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MIKE SAMETZ WITHDRAWS FROM PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES DUE TO INJURY

Paris, September 1, 2024– Para cyclist Mike Sametz (Calgary, AB) will unfortunately be unable to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games due to an injury, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Cycling Canada announced Sunday.

The 28-year-old crashed in road training earlier this week. The Rio 2016 medallist had been set to make his Paralympic return after missing the Tokyo Games due to injury.

“It’s been a chaotic few days since I had an unfortunate accident on Wednesday,” said Sametz. “I landed awkwardly on my right hip, which resulted in a fracture that required surgery. I am immensely grateful for the emergency responses on all fronts. It’s unfortunate that I will be unable to compete, but I want to congratulate my teammates on their stellar results on the track and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming road events!”

“Our hearts go out to Mike in his rehabilitation,” said Sébastien Travers, national Para cycling team coach. “He made a dazzling comeback after his accident in 2019, and his performances achieved in 2023 and 2024 are proof of his talent and well-deserved place on the team.”

Sametz was a bronze medallist in the individual time trial at the Rio 2016 Paralympics Games and at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.

“We are gutted for Mike to not be able to race at the Paralympic Games,” said Josh Vander Vies and Karolina Wisniewska, co-chefs de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “We know how hard he has worked to be back in top form, and to be injured right before the Games is devastating. We wish him all the best with his recovery. He is such a strong competitor, and we look forward to seeing him back racing again in the future.”

Sametz’s six teammates on Canada’s Para cycling team will start road competition at the Games on Sept. 4 at 8 a.m. CEST / 2 a.m. ET with the individual time trial.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca

About Cycling Canada: CyclingCanada.ca

Media Contacts:
Ariane Perron
Media Attaché, Canada’s Para Cycling Team
ariane.perron@cyclingcanada.ca / 819-210-3034 (WhatsApp)

Nicole Watts
Senior Manager, Communications & PR
Canadian Paralympic Committee
nwatts@paralympic.ca / 613-462-2700 (WhatsApp)

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MEL PEMBLE SET A NEW RECORD AT THE PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES

Paris, France (Aug. 31, 2024) – Mel Pemble of Victoria, British Columbia, set a new world record in the women’s C3 category in the 500-meter time trial during her participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on August 31. She finished the competition in fourth place.

With a time of 38.512 seconds in qualifying, Mel Pemble took the world record in her category, as she competed in the combined C1-3 women’s category. The previous world record, set by Australia’s Aniek Van Den Aarssen in 2022, was 39.093 seconds.

“It’s pretty cool to come here and realize I’m at my second Games,” said Pemble. “It felt more real coming into these Games with medal potential.” She added, “The world record is going to make that fourth place sting a little less in the end, but I think it’s going to take a little while for me to get over that. I’m very happy with my times, I got a personal best by a second which is more than could hope for, but it would have been amazing to win a medal, it just wasn’t in the cards this year.”

In the finals, Pemble stopped the clock after 38.610 seconds, just 0.3 seconds from the bronze medal won by Germany’s Maike Hausberger (WC2). China’s Wangwei Qian (WC1) took silver, while Australia’s Amanda Reid (WC2) took top honors, with a factorized time of 36.676 seconds.

Pemble, who competed in para-alpine skiing at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, was participating in her first Summer Games.

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

Further information, including results and the full schedule of Paralympic Games events, is available on the official Paris 2024 website, while para-cycling athletes will take part in road events from Sept. 4.

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HISTORIC DAY FOR CANADIAN CYCLING    

Paris, France (Aug. 30, 2024) – Canada collected six podium finishes in three different disciplines on Aug. 30, including two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, thanks to Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, NB, and Keely Shaw of Midale, SK. 

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games  

After finishing third in qualification for the women’s C4 individual pursuit, Shaw, who had won bronze in this event at Tokyo 2020, clocked 3:46.942m in the bronze final, contested against American Samantha Bosco. Australia’s Emily Petricola, the world record holder, was able to catch up with New Zealand’s Anna Taylor, putting her hands on the gold.   

“I had so many doubts before the last round,” said Shaw. “I didn’t think I had what it took. So it was a race of pure mind games. It was about cutting my legs, cutting everything my body was telling me to stop, all the while knowing I couldn’t, and trying to remember that I have a pretty good track record when it comes to bronze medal finals, so I’m so happy to have been able to repeat and to see myself with the world’s best on the podium at the world’s biggest sporting event is a feeling I hope I never forget.” 

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

In his very first Paralympic Games, paracyclist Alexandre Hayward, whose cycling career began in 2021, was able to get his hands on his first medal, winning bronze in the men’s C3 individual pursuit.   

“I was proud of myself before I got here this morning,” said Hayward. “If I think about the feeling that has stuck with me the most over the last few weeks, it’s pride. I’m proud of myself and it’s like this isn’t even in my dreams. I feel like I’ve set my expectations too high. But at the same time, you know, this team, I’m literally surrounded by Paralympic and Olympic legends. It’s easy to imagine when all your teammates are doing it like it’s nothing. I’m really proud of it all.”  

Great Britain’s Jaco Van Gass and Fin Graham won gold and silver.   

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

Mountain Bike 

The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships were held in Pal Arinsal, Andorra. Olympian Isabella Holmgren was able to add a new world title to her collection, having won the junior title in 2023, by winning gold in the U23 women’s cross-country short circuit (XCC) with a time of 20 minutes 31 seconds, just ahead of her sister Ava (+26s) in bronze. Ella MacLean-Howell (+22s) of Great Britain took silver. They were closely followed by Emilly Johnston (+31s), a U23 podium regular who finished fourth.   

“It was a fun race, very tough, and to see Ava cross the finish line in third place was incredible,” said Isabella. Ava added: “I started last and knew I had to get a good start, but I got a bad start. I just tried to overtake as many people as possible and not go over the limit, which worked out well!”  

In the junior category, Canadian racer Rafaëlle Carrier, in her first Mountain Bike World Championships, took silver in the Olympic cross-country, 36 seconds behind winner Viktoria Chladonova of Slovenia, who completed the course in one hour, one minute. They were joined on the podium by Slovenia’s Marusa Tereza Serkezi (+1:31m).  

Photo Credit:UCI Cycling

Road 

Canadian 2024 champion and Tour de France 2023 stage winner Mike Woods won stage 13 of the Vuelta a España. The win marks Woods’ fourth career Grand Tour stage victory.   

Photo Credit: A.S.O.

Further information, including results and the full schedule of Paralympic Games events, is available on the official Games website, while Mel Pemble will be in action in the individual time trial on Aug. 31.   

More information on the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships is available here. Tomorrow, the Canadians will be in action for the elite downhill finals. 

The Vuelta a España continues until September 8. For more information on this Grand Tour, click here.   

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KATE O’BRIEN WINS CANADA’S FIRST MEDAL OF THE PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES

Paris, FRA (Aug. 29, 2024) – Kate O’Brien of Calgary, AB, won Canada’s first Paralympic medal at Paris 2024 as she got her hands on bronze in the women’s C4 time trial on Aug. 29 at the Vélodrome national de St-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

O’Brien, who won silver in this event at Tokyo 2020, qualified in fourth place, clocking a factorized time of 36.873 seconds in the finals to get her hands on bronze. Caroline Groot of the Netherlands took gold with a time of 35.566 seconds, while France’s Marie Patouillet took silver with a time of 36.700 seconds.

“To be quite honest, I didn’t expect this,” said O’Brien. “I honestly didn’t think a medal was within reach, and I’ve never won a first medal in anything! It means so much and to receive so much support from my family and friends.”  She added: “Obviously the times were very, very tight and the year leading up to Paris was a bit of a struggle for training. And so, honestly, I didn’t know if I would make the team and I came in and was able to get into the top six, make the finals and finish with a medal, it’s an absolute dream.”

Photo Credit: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com | Kate O’Brien (Canada) Paralympic Bronze Medalist

Keely Shaw of Midale, SK, who is focusing on the women’s C4 individual pursuit event on Aug. 30, qualified 10th in the 500m time trial with a time of 44.520 seconds.

“The 500 is not my main event,” said Shaw. “But the way things went, with the time trial first and the pursuit the next day, we thought it was a good opportunity to have a little dress rehearsal before my main event. Today was all about testing the track and the environment, so there won’t be any surprises on my big day tomorrow.”

She is the only athlete on the Canadian cycling team to compete in four paracycling events at the Paris Paralympic Games.

Photo Credit: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com | Keely Shaw

Further information, including results and a full schedule of events, is available on the official Games website. Competition for Team Canada cyclists continues on August 30, when Keely Shaw and Alexandre Hayward will be in action in the individual pursuit in their respective categories.

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MOUNTAIN BIKE ATHLETES HEAD TO UCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS  

Ottawa, ON (Aug. 22, 2024) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the team that will represent Canada at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships to be held in Pal Arinsal, Andorra, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1.

Fresh from their Olympic experience in Paris 2024, the brother-and-sister duo of Isabella Holmgren and Gunnar Holmgren will compete on a course well known to athletes, located at an altitude of 2,000 meters.

Isabella, who currently holds the world junior title, will be looking to make her mark in the U23 category alongside her sister, Ava Holmgren. Junior World Championship 2023 medallists Marin Lowe and Ian Ackert will also be making the leap to the top category.

Jenn Jackson, Léandre Bouchard, Cole Punchard, Emilly Johnston, Jacob Roy and Rafaëlle Carrier, all winners of the Canadian XCC and XCO Mountain Bike Championships held in Kentville, Nova Scotia, in July, will also be taking the start. Johnston, a familiar face on the UCI World Cup podium, will be one to watch.

As for the downhill, Bodhi Kuhn, silver medallist in the junior category at the 2023 World Championships, will be taking part, this time in the elite category. He will be joined by World Cup podium regulars Finn Iles and Emmy Lan, and Gracey Hemstreet, who won silver at the 2022 World Championships in the junior category.

Several Canadian champions crowned just a few weeks ago in Sun Peaks, BC, will also be taking part, including Geza Rodgers, Jon Mozell and Jakob Jewett.

The competitions officially kick off on August 28 and continue through the weekend. For full details, click here.

Team Canada (XC) 
Juniors 
Rafaëlle Carrier – Lac-Beauport, QC
Julien Desjardins – Gatineau, QC
Nicolas Gauthier – Gatineau, QC
Aislin Hallahan – Peterborough, ON
Felix-Antoine Leclair – St-Denis-de-Brampton, QC
Lily-Rose Marois – Lac-Beauport, QC
Jacob Roy – Ste-Gertrude-Manneville, QC
Maude Ruelland – Lac-Beauport, QC
Tristan Taillefer – Saint-Denis-de-Brompton, QC
Eleanor Winchell – Powell River, BC

U23 
Ian Ackert – Severn, ON
Owen Clark – King City, ON
Isabella Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Ava Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Emilly Johnston – Comox, BC
Marin Lowe – Squamish, BC
Ella MacPhee – Squamish, BC
Zorak Paillé – St-Sauveur, QC
Cole Punchard – Huntsville, ON
Noah Ramsay – Toronto, ON

Elites  
Léandre Bouchard – Alma, QC
Gunnar Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Jenn Jackson – Barrie, ON
Tyler Orschel – Uxbridge, ON
Roxane Vermette – St-Férréol-les-Neiges, QC
Sandra Walter – Coquitlam, BC
Carter Woods – Cumberland, BC

Team Canada (DH)
Juniors 
Geza Rodgers – Port Moody, BC
Megan Bedard – Whistler, BC
Rebecca Beaton – Pemberton, BC
Dane Jewett – Squamish, BC
Jon Mozell – North Vancouver, BC
Michael De La Salle – Vancouver, BC
Griffin Tulk – Squamish, BC
Ryan Griffith – Squamish, BC
Dylan Marino – Whistler, BC
Jack MacLeod – Squamish, BC

Élites 
Gracey Hemstreet – Sechelt, BC
Emmy Lan – Comox, BC
Sophi Lawrence – Whistler, BC
Jakob Jewett – Squamish, BC
Bodhi Kuhn – Rossland, BC
Finn Iles – Pemberton, BC
Mark Wallace – Duncan, BC
Kasper Woolley – Squamish, BC
Johnathan Helly – Kamloops, BC
Kirk McDowall – Port Moody, BC

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CYCLING CANADA SENDS A TEAM OF TEN ATHLETES TO JUNIOR TRACK WORLDS

Ottawa, ON (Aug. 15, 2024) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the team representing Canada at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Luoyang, China, on Aug. 21-25.   

Fresh off successful participation in the Team Pursuit at the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Ontario back in April, Anika Brants will look to reach success with her junior teammates. A handful of 2024 Track and Road Canadian Championships will be rounding the team, including Jonathan Hinse, Larissa Pederson, Jayden McMullen and Gabriel Séguin. 

The event will mark Albert Taylor and Brants second participation at the World Championships, while the rest of team will make their official debut on the Junior Track World stage.  

Racing will start on Aug. 21 with the team sprint and the scratch race and continue with more events over the week. Results and the full detailed schedule of the event can be found here. 

Team Canada:
Anika Brants – Strathroy, ON
Kimberly Chen – Victoria, BC
Cole Dempster – Milton, ON
Jonathan Hinse – Vaudreuil, QC
Raphaëlle Houde – Candiac, QC
Larissa Pedersen – Kitchener, ON
Jayden McMullan – St.Thomas, ON
Monty Rigby – West Vancouver, BC
Gabriel Séguin – Les Cèdres, QC
Albert Taylor – Cambridge, ON  

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NEW TITLES AWARDED TO CANADIAN DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONS  

Ottawa, ON (Aug. 13, 2024) – Mountain bike athletes had their moment of glory at the Canadian Downhill Championships, held in Sun Peaks, British Columbia on Aug. 10 and 11, 2024.   

After heavy precipitation on the course in a day that was both rainy and sometimes even snowy at the summit, the athletes paraded through the iconic landscape of the Sun Peaks resort to get their hands on the coveted title of Canadian champion.  

In a strong women’s field, Geza Rodgers (Independant) and Emmy Lan (Forbidden Synthesis), who have proven themselves on the international enduro circuit having competed in several rounds of the UCI World Cup, both took top honours, securing their first-ever Canadian downhill title in the process.   

“This is my first downhill race,” said Rodgers. “I’ve been racing all my life; I’ve been doing cross-country mountain biking for ten years and I’ve always wanted to try downhill, because throughout my cross-country racing, I’ve known that downhill is my strong point.”  

In the U17 women’s race, Cameron Bragg (Instinct Development) took the title after finishing second in qualifying. Ryder Wilson (Corsa Cycles) won the U17 men’s race.   

Jon Mozell (We Are One Momentum Project) and Jake Jewett (Pivot Factory Racing), who also compete at international level in the UCI Downhill World Cups, both donned the uni-colored jersey following their respective victories in the junior and elite categories.   

“The race was exciting, with changing conditions,” said Jewett. “I’ve been Canadian champion twice as a U15, but never as an elite. It feels good to finally win it as an elite.”  

In the Masters, Julie Colk (Women 35-44), Rob David (Men 35-44), Jason Lorenz (Men 45-54) and Donald Van Eesteren (Men 55+) were victorious.   

The complete list of results is available here. The next national championships on the calendar are the Canadian Marathon Mountain Bike Championships (XCM) on September 7 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The complete calendar of national events is available on the Cycling Canada website. 

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LAST DAY OF COMPETITION FOR CANADIAN CYCLISTS AT PARIS 2024   

St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Aug. 11, 2024) – Canadian cyclists wrapped up their Olympic adventure on the final day of competition at the St-Quentin-en-Yvelines national velodrome.  

In the cumulative women’s omnium, Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple-Ridge, British Columbia, held the crowd spellbound, finishing second in the scratch race, collecting 38 points. In the tempo race, she finished tenth, collecting 22 points. The elimination race, where she collected 36 points, put her in third place heading into the final race of the event, the points race. In medal position, she was unable to pick up any more points, collecting 101 points to finish in 9th place.   

“That points race is really chaotic and there are a lot of girls here who are really strong at taking laps,” said Coles-Lyster. “It’s bittersweet; I was happy after the first three races and proud of how I raced. I was hoping for more, for sure.”  

American Jennifer Valente took top honours, accompanied on the podium by Poland’s Daria Pikulik in silver and New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston.   

In the men’s keirin, Ontario’s Nick Wammes of Bothwell and James Hedgecock of Ancaster, who had been able to reach the quarterfinals, all finished sixth in their respective heats, not allowing them to advance any further in the rounds. Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen won his third Olympic title, joined on the podium by Australians Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer in silver and bronze.    

“I definitely got stuck in the back, the whole race bunched up into a wall,” said Hedgecock. “I’m disappointed I didn’t make it through, but the legs felt good, and I kept up. The Olympics have been my dream and I’m hoping that in four years’ time, I’ll be able to get a medal. It’s my first Games, I’m one of the youngest guys out there, so in a way I can look forward to LA2028.”  

In the individual sprint classification waves, Alberta’s Kelsey Mitchell of Sherwood Park, who had been eliminated by Germany’s Lea Friederich in the quarterfinals, finished eighth. Friedrich took silver behind New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews, while Britain’s Emma Finucane took bronze.   

Further information, including results and the full schedule of events, is available at olympics.com This concludes Canada’s performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where cyclists have been performing since July 27. 

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WAMMES AND HEDGECOCK REACH MEN’S KEIRIN QUARTER-FINALS AT PARIS 2024   

St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Aug. 10, 2024) – The riders continued to give their best, despite a challenging week of competition in the track cycling events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held at the St-Quentin-en-Yvelines national velodrome on August 9 and 10.     

Ontario’s Nick Wammes, who had competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and James Hedgecock were forced to compete in the men’s keirin repechage at the end of the day. It was thanks to the relegation of French rider Rayan Helal that Wammes, who had finished third in his wave, was able to finish in second place, enabling him to secure his ticket for the quarter-finals, to be held tomorrow, August 11.  

“It’s been a tough week,” commented Wammes, “I’ve struggled to find my legs and momentum. I went into this competition wanting to give it my all, it’s the Olympics, it only happens every four years, and I had to give it my all. I’m ready, I’m going to reset and I’ll be back tomorrow.”  

Following the disqualification of a rider in his wave, Hedgecock needed to finish in the top two of the repechage to have any hope of racing the following day. On a start already reduced to four riders, rather than five, Hedgecock was on course to win the race, before the wave was neutralized due to the heavy fall of Kwesi Browne from Trinidad and Tobago. On a re-run, this time with three riders, Hedgecock was again able to win her wave, qualifying for the Aug. 11 finals.  

Sprinters Kelsey Mitchell, of Sherwood Park, Alberta, and Lauriane Genest, of Lévis, Quebec, were in individual sprint qualifying action on Aug. 9. Only Kelsey Mitchell, reigning Olympic champion in the discipline, was able to advance to the quarter-finals on Aug. 10, after winning her repechage heat. She ended her day by losing to Germany’s Lea Friedrich. Mitchell will race on Aug. 11 in the final for places 5 to 8.   

“I wanted to bring home a medal,” said Mitchell. “Obviously, my victory in Tokyo set the bar very high and I would have liked to repeat the feat and bring home a medal for Canada. I can only blame myself, but I did everything I could to avoid this result. I want to go out there tomorrow and hopefully get fifth place, do my best and represent my country.” 

Lauriane Genest from Lévis, Quebec, lost in the round of 16, where she was also beaten by Friedrich. She was unable to improve her lot in the repechage.   

In the Madison on August 9, Canadians Ariane Bonhomme of Gatineau, Quebec, and Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, finished in 15th place. Italy won the Olympic title, while Great Britain and the Netherlands took silver and bronze.    

On Aug. 10, it was the turn of the men, Mathias Guillemette of Trois-Rivières, Quebec and Michael Foley of Milton, ON, to join forces in the American race. The duo also finished 13th, while Portugal took top honors, followed by Italy and Denmark.   

“We had a bad time at the start,” commented Foley, “We got separated at the back, so we chased for a long time to try and stay on that lap and I think we paid for it.  We wanted to try and get in a good position and stay on the lap, obviously that’s not how we ended up, but we did our best, so it’s hard to be too upset.”   

Further information, including results and the full schedule of events, is available at olympics.com. Competition for Team Canada cyclists concludes on August 11, when athletes will be in action in the men’s keirin and women’s omnium.   

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CANADIAN CYCLISTS TAKE ON THE OMNIUM AND THE KEIRIN AT PARIS 2024

St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, FRA (Aug. 8, 2024) – Things didn’t go as planned for the Canadian athletes in action at the St-Quentin-en-Yvelines national velodrome for the women’s keirin and men’s omnium events held on August 8.    

With a medal in his sights, Canada’s Dylan Bibic, starting in the men’s omnium, had to be content with a 19th-place finish well below his expectations. Right from the first race of the four cumulative events – the scratch race, where he finished 16th – the Mississauga, Ontario-born rider mentioned that he wasn’t feeling his usual self. The feeling was confirmed at the end of the tempo race, where he finished in 21st place, collecting just one point for the overall total.    

The elimination race being his favorite event, having won the honors at the Milton Nations’ Cup in April, he was only able to obtain twelfth place allowing him to accumulate 18 points, but the damage had been done. His fate was decided by not collecting any additional points in the points race, and he finished 19th, having accumulated only 29 points. 

“This omnium meant a lot to him,” said national team coach Laura Brown. “We still believe in him and we’re proud of the way he fought through this brutal event, where there’s no time to recover. He fought and finished, and we’re proud of that.”  

France’s Benjamin Thomas took the Olympic title, while Portugal’s Iuri Leitao and Belgium’s Fabio van den Bossche took silver and bronze.  

Photo Credit: Kevin Light/COC

On the women’s side, Lauriane Genest, keirin bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020, and her teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who had finished fifth in Japan, were unable to make the final rounds, both losing in the quarterfinals, a disappointment caused in part by tactical errors.  

“It happened very quickly,” said Genest. “In this kind of race, you realize you only get one chance, and I didn’t take it today. I was last with one lap to go and thought I could overtake two girls, but I got stuck in that position. I felt I had the legs, so that was the most frustrating part.” 

Photo Credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com

Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com

New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews took gold, accompanied by the Netherlands’ Hetty van de Wouw in silver and Emma Finucane from Great Britain in bronze.    

Further information, including results and the full schedule of events, is available at olympics.com. Competition for Team Canada cyclists continues on August 8, when athletes will be in action in the individual events, including the women’s sprint, where we will see Genest and Mitchell and in the Women’s Madison.  

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