races and how we work with the trade teams has been working, and we have seen eleven athletes graduate to Pro Continental or WorldTour teams in the last four years.”

“I’m eternally grateful to the GPCQM team for the opportunity they provide to the National Team. It is a really unique experience for our athletes to be able to race at this level.”

Evan Burtnik – Edmonton, AB [X-Speed United]
Jordan Cheyne – Big White, BC [Elevate KHS]
Charles-Etienne Chrétien – Amos, QC [Interpro Cycling Academy]
Laurent Gervais – Montreal, QC [Aevolo]
James Piccoli –  Montreal, QC [Elevate KHS]
Adam Roberge –  Montreal, QC [Elevate KHS]
Nickolas Zukowsky – Ste-Lucie-des-Laurentides, QC [Floyd’s Pro Cycling]

GLOBAL RELAY RENEWS CONTRACT WITH CYCLING CANADA

Ottawa, ON (August 21, 2019) – Global Relay and Cycling Canada have renewed their long-term partnership to develop cycling in Canada and help the country become one of the world’s top cycling nations. The 4 year partnership extension will continue to focus on sponsorship of the Canadian National Cycling Teams and will align with other Global Relay supported initiatives such as the Global Relay – Bridge The Gap Fund, which facilitates the advancement of aspiring Canadian cyclists through mentorship, coaching and financial support.

In addition to its partnership with Cycling Canada, Global Relay is also the Title Sponsor of the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix, an event that it has supported and operated in downtown Vancouver since 2012. A new element of the partnership for 2019 and beyond will be a collaborative venture designed to integrate cycling into existing Global Relay health and wellness programs for its employees.

“Business and cycling both share key qualities in achieving success on all fronts. We find lots of attributes in common, such as hard work, continuous training, technical skills and tenacity,” said Warren Roy, CEO and Founder of Global Relay. “Whether you’re in sport or business, getting to the point where you can compete globally is a huge undertaking. We feel that the Bridge the Gap program is a stepping stone for youth cycling, all the way to the Olympic podium”

Global Relay has a multi-national staff of about 530 currently, with over 90% of its revenues coming from outside Canada representing a truly global service provider.

“Partnering with Cycling Canada is a great opportunity for us to honor our roots and encourage each other as we compete globally. Team effort is as important in winning a cycling race as it is in business success,” said Roy.

Cycling Canada’s President Pierre Laflamme is thrilled about the extension of the partnership. “We are incredibly grateful for the support that Global Relay continues to provide for our sport and the Canadian cycling community on so many levels. This partnership provides critical resources for our organization to continue to advance our elite athlete development programs and inspire Canada’s next generation of gracious champions and ambassadors. We are proud to partner with an organization like Global Relay that truly believes in the values and benefits of sport.”

CANADA CUP SERIES TITLES AWARDED IN KENTVILLE

Kentville, NS (August 20, 2019) – After starting in Victoria back in March, the Canada Cup national mountain bike series concluded on Sunday at the other end of the country, in Kentville, Nova Scotia, with Round 8, where the final Canada Cup series titles were awarded.

World Cup pro Haley Smith (Norco Factory) bookended the Elite women’s series – winning the first race and the last one; the only two Canada Cups she was able to attend this year. Roxanne Vermette (Club Cycliste Mont-Ste-Anne) won the overall title, despite not attending the final race, with 995 points. Marianne Theberge (Equipe du Quebec) finished second to Smith on the day and second overall in the Series, with 895 points, followed by Mireille Larose-Gingras (Velo Cartel x BL Coaching) at 770 points.

“Today was really, really fun,” said Smith. “I maintain that this is the best course in Canada! I have so much fun every time I ride it. It was very muddy, starting ten minutes before the race, which made things exciting; I had a few close calls in the first lap. I felt rejuvenated to be around the local mountain bike community.”

In the Elite men’s race, it was a battle between Nova Scotia local and World Cup pro Andrew L’Esperance (Norco Factory) and Holden Jones (Pendrel Racing). L’Esperance and Jones rode together for the first half of the race but Jones surged in the second half to take the win. Tyler Orschel (Durham Shredders), who led the Canada Cup going into the final round, finished third. Jones’ win jumped him into the Canada Cup title, finishing with total of 984 points, just 19 ahead of Orschel. William Cote (Equipe du Quebec) took third overall.

In the Junior categories, Juliette Larose-Gingras (Velo Cartel x BL Coaching) won the women’s race and the overall title. Samuelle Baillargeon (CVM Sigma Assurance) was second and Julianne Sarrazin (Equipe du Quebec/Velo Pays-d’en-ha) finished third. Sarrazin took second in the overall standings, tied on points with Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill (Quebecor Stingray), who did not attend Kentville.

The Junior men’s win and overall title went to Carter Woods (Rocky Mountain Factory), who took his fourth win in the Series. Vincent Thiboutot (Pivot Cycles-OTE) finished second and third overall, while Hamish Graham (Simon Cycles) was third, finishing second in the overall standings.

The Under-17 women’s win and title went to Nicole Bradbury (NCCH Elite p/b MGCC), who had five wins in five races – the only race Bradbury entered that she didn’t win, was Round 4, where she suffered a mechanical and did not finish. Catryana Marcotte (Dalbix Siboire) was second in the final round, with Emilie Chloe McIntyre (Fitworks) finishing third. Ava Holmgren (Hardwood Next wave) finished second in the overall standings, and Elli Clark (Homestead Racing) was third.

In the Under-17 Men’s category, Mederic Carrier (Equipe du Quebec) won, followed by Matteo Oppizzi (Equipe du Quebec/EC Performance) and Zorak Paille (Equipe du Quebec/EC Performance). The overall title was won by Owen Clark (Homestead Racing), who won four rounds but did not attend the final. Ian Ackert (Hardwood Next Wave) finished second overall and Erik Ashton (Trail Bicycles) was third.

CANADA ANNOUNCES TEAM FOR MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mont-Ste-Anne, QC (August 19, 2019) – Cycling Canada has announced the team of 71 riders who will represent Canada at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, between August 28th and September 1st. Mont-Sainte-Anne has a long history of hosting world-class mountain bike events, and this will mark the first time that this event is awarded three times to the same organizers.

Both Cross-Country (XCO) and Downhill (DH) athletes will be competing in the biggest event on the calendar, in addition to E-MTB, which will be making its debut at a World Championship. This year’s event holds an added level of excitement as the members of Team Canada will be riding on home turf, in front of an anticipated 50,000 spectators.

“Racing at a home at the World Championships is always a special honour,” said Head Coach Dan Proulx. “We’re excited to race on a track that we know well – one of the most technical and demanding tracks in the world.”

“Obviously we hope to see Canadians on the podium here, but more importantly we’re looking for athletes to improve on their personal best and come away with even greater ambition to compete with the best riders in the world. This competition will provide an incredible incentive for our development riders, providing dividends to our system for many years to come.”

Junior Women (XCO):
Samuelle Baillargeon – Quebec City, QC
Emilly Johnston – Comox, BC
Juliette Larose-Gingras – Quebec City, QC
Kelly Lawson – Barrie, ON
Julianne Sarrazin – Prévost, QC
Kaitlyn Shikaze – Oakville, ON
Magdeleine Vallières-Mill – Sherbrooke, QC

Junior Men (XCO):
Hamish Graham – Saskatoon, SK
Dylan Kerr – Horseshoe Valley, ON
Jérémie La Grenade – Gatineau, QC
Xavier Roy – Amos, QC
Charles-Antoine St-Onge – Fleurimont, QC
Vincent Thiboutot – Quebec City, QC
Carter Woods – Cumberland, BC

U23 Women (XCO):
Laurie Arsenault – Terrebonne, QC
Mireille Larose-Gingras – Quebec City, QC
Mackenzie Myatt – Musquodoboit Harbour, NS
Sophianne Samson, Quebec City, QC
Amélie Simard – Beaupré, QC
Marianne Théberge – Lévis, QC
Roxanne Vermette – Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC

U23 Men (XCO):
Raphael Auclair – Haut-Saint-Charles, QC
Quinton Disera – Horseshoe Valley, ON
Émile Farrell-Dessureault – Sherbrooke, QC
Sean Fincham – Squamish, BC
Gunnar Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Holden Jones – Squamish, BC
Tyler Orschel – Markham, ON

Elite Women (XCO):
Emily Batty – Brooklin, ON
Jenn Jackson – Oro Medonte, ON
Cindy Montambault – Val-David, QC
Elyse Nieuwold – Newmarket, ON
Catharine Pendrel – Kamloops, BC
Haley Smith – Uxbridge, ON
Sandra Walter – Coquitlam, BC

Elite Men (XCO):
Félix Belhumeur – Quebec City, QC
Leandre Bouchard – Alma, QC
Peter Disera – Horseshoe Valley, ON
Marc-André Fortier – Victoriaville, QC
Raphaël Gagné – Quebec City, QC
Andrew L’Esperance – Halifax, NS
Cory Wallace – Jasper, AB

Junior Women (DH):
Amy Ertel – Whistler, BC
Bailey Goldstone – Squamish, BC
Madison Skrypnek – Squamish, BC

Junior Men (DH):
Justin Clements – Calgary, AB
Lucas Cruz – Pemberton, BC
Emmett Hancock – Kelowna, BC
Elliot Jamieson – White Rock, BC
Patrick Laffey – Nanaimo, BC
Milton McConville – New Westminster, BC
Seth Sherlock – Squamish, BC

Elite Women (DH):
Georgia Astle – Whistler, BC
Miranda Miller – Squamish, BC
Rachel Pageau – Quebec City, QC
Vaea Verbeeck – North Vancouver, BC

Elite Men (DH):
Finn Iles – Whistler, BC
Hugo Langevin – Bromont, QC
Magnus Manson – Sechelt, BC
Kirk McDowall – Vancouver, BC
Samuel Thibault – Chambly, QC
Mark Wallace – Duncan, BC

Women (E-MTB):
Maghalie Rochette – Ste-Adèle, QC
Courtnay Romkey – Calgary, AB

Men (E-MTB):
Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette – Quebec City, QC
Yann Gauvin – Ste-Catherine-De-La-J-Cartier, QC
Andreas Hestler – North Vancouver, BC
Félix Longpré – St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, QC
Thomas Pesce – Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, QC
Jan Roubal – Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Alexandre Vialle – Prévost, QC
George Visser – Bromont, QC

Canadian Juniors breaking records at Track World Championships

Frankfurt, Germany (August 17th, 2019) – Team Canada won their first medal of the Junior Track World Championships on Friday, with a bronze medal performance from Tristan Jussaume of Contrecoeur, Quebec, in the Individual Pursuit.  Jussaume set a time of 3:14.555 in the qualifying round – a new national record – and then beat Zach Bridges of Great Britain in the bronze medal final.

“I really wasn’t expecting this,” said Jussaume.  “I had in my head to do 3:20 and maybe I could do a Canadian record, but I wasn’t certain.  At the same time, I told myself it’s the World Championships and I have to give it all, but I wasn’t thinking about the podium.  This means so much to me, for all the hours I’ve put in, the training camps and all the efforts.”

Jussaume’s record was the 5th national record broken at these events. On the opening day in Frankfurt, The Junior men’s Team Sprint squad of James Hedgcock, Andrew Scott and Riley Pickrell knocked nearly a second off the national record, with a new time of 46.280 seconds, eventually finishing eighth overall.  In the men’s Team Pursuit, the squad of Tristan Jussaume, Riley Pickrell, Sean Richardson and Jackson Kinniburgh set a qualifying time of 4:06.342, nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the old record.

Day 2 saw the women’s Team Pursuit time of 4:31.926 set by the team of Ngaire Barraclough, Sarah van Dam, Lily Plante and Adele Desgagnes knock the existing record by just over six-tenths of a second off of the previous one, set in 2017. Women’s sprinter Madison Dempster followed up with breaking the 200m sprint Canadian record that has stood for 12 years, with a time of 11.501.

The Junior Track World Championships will continue through the weekend.