News – Page 74 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

BMX NATIONAL TITLES AWARDED IN DRUMMONDVILLE

Drummondville, QC (July 9, 2018) – Over 400 athletes came out for the premier event on the domestic BMX calendar, the Canadian BMX Championships, which returned to Drummondville after a two year absence. Titles and maple leaf jerseys were awarded in the women’s and men’s categories for Junior (17-18) and Elite (19+) categories, with medals awarded in the Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old.

“As expected, Club BMX Drummond offered another first class Canadian Championship event,” said Josh Peacock, Competition Coordinator at Cycling Canada. “We saw plenty of thrills and spills, and are thrilled to crown our new Canadian Champions. Congratulations to all of our N plate winners, and a big thank you to all of the dedicated volunteers and officials who contributed to the success of this event.”

British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta dominated the titles, with each province taking national champions jerseys, including two for Alberta. Aidan Webber of Nanaimo, BC, became the new national champion for Junior men, with Benjamin Ouellette taking the silver medal and Alex Grecht the bronze. In the Junior women, Avriana Hebert of Edmonton, Alberta defended her national title, finishing fourth among the Elite women, followed by Alison Grecht of Parksville, BC.

“Winning the national champion’s jersey really shows all the hard work I’ve put in,” said Webber, “because I was injured last year and missed out on national champs, so getting it in my last year as a Junior really means a lot to me. My final was really good right from the start; I had an amazing gate and was able to get to the inside of the straightaway right away and hold off the competition all the way to the line. It’s a huge confidence booster.”

The Elite women’s title was a battle between two World Cup riders, defending champion Drew Mechielsen of Langley, BC, and Daina Tuchscherer of Chestermere, Alberta, with Tuchscherer taking the title.

“The track was running really great today,” said Tuchscherer. “All these girls I raced against have trained super hard, so it was awesome to fight my way to the top. I haven’t won this before, so it will be an honour to wear the maple leaf for Canada.”

In the absence of defending champion Tory Nyhaug, who is recovering from an injury, the Elite men’s title was a three-way battle between World Cup riders James Palmer of North Vancouver, BC, Alex Tougas of Pitt Meadows, BC, and local Drummondville favourite Gaby Malenfant. Malenfant managed to slip by Palmer and Tougas in the final corner to take a popular hometown win.

“It was awesome to win at home,” said Malenfant. “It’s a technical track, with not a lot of speed, so there are a lot of moves happening in the corners but I like technical tracks, so it is an advantage for me.”

July 9, 2018/by Communications

BMX NATIONALS RETURN TO DRUMMONDVILLE THIS WEEKEND

Drummondville, QC (July 5, 2018) – On Saturday and Sunday, the BMX Canadian Championships and the first round of the Canada Cup series will take place in Drummondville, Quebec. This will be Drummondville’s first time hosting the Championships since 2015.

Saturday will see riders competing for the maple leaf jersey in the Junior (17-18) and Elite (19+) categories for women and men, with medals awarded in the Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old. Almost all of Canada’s top pros – fresh from racing the UCI BMX World Championships – will be in attendance, including defending Elite women’s champion Drew Mechielsen of Langley, BC, and 2017 silver medalist Daina Tuchscherer of Chestermere, AB. On the Elite men’s side, 2015 Pan Am Games champion and defending national champion Tory Nyhaug of Coquitlam, BC, will miss the Championships as he recovers from injury, but 2017 silver medalist James Palmer of North Vancouver, BC, and bronze medalist Alex Tougas of Pitt Meadows, BC, will be competing for the national title.

“We are very excited to return to Drummondville for the Canadian Championships in 2018, as well as the opening round of our Canada Cup BMX series,” said Josh Peacock, Competition Coordinator at Cycling Canada. “Club BMX Drummond has been hard at work to build on the success of their most recent Canadian Championships hosted in 2015, and are no strangers to hosting Canada’s best. We are expecting strong representation from all provinces, making for stiff competition as riders set their sights on the coveted N plate.”

On Sunday, riders will compete in the first round of the five event Canada Cup national series.

July 5, 2018/by Communications

CANADA BRINGS 8 RIDERS TO MTB WORLD CUPS #4 & #5

Val di Sole, Italy (July 4, 2018) – Canada will be bringing a team of eight riders to Europe for a national mountain bike project at Rounds 4 and 5 of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Italy and Andorra. While a number of top Canadian pros will compete with their trade teams in Val di Sole, Italy, on July 6-8, and Vallnord, Andorra, on July 13-15, a selection of riders will also participate in Team Canada colours.

Dan Proulx, National Mountain Bike Coach, explains, “These World Cups are incredibly challenging and will test the riders’ climbing and technical skills. At this point in the season, most riders are in good form and we expect the races to be very fast. We’re bringing a good team of riders with a nice mix of developing athletes and experienced racers.”

“Val Di Sole and Andorra are great events that we really look forward to. Most of the team has just completed a tough block of training with the aim of peaking at the World Championships in September. These races are simply a step in our process. It’s low pressure for us.”

In the Elite ranks, Team Canada riders will be Andrew L’Esperance for the men, and Sandra Walter and Cindy Montambault for the women. Other Canadians racing include Emily Batty (Trek Factory) and Haley Smith (Norco Factory) in Elite women, plus Leandre Bouchard (KMC-Ekoi-SR Suntour), Peter Disera (Norco Factory) and Raphael Gagne (Silverback OMX). Unfortunately, missing from the start line will be two-time world champion Catharine Pendrel (Clif Pro Team), who is recovering from a broken arm suffered in a training accident.

The Under-23 squad is comprised of Mackenzie Myatt and Juliette Tetrault for the women, and Gunnar Holmgren, Brody Sanderson and Sean Fincham for the men. Racing for the Norco Factory squad in U23 men will be Quinton Disera, plus three riders from Pivot Cycles-OTE – Marc-Andre Fortier, Raphael Auclair and Felix Belhumeur.

Andrew L’Esperance – Halifax, NS [Elite Men]
Sandra Walter – Coquitlam, BC [Elite Women]
Cindy Montambault – Val-David, QC [Elite Women]
Mackenzie Myatt – Musquodoboit Harbour, NS [U23 Women]
Juliette Tetrault – Val-des-Monts, QC [U23 Women]
Gunnar Holmgren – Orillia, ON [U23 Men]
Brody Sanderson – Oro Medonte, ON [U23 Men]
Sean Fincham – Squamish, BC [U23 Men]

July 4, 2018/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES TEAM FOR PARA ROAD WORLD CUP #2

Emmen, Netherlands (July 4, 2018) – Canada has selected a team of 13 athletes for the second round of the UCI Para-cycling World Cup, which will take place on July 6-8 in Emmen, Netherlands. This will be the first event during the qualifying period for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, when riders and nations begin to collect ranking points that will determine country quotas for the Games.

The team is led by world champions Shelley Gautier [T1 women] and Michael Sametz [C3 men], and includes a mix of both experienced athletes and newcomers to World Cup competition.

National Para Head Coach Sebastien Travers explains, “From a high performance standpoint, we are bringing a very small team to Emmen, mostly to improve World Cup rankings in hopes of getting some leader jerseys for the next round of the World Cup in Baie-Comeau. Some of our targeted athletes have decided to opt out of the Emmen event, to further prepare for Road World Championships happening in about five weeks. From a program perspective, attending Emmen is key in our long term preparation, as they will be the host site of the 2019 Para-cycling Road World Championships.”

Guillaume Plourde, Para NextGen coach, added, “For the NextGen group, the Emmen World Cup will have two-fold purposes: for some athletes, it’ll be a first international exposure that will allow them to gain experience and assess where they stand compared to the international field. For others who are already active on the World Cup circuit, it’ll be the last chance to qualify for the 2018 Para-cycling Road World Championships.”

Women
Annie Bouchard (Tandem) Baie-St-Paul, QC
Evelyne Gagnon (Tandem Pilot) Quebec City, QC
Nicole Clermont (C5) St Denis de Brompton, QC
Shelley Gautier (T1) Toronto, ON
Keely Shaw (C4) Saskatoon, SK

Men
Matthieu Croteau Daigle (Tandem) Sherbrooke, QC
Benoit Lussier (Tandem Pilot) Montreal, QC
Joey Desjardins (H3) Hawksbury, ON
Charles Moreau (H3) Victoriaville, QC
Michael Sametz (C3) Calgary, AB
Mike Shetler (T2) Montreal, QC
Lowell Taylor (Tandem) Lethbridge, AB
Andrew Davidson (Tandem Pilot) Calgary, AB

July 4, 2018/by Communications

WALTER & GUTHRIE DOMINATE CANADA CUP #6 IN WHISTLER

Whistler, BC, June 28, 2018 – After four rounds of competition in Quebec and Ontario, the 2018 Canada Cup XCO Series returned to British Columbia for Round 6, at Whistler on June 23rd. Two new faces appeared on the top step of the podium for this season, with Sandra Walter (Liv Cycling Canada) winning the Elite women’s competition, while Evan Guthrie (RaceFace/Fox/On the Edge/Kal Tire) took the men’s.

In the women’s race, Walter won by over eight and half minutes, with Elyse Nieuwold (Pendrel Racing) finishing second and Brittany Webster (Rundle Mountain CC) third. Series leader Jenn Jackson (Team Ontario/AWI Racing) continues to lead the standings with 770 points, despite missing the Whistler round, with Nieuwold jumping from ninth to second at 580 points. Haley Smith (Norco Factory), winner of Rounds 4 and 5 drops from second to third after not attending Whistler.

Guthrie also dominated his race, finishing over three minutes in front of American rider Cole Paton (Giant Factory Off-Road), with Quinn Moberg (Rocky Mountain Factory) finishing third. Felix Burke (Rocky Mountain), winner of Rounds 2 and 3, continues to lead the standings with 850 points, despite missing this round. Guthrie moves up to second from ninth with his win at 575 points, while Andrew L’Esperance (Forward Racing-Norco) drops from second to third.

“Being back in Whistler is always a highlight for anyone who rides mountain bikes,” said Guthrie. “I did my very first Canada Cup there in 2006 as a first-year Under-17 and won that race. I’ve chased that top step ever since and landed in every spot from second to seventh in the past six years racing there, so to get back on that top step was special. It was also combined with our BC Provincial Championships and that is a title I’ve only had once before. I’m proud to have that title for the next years. Can’t miss highlighting the fact that Sandra Walter and I got to cross the line hand-in-hand celebrating our victories together. Thanks to the event crew for hosting another great event!”

In the Junior men’s race, Carter Woods (Dodge City Cycles/RMB/CBC) won his second Canada Cup of the season. Holden Jones (Pendrel Racing), also a two-time winner, finished second, with American rider Scott Funston (Team USA) taking third. Woods moves into the Series lead, tied at 370 points with Jones, since each has two wins and two second place results, with Woods taking the Leader’s Jersey by virtue of the more recent victory. Former leader Tyler Clark (Team Ontario), missing the event while he attended the Global Relay Canadian Road Championships p/b Quebecor, drops to third at 295 points.

With only one Junior woman attending Whistler – Laurence Levesque (Equipe du Quebec) – the women’s standings are unchanged, as Marianne Théberge (Équipe du Québec : Mathieu Performance) continues to lead the standings with 355 points, followed by Mireille Larose-Gingras (Equipe du Quebec/Sigma) at 290 and Canadian champion Roxanne Vermette (CC Mont Sainte-Anne) at 285 points.

Emily Johnston (Trek BC Devo) won her third event of the Series in the Under-17 women’s category, followed by Ana Large (Red Devils Cycling Academy) and Carolyn Shaw (Red Devils Cycling Academy). Juliette Larose-Gingras (Velo Cartel X BL Coaching) remains in the overall lead of the Series with 355 points, although Johnston moves up to second from fifth and is now only 29 points back.

Jakob Yells (River City CC), the winner of Round 1, took his second win of the Series in Whistler, followed by Xavier Roy (Equipe du Quebec / XTRM Amos) and Cody Scott (Cannondale p/b Fortius). Yells jumps from third to first in the standings with 355 points, tied with former leader Owen Clark (Homestead Racing), who did not attend.

The Canada Cup XCO Series now takes a hiatus until August 5th, when the final round will take place in Kentville, Nova Scotia.

June 28, 2018/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2019 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CALENDAR

Ottawa, Ontario, June 28, 2018 – Cycling Canada is pleased to confirm the 2019 calendar for national championships across Road, Track, Mountain Bike, Para-Cycling, BMX and Cyclo-cross. The national championships represent the highest level of competition on the domestic calendar, with champions receiving the red and white maple leaf jersey, which they get to wear to compete around the world.

“Cycling Canada is excited to release the preliminary dates and locations of the 2019 Canadian Championships,” said Mathieu Boucher, Performance Development Director at Cycling Canada. “We have the privilege to partner with an amazing group of organizers, public and corporate partners who are fully dedicated to hosting the best possible events to showcase our sport to the public and to support the development of our athletes across the country.”

The first national championships of 2019 will be the Canadian Track Championships for Under-17, Junior and Para cyclists, to be held at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, Ontario, in April.

The Global Relay Canadian Road Championships will begin with the Masters categories, to take place in Victoria, B.C., on June 7-9, and will be organized by the Russ Hays Racing Cycling Society. The Elite, Junior and Para Global Relay Canadian Road Championships will return, after a few years absence, to the Quebec City region on June 27-30, organized by the Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce. The specific location will be announced shortly.

In July, attention turns to BMX and Mountain Bike, with the BMX Canadian Championships scheduled for Toronto, ON, on July 6th. Also taking place in 2019 will be the first-ever BMX Freestyle Canadian Championships, as this sport prepares for its Olympic debut in 2020. More details regarding the date and location of Canada’s first Freestyle BMX championships will be confirmed in the coming months. Mountain Bike will be split across four championships for the first time, beginning with the XCO MTB Canadian Championships at Hardwood Ski & Bike in Oro Station, ON, on July 20-21. A week later, the Downhill MTB Canadian Championships will take place at Panorama Mountain Resort in Invermere, BC, on July 27-28. The DH Championships will be joined by the new Enduro MTB Canadian Championships on July 26-27, creating a Gravity Championships Weekend. The Mountain Bike Championships will conclude on September 7-8 in St-Felicien, QC, with the XCM (Marathon) MTB Canadian Championships.

“We are thrilled to add the Canadian Enduro Championships to our calendar for the first time in 2019,” said Josh Peacock, Competition Coordinator at Cycling Canada. “In light of the recent announcement of the UCI to work with the Enduro World Series beginning 2019, we remain committed to work with organizations such as CNES to ensure the smoothest possible integration onto our national calendar.”

The final two championships of the year, to be held in the Fall, are the Canadian Track Championships for Elite and Masters categories at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre, in Milton, ON, and the Cyclo-cross Canadian Championships, which will return to Peterborough, ON, for a second year. Schedules for these events will be announced at a later date.

Canadian Track Championships (U17/Junior/Para)
Organizer: Cycling Canada
Milton, ON
April 2019

Global Relay Canadian Road Championships (Masters)
Organizer: Russ Hays Racing Cycling Society
Victoria, BC
June 7-9, 2019

Global Relay Canadian Road Championships (Elite/Para/Junior)
Organizer: Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce
Location TBC
June 27-30, 2019

BMX Canadian Championships
Organizer: Cycling Canada
Toronto, ON
July 6, 2019

XCO MTB Canadian Championships
Organizer: Pulse Racing
Hardwood Ski & Bike, Oro Medonte, ON
July 20-21, 2019

Enduro MTB Canadian Championships
Organizer: Canadian National Enduro Series
Panorama Mountain Resort, Invermere, BC
July 26-27, 2019

Downhill MTB Canadian Championships
Organizer: Panorama Mountain Resort
Panorama Mountain Resort, Invermere, BC
July 27-28, 2019

XCM MTB Canadian Championships
Organizer: Compétition Vélo2Max
St-Félicien, QC
September 7-8, 2019

Cyclo-cross Canadian Championships
Organizer: Peterborough Cycling Club
Peterborough, ON
Date TBC (to be announced Fall 2018)

Canadian Track Championships (Elite/Masters)
Organizer: Cycling Canada
Milton, ON
Date TBC (to be announced Fall 2018)

June 28, 2018/by Communications

BERGEN & ZUKOWSKY WIN CRITERIUM CHALLENGE TITLES

Saguenay, Quebec, June 25, 2018 – The 2018 Global Relay Canadian Road Championships p/b Quebecor concluded on Sunday with the Criterium Challenge in Chicoutimi. Rally Cycling took their fourth title of the week with Sara Bergen’s win in the women’s event, while Silber Pro Cycling swept the men’s podium, led by Nicolas Zukowsky.

Held on a 1.6 kilometre circuit, the course was more physically challenging than in the past, finishing at the top of a steep climb. The men and women each raced for 60 minutes plus three laps.

Rally dominated the women’s race, sending off a series of attacks and chasing down moves by danger riders Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb) and Alison Jackson (Tibco-SVB). Bergen soloed off the front in the final ten minutes of the race, after an attack by Jackson was brought back, and came close to lapping the field. Kirchmann attacked the group to chase, but was marked by Bergen’s team mate and new Road champion Katherine Maine, who outsprinted Kirchmann for second.

“It’s been a great week,” said Bergen, “and a huge shoutout to all of my team mates. We were definitely eager to go for the win, and we respect the other riders are strong, but we were confident in the legs we had. Alison came back from a go and Leah put in a dig, so I knew that was the time to go, after that came back. When you feel the worst, that’s the time to go and I felt pretty terrible, so it was time to go!”

The men’s race was dominated by Silber, with 12 riders in the race. The team sent off waves of attacks, with Rally Cycling’s Adam de Vos and Nigel Ellsay, and others, chasing down the Silber riders repeatedly, until Zukowsky was able to make a move stick. de Vos set off in pursuit, marked by Silber’s Ryan Roth, but was unable to make a dent in Zukowsky’s lead. Roth took second, while a third Silber rider, Pier-Andre Cote, grabbed the final podium spot.

“The plan was to be super aggressive because we had 12 guys in there,” said Zukowsky. “We always had numbers up the road and put pressure on the strong guys, like Rally and [Alex] Cataford from UHC. We were aggressive and it paid off pretty good. I just followed de Vos’ move and Ryan [Roth] bridged up to us and Ryan told me to go, so I went and didn’t look back. I still can’t believe it worked out.”

June 25, 2018/by Communications

MAINE & DUCHESNE WIN NATIONAL ROAD TITLES

Saguenay, Quebec, June 24, 2018 – The road race competition at the 2018 Global Relay Canadian Road Championships p/b Quebecor concluded on Saturday with the Elite and Under-23 titles for men and women awarded. First time champions Katherine Maine (Rally Cycling) and Antoine Duchesne (Groupama FDJ) won the Elite titles.

Athletes faced a tough 15 kilometre circuit in and around the town of La Baie, with each category racing between eight and twelve laps. Each lap included a steep one kilometre climb that proved to be the deciding factor in many of the races. The women raced 120 kilometres and the men 181 kilometres.

Each race became one of attrition, with the fields gradually being whittled down every lap on the long climb. In the women’s race, Maine was part of an early breakaway that was caught by the remnants of the field, and she again went off the front with a lap and a half to go when Kinley Gibson (The Cyclery) attacked. With both major teams in the break, there was no incentive to chase, and the pair quickly opened a 30 second gap. Coming into the final 200 metres, Maine jumped and easily took the title by a few bike lengths. Sara Bergen (Rally Cycling) won the sprint for third. With her win, Maine became both the Elite and Under-23 Canadian champion.

“Our plan was to race our bikes super hard and take advantage of the opportunities that presented themself,” said Maine. “Kinley [Gibson] attacked and I sat on her wheel. She rode the most incredible lap and I could feel my legs start to cramp. When she started to go, I knew that I had to go for it. I can’t believe this happened!”

The men’s race included European-based pros Duchesne, Svein Tuft (Michelton Scott) and Ben Perry (Israel Cycling Academy), plus strong North American teams Silber Pro Cycling and Rally Cycling. Duchesne and Perry were part of an early move that split the field in the chase. The front of the race saw multiple riders join and get dropped, with only Duchesne and Perry consistently there. With the race down to less than 30 riders from 128 starters, Duchesne, Perry and Nigel Ellsay (Rally Cycling) finally broke clear of the chasers with less than 40 kilometres remaining. In the sprint, Duchesne went to the front early and held off Perry for the win, with Ellsay taking third. Edward Walsh (T-Palm PCW) was the Under-23 champion, finishing tenth overall.

“I really believed it this time; I felt really strong coming out of Dauphine,” said Duchesne. “I felt confident, but stressed and nervous, since I knew I could win it. I tried to put myself at the front so I wouldn’t have to worry about chasing stuff down. I was in every move all day long and still managed to have a little left for the sprint.”

June 24, 2018/by Communications

PARA & JUNIOR ROAD TITLES AWARDED AT CANADIAN ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saguenay, Quebec, June 23, 2018 – The 2018 Global Relay Canadian Road Championships p/b Quebecor continued on Friday with the first road race titles of the Championships awarded in the Para and Junior categories.

Athletes faced a tough 15 kilometre circuit in and around the town of La Baie, with each category racing between one and eight laps. Each lap included a steep one kilometre climb that proved to be the deciding factor in many of the races.

The Junior women’s 75 kilometre race came down to a sprint finish, with Adele Desgagnes (Vélo Club Métropolitain – Quebecor) beating Kaitlyn Rauwerda (NCCH Elite p/b MGCC) and Elizabeth Gin (Cycling BC) for the title. Initially, it appeared that time trial champion Simone Boilard (Equipe du Quebec) had won in a solo breakaway, but when her bike underwent a mandatory gear check (Junior riders are limited to the size of gears they are allowed to use), her bike did not pass the inspection and Boilard was disqualified.

The Junior men’s 120 kilometre race was one of attrition, as each time up the main climb shed more and more riders. With three laps to go there were eight riders left, then six, and finally four with a lap and a half to go. Ben Katerberg (TaG Cycling Race Team), the time trial champion, outkicked Robin Plamondon (Équipe du Québec) to take his second title, with Alexandre Poirier (Équipe du Québec) finishing third.

In the Para competitions, Daniel Chalifour and his pilot Jean Michel Lachance (Equipe du Quebec) took their second title in two days in the men’s tandem, while Robbi Weldon and Audrey Lemieux (Macogep Argon 18 Girondins p/b Mazda) did the same for the women.

In Handcycle competition, Holly Dapp (Team Ontario) won the Women’s H1-2, Kara Douville (Team Alberta) the combined Women’s H3-5 and Men’s H1-2 category, and Charles Moreau (Equipe du Quebec) the Men’s H3-5 category.

Marie-Eve Croteau (Equipe du Quebec) took the Women’s T1-2 Tricycle title, while Mike Shetler (Equipe du Quebec) won the Men’s T1-2. The combined Women’s and Men’s C4-5 title was won by Marie-Claude Molnar (Equipe du Quebec).

Road race competition continues on Saturday with the Championship races for the Elite and Under-23 titles for men and women.

June 23, 2018/by Communications

KIRCHMANN & TUFT WIN NATIONAL TIME TRIAL TITLES

Saguenay, Quebec, June 22, 2018 – The 2018 Global Relay Canadian Road Championships p/b Quebecor opened on Thursday with some familiar faces on the top step of the podium. Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb), fresh off the Ovo Energy Women’s Tour, took the Elite women’s title, while Svein Tuft (Michelton Scott) won the men’s – his 11th Elite title.

Held in the beautiful Saguenay region north of Quebec City, the out-and-back course took the riders on a twisting, rolling course with multiple climbs. The Elite/Under-23 women raced 25.14 kilometres, while the Elite/Under-23 men did 37.2 kilometres.

Kirchmann, the 2014 time trial champion, was one of the favourites, along with defending champion Karol-Ann Canuel (Boels Dolmans), Kirsti Lay (Rally Cycling) and Jasmin Duehring (Twenty20 p/b SHO-AIR). Riding her first time trial of the year, Kirchmann caught her minute rider, Sara Poidevin (Rally Cycling) – who won the Under-23 title – and finished with a time of 36:12.76, 8.12 seconds ahead of Canuel, with Lay in third and Duehring fourth. Rally Cycling swept the Under-23 podium, with Poidevin joined by team mates Gillian Ellsay and Katherine Maine.

“I’m very happy to be able to claim another title today,” said Kirchmann. “I felt super strong racing the Women’s Tour, but this was my first time of the season and I didn’t know how I was going to recover after the race and the travel from Europe, so I was happy to find that I felt so strong today. It was a really tough course, with climbing the whole way out, and then on the way back it was a headwind, so it still felt like you were climbing!”

In the men’s race, Tuft showed once again why he is the greatest time trialist in Canadian history, defending his title and adding to his own record with an 11th title; his last since he will be retiring at the end of this season. Tuft finished with a time of 46:38.26, 35.9 seconds ahead of Rob Britton (Rally Cycling), with Alex Cataford (UnitedHealthcare) taking third, 1:42.74 back. Adam Roberge finished fourth overall and led a Silber team sweep of the Under-23 podium, joined by teammates Nickolas Zukowsky and Adam Jamieson; both nearly a minute back on Roberge.

“I remember my first one, in 2004, so to win my 11th one here is pretty special,” said Tuft. “At Beauce last week every day kept getting better for me; I was really fatigued after the Giro. But after that and some rest, I knew things were good again; I felt that good old feeling again. I loved the course and thought it covered all the bases; there was a lot of climbing, a lot of wind, high speed sections … I think it was a real time trial.”

Competitions were also held for the Junior and Para categories. Simone Boilard (Équipe du Québec) won the Junior women’s title, while Ben Katerberg (TaG Cycling Race Team) led a British Columbia sweep of the Junior men’s podium.

World champion Shelley Gautier of Toronto won the combined T1-2 Trike para category, while Kara Douville (Team Alberta) won the combined handcycle category for Women’s H2-4 and Men’s H2. Charles Moreau (Équipe du Quebec) won the combined Men’s H3-5 category. In the Women’s and Men’s combined C4-5 category, Marie Claude Molnar (Équipe du Québec) won the overall title. In the Tandem competition, Daniel Chalifour (Équipe du Québec), alongside pilot Jean Michel Lachance won the combined men’s and women’s category, with the team of Robbi Weldon (Macogep Argon18 Girondins de Bordeaux p/p Mazda) and her pilot Audrey Lemieux finishing as the top female team.

The Championships continue on Friday and Saturday with the Road Race competition, and conclude on Sunday with the Criterium.

June 22, 2018/by Communications