CANADA WINS BRONZE MEDAL ON FIRST DAY OF TRACK WORLDS

Kingston’s Annie Foreman-Mackey takes bronze medal in individual pursuit

(Ottawa, ON – February 25, 2016) Canada scored its first medal of the 2016 Track World Championships in London, GBR, on Wednesday, the opening day of competition, when Annie Foreman-Mackey of Kingston, Ontario, won the bronze medal in the Women’s Individual Pursuit. It is Foreman-Mackey’s first world championships, and her first time competing in the Individual Pursuit at the international level.

The 24 year old rider joined the national Team Pursuit program last year, and was brought to the world championships as a potential member of the Team Pursuit squad. However, she was not selected to the TP squad, and entered in the 3000m Individual Pursuit instead. Foreman-Mackey qualified third, and raced against Ruth Winder of the United States in the bronze medal final, beating Winder by 3.847 seconds to win the bronze medal.

“It’s pretty exciting,” agreed said Foreman-Mackey. “We came into the world championships with a lot of focus on the Team Pursuit. We’ve done a lot of training and so it was awesome to be able to let that training shine today. I’m really excited. It was a surprise, and I’m really happy. I’ve done one [Individual] Pursuit at Pan Am Championships before but, other then that, this is the biggest ride I’ve done.”

“I came in [to the national program] last year around November/December, and I’ve gradually been joining into the lineup. The team is getting bigger and stronger, and I think we have a lot of momentum. I’m so excited to be able to cheer on my team mates over the next couple of days.”

In other competition, the Canadian women’s Team Sprint duo of Kate O’Brien and Monique Sullivan qualified ninth after a false start. The result was meant that they did not qualify for the medal round, however, they did beat Americas rivals Colombia (11th) and Mexico (12th), ensuring a spot for Canada at the Rio 2016 Olympics Games in August.

“Coming into this, the goal was always aiming towards that August race in Rio…the little thing called the Olympics!” explained O’Brien. “But, we came into the race after chasing points against the Colombians and the Mexicans for the entire qualification, and it was only after the last [Hong Kong] World Cup that we managed to sneak ahead. We had a bit of luxury in that respect, but we knew we still had to come out and give it our best. It was nice to know that we needed a solid race, but not our best race and we would still qualify.”

“It’s a bit surreal actually [qualifying for Rio]. I don’t think it’s really hit yet. It’s been such a long process to get there; clawing for those points race after race … and now it has culminated in the end goal.”

National Sprint Coach, Erin Hartwell, said “Top-8Top-eight was our objective, but at the world championships everyone brings their A–Game. We still have a ways to go. The girls have been on fumes for the last couple of World Cups, sustaining the unsustainable and chasing Olympic points. Going into Hong Kong [World Cup], we were still 17 points down to Colombia for the last Olympic spot. So the objective here was ‘Finish the Job’, and that’s what we did. After the false start, I could tell that Monique was being a bit more conservative, waiting for the beep. That put us a couple of tenths down, but the reality is that there was still a four or five tenths differential between us and eighth place, so overall I’m very happy with it because we did solidify the Olympic position.”

The Canadian men’s Team Pursuit squad suffered technical mishaps in their qualifying ride, finishing 12th and not advancing to the next round. Halfway into the 4000m race, a bobble in one of the corners resulted in the fourth rider, Ed Veal, having to swing wide up the track to avoid crashing, and subsequently unclipping. Canada continued to finish with three riders.

National men’s endurance coach Ian Melvin, commented “It was a challenging ride for the boys out there today, but I think sometimes we forget how inexperienced this program is. We’ve only actually had a handful of races together, so every time we step out there we are learning. Physically, the boys were in great condition, but unfortunately we got caught out with some technical issues. We took a bit too much speed into the first kilometre and a half, and that caught up with us around the two and a half K mark.”

“Then we had a wobble coming out of Turn 2 and it cost us one of our riders. There’s always growth and we are going to learn from this. So I’m proud of the boys, and we’ll come back for the next World Cup season in a much better place.”

“Last year we didn’t qualify for the world championships and we finished the World Cup season in 17th place. This season we made up five places and we beat all the other teams in the Americas. We’re starting to become competitive with a number of teams, so overall there are huge positives to take away.”

March 2, 2016/by Communications

SEASON 26 OF THE MTB CANADA CUP KICKS OFF ON MARCH 5TH

(Ottawa, ON – March 01, 2016) Canadian mountain bikers will line up at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, on March 5th, for the start of the 26th season of the Canada Cup series. This long running series is the pinnacle of domestic mountain bike racing, and has been a stepping stone for Canadian athletes that have gone on to reach the highest levels on the world stage.

Kamloops, BC-based Catharine Pendrel, the two-time women’s cross-country world champion, got her start on the Canada Cup circuit, and considers the series essential to her development.

“The Canada Cup is a fantastic series on which to develop,” commented Pendrel. “The courses require a high degree of technical skill and the depth of competition is perfect for pushing you to find more in your riding and racing. For Canadians, learning how to travel and race is key to high level performance, and the East-West circuit offers us the opportunity to also figure this out before we get to World Cups.”

Dan Proulx, the National Mountain Bike Coach, also considers the Canada Cup series to be a significant part of the development program for Canadian athletes. “The Canada Cup continues to be a pillar in our MTB development system. It’s the only series where the best riders from each province are racing together and raising the bar for each other. That type of racing allows everyone to improve more rapidly. If we continue to grow and evolve, we’re going to continue seeing top level international riders emerging from these races.”

“Most importantly, the Canada Cup series is fun! It has a real sense of community and camaraderie that welcomes all. There is a really good energy and atmosphere at these events. Everyone is so supportive of each other.”

This year, the Series consists of ten events – six Cross-Country (XCO) and four Downhill (DHI). All events are registered on the international calendar, providing athletes with the opportunity to gain valuable UCI ranking points necessary to gain admission to World Cup-level competition.

This season, Cycling Canada is proud to welcome Clif Bar as the “Official Energy Bar” of the Canada Cup Mountain Bike Series as well as the Canadian Mountain Bike Championships.

Mathieu Boucher, Director Performance Development at Cycling Canada, commented “We are excited to be working with a strong group of organizers to deliver the 2016 Canada Cup mountain bike race series. The Canada Cup is an important step in the continuing development of the international race calendar in Canada and in North America.”

The XCO series begins in the first-time venue of Bear Mountain Resort, the Official Sponsor and High Performance Training Center for Cycling Canada’s National Mountain Bike Program.

In conjunction with the racing, the first ‘Road to Rio’ fundraising gala will be held at the resort on the evening of March 5th. Many of Canada’s international pros and Olympians will kick their season off at Bear Mountain.

After Bear Mountain, the series will take a break until May 22-23, when XCO #2 and DHI #1 will take place at the traditional Quebec venue of Mont Tremblant, north of Montreal. The XCO event will also be part of the new international UCI Junior XCO series.

Two weeks later, on June 5th, the action moves to Ontario for back-to-back weekends of XCO competition, beginning with the Horseshoe Valley Canada Cup and then, one week later, the Trek Store Canada Cup, which takes place on the 2015 Pan Am Games course, where Canadian men and women won two gold medals. The Trek Store event is also part of the UCI Junior XCO series.

On June 24th, the gravity riders get their chance with DHI #2 at the East Coast Open, at Blue Mountain Resort, in Collingwood, Ontario. The downhillers then head out West to Panorama Mountain Resort, in Panorama, B.C., for Round 3 on July 16th. Panorama has been the site of numerous national championships.

A week later, the cross-country riders convene at former national championship and World Cup site Saint-Félicien, Quebec, for their penultimate round, on July 23rd. Both Cross-country and Downhill riders then finish their respective Series in Whistler, B.C., as part of the legendary Crankworx Festival. The sixth and final XCO takes place on August 19th, while DHI #4 will cap off the 2016 Canada Cup season on August 20th. The XCO is also part of the UCI Junior Series.

“The Canada Cups continue to improve,” said Dan Proulx. “This year, in particular, we’ve seen some significant improvements to the start categories – designed to encourage more competitive racing while at the same time delivering a better experience for Junior development riders just starting out.”

Although not technically part of the Canada Cup series, it would be remiss not to make mention of the three Canadian Mountain Bike Championships events: the Canadian Cross-Country and Eliminator Championships in Baie St Paul, Quebec, on July 14-17; the Canadian Downhill Championships on July 23rd, in Sun Peaks, B.C.; and the Canadian Marathon Championships on July 31st, in East Hereford, Quebec.

March 1, 2016/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA BOARD APPOINTMENT

(Ottawa, ON – March 01, 2016) The Board of Directors of Cycling Canada is pleased to confirm the appointment of Lyne Bessette to the Board as a Director-At-Large.

The Board position was vacated by Peter Lawless who was re-elected in September of 2015 but had to subsequently resign due to his position on the Board of another sport organization. Ms. Bessette will serve out the remainder of the term to September of 2017.

Lyne Bessette is well known to the Canadian cycling community for her exploits as a top road (1995 – 2006) and cyclo-cross competitor (2001-2008). She secured many podium finishes at the World Cup level in road and cyclo-cross events. Nationally, Lyne was Canadian Champion multiple times in road and cyclo-cross and even won a pursuit national title on the track. She was a member of the Canadian Olympic team in 2000 and 2004 and won the Tour de l’Aude Feminine in 1999 and 2001 and the Women’s Challenge in 2001.

In 2010 she returned to competition as the pilot for para-cyclist Robbi Weldon. The pair went on to win the 2010 Para-cycling Road World Championship, the Road Time Trial World Championships in 2011 and a gold medal in the road race at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Cycling Canada President John Tolkamp welcomed Lyne’s joining the Board. “In Lyne we have added a person who understands the system, is an outspoken advocate for clean sport and a well-respected organizer of participation events in Québec. She is a valuable addition to the Board of Cycling Canada.”

“I’m pleased to be part of the Board of Directors of Cycling Canada. My experiences and knowledge gained during my time racing will hopefully be valuable to those competing now and in the future. I also realize that the most successful and valuable athletes are the ones who are true community members. Being the fastest or best isn’t the only thing that matters,” said Bessette.

March 1, 2016/by Communications

TEAM CANADA 15-STRONG FOR UCI TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Canadian track cyclists get one more shot at qualifying for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

(Ottawa, ON – February 25, 2016) Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the team of athletes who will represent Canada at the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London, GBR, at the Lee Valley Velodrome, site of the 2012 Olympic track events. The World Championships will take place March 2-6, and are the final event to count towards qualifying starting spots for the Rio Olympic Games later this year.

Team Canada will enter these world championships with a squad of 15 riders – 9 women and 6 men. The Team is coming off an exceptionally strong World Cup season, with seven medals and the overall World Cup title for the Women’s Team Pursuit.

Canada is particularly strong in the Women’s Team Pursuit, Women’s Omnium, Women’s Points Race, Women’s Team Sprint, Women’s Keirin and Men’s Keirin.

Cycling Canada’s High Performance Director, Jacques Landry, commented, “As the Olympic Games are quickly approaching the Track World Championships in London become a critical step in testing all of our systems. In essence, these Track Worlds, that will be held 160 days prior to the Olympic track events in Rio, are our ultimate dress rehearsal.”

The Women’s Endurance Team will make up the largest contingent of athletes, with seven riders named to the squad. “Initially, the team was to be six of the seven [on the short list], however, over the course of the last training phase our riders and staff all fell prey to different degrees of the flu,” explained Landry.

“While everyone is on the mend, training sessions that would have normally determined which riders would have made the trip to London proved to be inconclusive. In the spirit of picking the best possible riders for the different rounds of the Team Pursuit event and the Omnium, Cycling Canada has decided to have all seven riders travel to London as opposed to the originally planned six. It is hoped that once on the boards at the Lee Valley velodrome, more evidence will become available to determine the best possible starters.”

The Women’s Endurance Team will have riders entered in the Team Pursuit, Omnium, Points Race, Scratch Race and Individual Pursuit events. The final determination of participants for each event will be made in London.

The Men’s Endurance Team will consist of five athletes who will compete in the Team Pursuit and Individual Pursuit events. The final determination of participants for each event will be made in London.

The Women’s Sprint Team consists of two athletes – Monique Sullivan and Kate O’Brien. Both athletes will compete in three events – the Team Sprint, Sprint and Keirin.

Hugo Barrette will be Canada’s lone male Sprint rider, and will compete in both the Keirin and the Sprint events.

Landry continued, “I am looking forward to seeing our top track riders going up against the world’s best in London. I am confident in our riders’ capacity to take on the world and reach new heights next month, as these athletes have been working hard for this, and have the full support and leadership from our international level coaches and dedicated and professional support staff.”

WOMEN’S ENDURANCE (TEAM PURSUIT, OMNIUM, POINTS RACE, SCRATCH RACE AND INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT)

Allison Beveridge – Calgary, AB
Laura Brown – Calgary, AB
Annie Foreman-Mackey – Kingston, ON
Jasmin Glaesser – Coquitlam, BC
Kirsti Lay – Montreal, QC
Steph Roorda – Vancouver, BC
Georgia Simmerling – Vancouver, BC

WOMEN’S SPRINT (TEAM SPRINT, SPRINT AND KEIRIN)

Kate O’Brien – Calgary, AB
Monique Sullivan – Calgary, AB

MEN’S ENDURANCE (TEAM PURSUIT, INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT)

Aidan Caves – Vancouver, BC
Adam Jamieson – Barrie, ON
Sean Mackinnon – Hamilton, ON
Rémi Pelletier-Roy – Longueuil, QC
Ed Veal – Queensville, ON

MEN’S SPRINT (SPRINT, KEIRIN)

Hugo Barrette – Îles de la Madeleine, QC

February 25, 2016/by Communications

Interview with Ian Melvin

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Interview with Men’s Track Endurance Coach Ian Melvin

Over the past two and a half years, Cycling Canada has been developing, from scratch, a men’s track endurance program, headed by Ian Melvin. The program has already begun to show success in the Team Pursuit, with a bronze medal at last summer’s Pan Am Games, fourth place at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and, during this past Track World Cup season, a top-10 at the second round (ninth in Cambridge, New Zealand). Remi Pelletier-Roy also took a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Melvin came to Cycling Canada from Australia, where he was head coach with the Queensland Academy of Sport, as well as working with the Australian road team and British Cycling.

Canadian Cyclist spoke with Ian before the MTE squad headed to California for final preparations for the Track World Championships at the beginning of next month, in London, England.

CC: Now that you have finished the 2015-16 World Cup and are gearing up for the Worlds, what is your feeling about where the program is?

Ian Melvin: I think the program is progressing at a steady rate. As we finish the [World Cup] season, I’m really happy with the growth we are seeing. Last year we finished the World Cup in 17th place, this season we are finishing in 12th place.

We are certainly seeing a lot more consistency in our performances and our times are becoming a lot more competitive. Slowly but surely, I can see us chipping away at some of the teams that have been in front of us. We are now getting ahead of countries like Colombia and Argentina, who are the main challengers in the Americas. We are within a second of countries like France and China now. There are countries in front of us still, and we’ve put targets on their backs, and we want to try and step over them in the next 12 months or so.

CC: Is there still a chance that the team will qualify for Rio?

IM: This program has always been very much focussed on Tokyo; 2020. If Rio happened, it would have been fantastic, but the reality is, right now it is not mathematically impossible, but just applying some common sense … the reality is that it is highly unlikely.

That’s something that within the team we’ve talked about for the last 12 months. I’ve been very open with all the boys, and they all understood where we were in the pecking order. So we are just approaching each event one at a time. This past year our focus has been the Pan Ams and then the World Cup season. Rio was always a case of ‘if it happens, fantastic’, but we are all keeping our eyes on four years time.

CC: You have the primary squad and the NextGen program; so are you pretty happy with the structure, or are there still some gaps to fill?

IM: I think for the most part, they are one and the same. The NextGen program is a Men’s Endurance Track program [not just Team Pursuit]. It’s not that they are necessarily identified as young athletes, it’s more about the program being where it is, and still being a Next Generation type of program. It still encompasses the likes of Remi [Pelletier-Roy] and Ed [Veal].

The challenge is about trying to – and it’s been a challenge from Day 1 – develop the talent pool that enables us to still remain competitive when we have an injury or we have an illness. This year, Remi broke his collarbone around the first World Cup, and [Sean] MacKinnon was sick for the second World Cup, which really tested the depth of our squad, and while we survived, I’m still aware that we need another couple of riders in the program.

You don’t go down to Walmart and buy one off the shelf; they take a long time to develop. The amount of technical work that goes into these boys is really quite significant. So it’s going to take another couple of years, but the whole program is moving to a point where we are becoming quite a strong, resolute unit.

CC: So, Worlds is next. What will be an acceptable result for you, in terms of where the program is?

IM: The goal for this whole season has been a top-10 performance, at a World Cup or the world championships. We achieved that in New Zealand, so I think, for ourselves, anything else from this point on is really a bonus. I know the time that I think we can ride [secret for competitive reasons], but it comes down to a lot of variabilities on the day. I believe, in an ideal world, we can ride top-10 at Worlds, but it just comes down to making sure that all the T’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted on race day.

CC: Remi didn’t have a strong Omnium in Hong Kong (World Cup #3), but what is the status for Canada in that event going forward to Rio?

IM: It is very much on the table. It is out of our hands at this point, because we have the Asian Championships at the end of this month, which will have a large impact on whether or not we achieve that qualification. But we are very much in the picture still for one of the final spots. But certainly his performances in Hong Kong highlight the ongoing problems that Canada has had with bunch races. The young riders emerging through our pathway really struggle with that side of the Omnium events, so moving forward towards Tokyo it’s something we have to address with a lot more forethought.

February 8, 2016/by Communications

Sport leaders sign landmark agreement for B.C

SPORT LEADERS SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT FOR B.C.

RICHMOND, B.C. (February 5, 2016) – Today, a new sport memorandum of understanding was introduced by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), Own the Podium (OTP), the Province of British Columbia (B.C.) and viaSport BC, whereby the five partners commit to collaboration on a set of pertinent principles. This partnership aims to further develop and explore new opportunities for British Columbian youth to realize their full potential from playground to Olympic and Paralympic success.

In its resolution dated October 16, 2014, the United Nations recognized sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace. As such, it represents an important asset to society – and each partner is committed to that resolution.

To ensure this promotion of education, health and development through sport, as well as B.C. and Canada’s performance on the field of play, the five partners recognize the importance of increasing collaboration and efficiency to achieve common success. This agreement represents a shared commitment to work together to support B.C.’s sporting communities.

Through this agreement, the partners will explore opportunities to collaborate based on principles such as:

Providing the best conditions and support possible for the athletes and coaches of today and tomorrow;
Increasing collaboration between provincial sport organizations and national sport federations;
Working collaboratively on actions and initiatives to get youth more active and adopt healthy lifestyles, progressively enlarging the pool of youth engaged in sport;
Continuing to make sport and its funding a priority and influence this priority with strategic public and private partnerships in the Province of B.C.;
Continuing to work collaboratively in B.C. to achieve Canada’s international sport objectives.

The COC, CPC, OTP, B.C. and viaSport agree to work together and with other partners to create increased opportunities for sport and physical activity to be a relevant and important part of British Columbians’ lives.

The event livestream can be viewed at: http://www.viasport.ca/events/live-announcement-canadian-sport-alignment-strategy-partnership

High-res event photos will be available here: http://olympicca.webdamdb.com/albums.php?albumId=1379660

QUOTES

“The Canadian Olympic Committee strongly believes in the importance of this provincial and national collaboration in favor of sport development, and applauds the Province of British Columbia for exploring further opportunities with sporting partners. Together, we are working toward a strong Canadian sport system from the playground up, inspiring our youth to lead healthy, active lives while at the same time, ultimately growing the pool of future potential Olympians. Our best chance of success is to work as one team from coast to coast to coast.”

– Tricia Smith, President, Canadian Olympic Committee

“The Province of British Columbia has such a strong sport system and with the leadership of all partners aligning efforts, together we can further bolster the growth of Canada’s national sport system. This will in turn provide greater opportunities for athletes with a disability to prosper and reach Paralympic success, and for Canada to become a world-leading Paralympic nation.”

– Gaétan Tardif, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee

“It takes a cohesive team to achieve success in any walk of life, and that certainly holds true in developing Olympic and Paralympic champions. These champions can come from anywhere in our great country and perform at their best when there is strong collaboration between all partners. Our partnership with British Columbia will attract more youth to sport and ultimately increase our pool of high performance athletes, inspiring new champions well into the future. This is a vehicle for developing a healthier population, more active communities and a prouder, stronger and united Canada.”

– John Furlong, Chair, Own the Podium

“This agreement aligns with British Columbia’s commitment to sport and to encouraging our youth to become more involved in a healthy and active lifestyle. The Province looks forward to building on its already strong reputation as a national leader in developing Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The signing of this new memorandum of understanding will further the relationship between our province and its partners.”

– Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

“viaSport envisions an active, healthy British Columbia where sport inspires a field of possibilities for all. It is through partnerships at the community, provincial and national levels that we are able to support the delivery of programs aimed at fostering excellence from the playground to the podium. We are excited to be part of this ground-breaking initiative which will continue to make sport and physical activity relevant for all British Columbians.

– Caley Denton, Board Chair, viaSport

About the Canadian Olympic Committee:

The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team’s podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada’s elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything, every day. The backbone of Canada’s Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes’ stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee:

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 27 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

About Own the Podium

Own the Podium, a not-for-profit organization, prioritizes and determines investment strategies for national sport organizations in an effort to deliver more Olympic and Paralympic medals for Canada. Own the Podium’s largest contributor of funding is the Government of Canada with additional funding provided by the Canadian Olympic Committee and its Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, along with the corporate community.

Own the Podium was created in 2005 to help Canada become the number one nation at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and to place in the top-three nations in the gold medal count at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Own the Podium continues to drive Canada’s high performance sport system forward in a quest to help more athletes and coaches win more medals in future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

About viaSport

viaSport British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization created in 2011 as a legacy of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our mandate is to increase awareness, opportunity and participation in sport across the province–at every stage of life and in every community.

By leading the province in building a stronger, more effective sport system, we will bring more families to the field of play, more fans into the stands, more athletes to the podium and more sports events to the province.

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Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:

Cherry Ye, Program Manager, Media Relations

Tel: 416-324-4123 / Cell: 416-427-4341

Email: cye@olympic.ca

Ricky Landry, Manager, Communications

Tel: 514-861-3696 / Cell: 514 229-4833

Email: rlandry@olympic.ca

Own The Podium Media Office:

Chris Dornan, High-Performance Public Relations

Tel: 403-620-8731

Email: hpprchris@shaw.ca

Web site: www.chrisdornan.ca

Canadian Paralympic Committee Media Office:

Alison Korn, Sr. Manager Media Relations & Communications

Tel: 613-569-4333 ext. 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927

Email: akorn@paralympic.ca

Province of B.C.:

Gillian Rhodes

Communications Director

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

Tel: 250-888-1462

Email: gillianrhodes@gov.bc.ca

viaSport:

Alyson Gourley-Cramer, A/Director, Communications & Engagement

Tel: 250-961-5366

Email: AlysonGC@viasport.ca

February 5, 2016/by Communications

MEN TACKLE COURSE AT UCI WORLD CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Host Nation Belgium dominates with two wins

(Zolder, BEL – January 31, 2016) The 2016 Cyclo-cross World Championships concluded on Sunday in Zolder, Belgium, with the marque Under-23 and Elite Men’s categories. The host nation took both titles, much to the delight of the 80,000 spectators, but Canada also finished one its most successful European Cross Worlds projects to-date, with a top-40 finish by Aaron Schooler in the Elite men.

Both of these races are usually a battle between the cyclo-cross superpowers of Belgium and the Netherlands, so the Canadian goal was to have riders finish on the same lap as the leaders, and both of the Under-23 men achieved this, with Trevor O’Donnell finishing 49th and Isaac Niles 51st. Niles was riding higher in the standings until a crash in the wet, muddy conditions dropped him back.

“It’s a whole different experience racing here,” commented Niles. “The guys here have been racing so long, and they’re so fast. You have to re-learn racing here, it’s so much faster then anything I’ve ever done in Canada. I know now the level I need to be riding at, the areas I need to work on… so it can only go up from here.”

The Elite men’s race saw Belgium and Dutch riders take all of the top-8 spots. Canada had five riders in the race, with Schooler, Michael van den Ham and Jeremy Martin all getting strong starts that put them in the 30s by the second lap. The trio rode within a few spots of each other for most of the race, but only Schooler managed to make the time cut to start the final lap, with both Martin and van den Ham missing the cut by only a few spots. Schooler was in a group of five racing for 36th spot, taking 40th at the finish. Martin finished 42nd, van den Ham 45th, Cameron Jette 51st and Mark McConnell, who crashed early in the race, 57th.

“I’m pretty happy,” Schooler agreed. “It was part of my goal [finishing top-40], and finishing on the lead lap makes you feel like you are really racing. I was around some guys I don’t normally finish with, so I’m really happy with top-40. It was back and forth in the group I was with, but I just got a bit gassed on the last climb, so I didn’t have much of a sprint.”

Schooler also talked about the new working group for cyclo-cross, which organized the project. “We came with a full squad, organized by the working group and [team manager] Scott Kelly has done a phenomenal job spearheading it, and laying out the groundwork for a proper functioning team. This is the most staff we’ve ever brought to a Worlds. It helps, as a rider you feel a lot more comfortable.”

Canada fielded a team of 13 riders, the largest ever for a European world championship, with all riders finishing on the lead lap for every race except the Elite Men.

Courtesy of CanadianCyclist.com

January 31, 2016/by Communications

HEAVY RAIN, MUD AND COLD WINDS AT UCI WORLD CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mical Dyck takes 16^th spot in women’s elite race

(Zolder, BEL – January 30, 2016) Day 1 of the 2016 Cyclo-cross World Championships in Zolder, Belgium, delivered the complete Belgian experience – heavy rain, mud and cold winds – all designed to push riders to their extremes as they battled the elements and their fellow competitors.

Mical Dyck was the top Canadian rider for the day, finishing in 16th place in the Elite women’s race. While a strong result, for Dyck it was ultimately disappointing, since she was looking for a top-15 after finishing 12th last year. Thalita De Jonge (Netherlands) took the title ahead of Caroline Mani (France), while local favourite Sanne Cant (Belgium) could only manage third.

“I definitely wanted to do better,” admitted Dyck, “but I rode really solid, stayed upright, had a clean race and rode as hard as I could. Everyone else was going just as fast. It’s a really strong field, so that was awesome to see. The ground was completely saturated, with massive puddles in places where there was nothing [in training] the day before. The downhills were a lot slipperier and what use to be a ride up became a run up. It was fun, and I’m happy with my ride.

In the Junior men’s race, Canada’s Brody Sanderson was on track for a top-40 result until a crash on the last lap in a descent dropped him back to finish 52nd, just behind team mate Gunnar Holmgren in 47th. Sanderson was checked out by the medical staff for a shoulder injury, but at this time appears to have suffered no serious injury. Quinton Disera, Canada’s third entrant in the race, suffered mechanical problems on the first lap, losing ground on the field, but managed to finish on the same lap as the leaders, in 62nd place. Jens Dekker (Netherlands), the pre-race favourite easily took the rainbow jersey, ahead of French riders Mickael Crispin and Thomas Bonnet.

“On the last lap, I was going down the final downhill,” explained Sanderson, “and I just slipped out a little bit, went into a rut, went over the bars and slammed into the ground pretty hard. I was actually top-40 before my crash, which was a goal for this race, but all-in-all I’m super stoked for my result. The atmosphere is so different from North America, because there are so many starters in every race. I’m so pleased with this project.”

The Under-23 women, a category racing for the first time at the Cyclo-cross world championships, faced the worst conditions of the day, with driving rain putting sections of the course underwater. Despite being among the youngest riders in the race (Junior-aged, but racing against Under-23 riders), Canadians Ruby West and Maggie Coles-Lyster both finished on the same lap as the leaders, with Canadian champion West finishing 33rd (10th among the Junior riders) and Coles-Lyster 41st. Evie Richards (Great Britain) took the inaugural title, ahead of Nikola Noskova (Czech Republic) and Maud Kaptheijns (Netherlands).

Courtesy of CanadianCyclist.com

January 30, 2016/by Communications

MATTAMY HOMES TO SUPPORT CANADA’S CYCLISTS ON ROAD TO RIO

Cycling Canada welcomes North America’s largest privately owned homebuilder to its family

(Milton, ON – January 21, 2016) Mattamy Homes, North America’s largest privately owned home builder, is now part of the growing Cycling Canada family.

Through a one-year partnership announced today in Milton, Mattamy Homes will become a Tier 1 partner of Cycling Canada and will provide critical program funding for Canada’s National Track Cycling team over the next twelve months as they prepare for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The support provided by Mattamy will help to deliver key resources such as technical services, sport science, logistical support as well as year-round accommodation for Canadian team athletes near the velodrome in Milton.

Mattamy Homes and its founder and CEO Peter Gilgan both played vital roles in the development and construction of the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, which hosted the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games this past July. The facility, Canada’s only UCI-approved 250m indoor velodrome, is now the home training base for Canada’s National Track Cycling program and has become an invaluable asset for Canada’s cyclists as they target the World Championship and Olympic podium.

Mr. Gilgan was present at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre to make the announcement on Wednesday. “It takes passion and dedication to compete at the level that our national track cycling athletes do, and we’re very proud of all of them for their commitment,” said Mr. Gilgan. “To succeed it also takes financial support and access to world-class training and facilities. At Mattamy we’re very pleased to be able to help and to continue to be associated with cycling excellence as we support our national team on their road to Rio.”

“We are indebted to Mattamy Homes for their continued and enhanced support of the National Track program and the athletes who are delivering world class performances as a result of this optimal training environment.” said Greg Mathieu, Chief Executive Officer of Cycling Canada. “Peter Gilgan has provided the necessary support to ensure our Olympic-bound athletes can focus on their training and performances through the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Also on hand for the announcement was three-time Olympic medalist Curt Harnett, as well as 6 current members of the Canadian National Cycling Team. The athletes are presently in Milton making their final preparations for the UCI Track Cycling World Championships which will be held March 2-6 in London, England.

“The Mattamy National Cycling Centre has played an instrumental role in the growing success of our program over the past twelve months,” notes Hugo Barrette, a triple gold medalist at the recent PanAm Games and an Olympic hopeful on the verge of qualifying for Rio 2016. “This additional support from Mattamy will be vital in ensuring that we have everything we need to be at our very best in Rio in August.”

“With the velodrome now in place it is fantastic to see the private sector partners once again stepping up to ensure that the athletes have the programs and resources required to fully capitalize on the facility,” notes Harnett. “Mr. Gilgan was a clear leader in the development of the velodrome and we’re very grateful for Mattamy’s leadership and support here once again.”

The Canadian National Track Cycling Team recently returned from the third and final round of the 2015/2016 UCI World Cup season in Hong Kong. The final event of the Olympic Qualification period will be the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London, England, March 2-6.

January 21, 2016/by Communications

CANADA QUALIFIES THREE SPOTS IN THE MEN’S ROAD RACE FOR THE 2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

After only qualifying one spot at the London 2012 games, Canada is once again well represented in the men’s road field

(Ottawa, ON – January 18, 2016) Cycling Canada just recently received confirmation from the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) that Canada has qualified three spots in the men’s road race for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Of the three spots awarded to Canada, one rider would be permitted to enter the individual time trial.

The three men selected would be part of a 145-rider field entered in the road race. The 256 km Rio Olympic road event, scheduled to be raced on August 6th, will be one of the harder Olympic races among recent Olympic Games due to the numerous climbs and cobble sections.

The race will start in Copacabana, and will send riders down the coast to ride four laps of the tough Grumari National Park circuit before heading back up the coast, towards Copacabana, to eventually hit the very hard Vista Chinesa circuit that runs through the Tijuca forest. Over the course of the three laps of the Vista Chinesa circuit, the men’s peloton will have to brave an 8.9km climb with gradients that vary from 4 to 10%. Once the Chinesa circuits are completed, the race will head along Ipanema beach to eventually come onto Avenida Atlantica on Copacabana beach for the finish.

On August 10^th, Canada’s lone time trialist will start his event in Pontal and head out to Grumari national park where he will ride two loops of the 24km circuit, before heading back to Pontal for the finish. The proposed Olympic circuit is not a typical time trial circuit as it is characterized by one 1.2km steep climb and another 2.1km, more gradual climb.

Canada was able to qualify three spots for the Olympic Road race as a result of its 2nd place ranking in the UCI America Tour as of December 31st. This strong result is due in part to the many Canadian Pro cyclists that performed this past season in North American UCI sanctioned events on their respective trade teams. Another reason for the high UCI ranking is due to Canada’s push, funded by the Bridge the Gap Fund, to compete and perform at the last road continental championships.

“It is great to claim back those three spots in the men’s road race that we had up until the Beijing 2008 Games. Due to our funding restrictions, we are not in a position to devote significant funding to our men’s road programs, but it is because of the North American trade teams taking on our best road riders and the support of some great organisations like Bridge the Gap and Global Relay that we have been able to secure these three spots”, said Jacques Landry, Cycling Canada’s High Performance Director. “Our job now will be to select the riders best suited to be competitive in both the men’s road race and the time trial, all the while being able to contribute to great team cohesiveness”, continued Landry.

“Establishing our quotas early gives us time to work more collaboratively with our top athletes and their professional trade teams to ensure we get the right guys to Rio, with the right build up race programs”, mentioned Kevin Field, Cycling Canada’s Men’s Elite Road Manager. “We anticipated this announcement – our riders are excited the courses will be challenging, we have guys who can be very competitive and the internal work is well under-way to narrow our selections to our best three riders,” added the Elite Men’s Road Manager.

The women’s road race, and time trial, quota will be announced on June 1st by the UCI, after the May 31st qualification deadline.

January 19, 2016/by Communications