Santiago, CHE (Oct. 22, 2023) – Molly Simpson of Red Deer, AB, earned a silver medal in the Women’s BMX Racing Final at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games on Oct. 22 in Chile.

The 20-year-old arrived to Pista BMX sitting third after yesterday’s seeding runs, and subsequently delivered consistent top-three finishes across six quarter- and semi-final heats. Her time in the final of 36.000s was just over a second away from winner Mariana Pajón Londoño (COL) and her time of 34.400s. Colombia also took the bronze medal with Gabriela Bolle Carrillo’s 36.500s.

Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

“Honestly, I think that was the craziest race I’ve ever raced,” said Simpson, who was the U23 Women’s bronze medallist at the 2022 UCI BMX Racing World Championships. “Came out of lane five and decent start, just tried to get over but there was carnage, people were hitting tires and it was just crazy. I did my best to get out of that and hold that second spot. I looked up to Mariana Pajón for so long, she’s two-time Olympic gold medallist, she’s my idol so placing behind her is just amazing. It shows that I’m almost there and I’ve just got to keep working and I’m really enjoying it.”

While Simpson was the only Canadian to progress to the final, her teammates all successfully made it to the semifinal rounds. Teigen Pascual, 20, of Squamish, BC, placed ninth overall for the women. In the men’s competition, Ryan Tougas, 21, of Pitt Meadows, BC, and Curtis Krey, 20, of Etobicoke, ON, finished 10th and 11th respectively. The men’s podium was topped by Kamren Larsen (31.810s) and Cameron Wood (31.860s) of the United States, with Carlos Alberto Ramirez Yepes of Colombia earning bronze (32.400s).

“The team worked really hard for this,” said Adam Muys, Canadian National Cycling Team Coach. “Molly battled throughout the day, had a small mistake in her second semi-final, which we capitalized on by learning moves to make in the final. I’m really happy she performed her best to take the silver medal. Coming into this, Ryan was dealing with a bit of an injury, which he worked through and pushed himself until the last heat for making the final, where he just missed out. Curtis, too, was coming back from an early season injury. It was really exciting to see him battle all year to get back to the level he wants to be at.”

Road competition also began today with the individual time trial. 21-year-old Ngaire Barraclough of Edmonton, AB, rode to sixth place for the women. She tackled the 20km route through the flat, winding streets of Isla de Maipo with a final time of 27:11.65m. Ruby West, 24, of Dundas, ON, stopped the clock approximately a minute later (28:12.65m) to finish 12th overall. Women’s gold went to the United States’ Kristen Faulkner (25:45.38m), with Arlenis Sierra Cañadilla of Cuba taking silver (26:07.11m) and Aranza Villalón Sánchez earning bronze (26:07.28m).

The men did a second lap of the course to ride a total of 40km. Chris Ernst, 24, of Kitchener, ON, placed 10th for Canada (49:47.37m) while 18-year-old Campbell Parrish of Vancouver, BC, placed 13th (50:08.45m). The winning time of 47:02.72m was set by Walter Alejandro Vargas Alzate of Colombia. Ecuador’s Richard Antonio Carapaz Montenegro finished next for silver with 47:36.02m, while bronze when to Bermuda’s Conor White and his time of 48:13.02m.

“It’s nice to get one race done and get some confidence out of that, a little bit of the first-Games nerves out of the way, too,” commented Ruby, who – along with Barraclough, Ernst and Parrish – will also be participating in the road race and track endurance events. “It gives a little confidence heading into the track later this week and I’m excited to be reunited with my teammates – it was a lonely ride out there today so I’ll be excited to have my teammates back!”

More information, including results and the full schedule of events, can be found at www.santiago2023.org. Competition for Team Canada’s cyclists continues Oct. 24 with track competition for the omnium, team pursuit and team sprint.

Canada’s best athletes will be competing in Santiago, CHE, from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5, 2023 at the Pan American Games and from Nov. 17-26, 2023 at the Parapan American Games. The Canadian National Cycling Team is sending 34 athletes competing in BMX racing, cross-country mountain bike, road, track, para-road and para-track.

Want to get in on the action? Tune in to the following live streaming options:

CBC Sports and CBC Gem
Throughout the entire competition, CBC Gem and CBC Sports digital platforms will be offering multiple streaming feeds of sporting events at Santiago 2023 with a focus on Canadian athletes. Live streaming coverage of the Pan Am Games officially begins Friday, Oct. 20 with a full day of competition starting at 8:20 a.m. ET and the opening ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET. Live streaming coverage of the Parapan Am Games will follow Friday, Nov. 17 with a full day of competition starting at 7:20 a.m. ET and the opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Create an account on the free CBC Gem streaming service, visit cbcsports.ca or download the CBC Sports App for iOS and Android devices. For full broadcast and streaming schedules, visit cbcsports.ca.

Pan Am Sports Channel
The official broadcaster of the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games and Parapan American Games, Pan Am Sports Channel, will also be available for free in Canada throughout the event, offering additional live feeds of sports coverage and ensuring that Canadians will have even more opportunities to follow the action at the multisport event.

Create your free account here.

Ottawa, ON (Oct. 4, 2023) – Four new members will be inducted into the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame on Oct. 28, 2023, in Bromont, QC, as part of Cycling Canada’s Annual Conference. Kelly-Ann Way and Lyne Bessette will be inducted as athletes, while Guy Morin and Eric Van Den Eynde will both be recognized for their achievements as builders.

The Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame was created in 2015 to recognize outstanding achievement and contribution to the sport of cycling by both athletes and builders. With this induction, the Hall of Fame will total 36 members, including 28 athletes and eight builders.

Kelly-Ann Way started cycling at an early age for the Windsor Bicycle Club in Ontario. She was quickly successful, winning both provincial and national titles in road and track. In 1984, Way completed in her first Tour de France Féminin, winning the eighth stage of the race. In doing so, she became the first North American to win a stage of the Tour de France. Way went on to represent Canada at the Indianapolis 1987 Pan American Games, where she won a silver medal in the 3000m Individual Pursuit on the track. In 1989, she became the first Canadian woman to wear the yellow jersey in La Tour de France Féminin. Way continued her success at the Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze in the Individual Pursuit on the track and placed seventh in the road race. Way is a two-time Olympian, competing at both the Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.

Hailing from Knowlton, QC, Lyne Bessette discovered cycling in 1995 and went on to win gold in the road race at the 1997 Canada Summer Games in Brandon, MB. In 1998, Bessette was selected to represent Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, winning gold in the road race. The following year she won her first major stage race in the Tour de l’Aude Cycliste Féminin, one of the most prestigious stages races at the time for women. She would go on to win this race once more in 2001 and represented Canada at both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games. In addition to a very successful road career, Bessette excelled at cyclo-cross, winning numerous North American races and podiuming at several World Cups. After a brief retirement, encouraged by her coach Éric Van den Eynde, Bessette became a tandem pilot in para-cycling. She was paired with Robbi Weldon in 2010 and quickly found success, finishing second in the time trial and winning the road race at the Para Road World Championships in Baie Comeau, QC. The pair represented Canada at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, winning gold in the road race. Bessette retired from competition in 2013 and continues to give back to the sport with her involvement at the Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont.

Eric Van Den Eynde arrived in Canada from Belgium before his first birthday, settling in Quebec with his family. At the age of 13, inspired by his older brother, Ven Den Eynde took up cycling and raced for the National Team in 1979 but ended his athlete career in 1984 following an injury. A natural leader, he transitioned from athlete to coach seamlessly as he was already involved as a coach for the track programs at the Montreal Olympic Velodrome. In 1985, he became head coach of the Quebec team in both road and track cycling. From 1998 to 2006, Van Den Eynde coached the national track team, then returned to Team Quebec for two years focusing on road, track and para-cycling. In 2008, he returned to the Canadian Cycling Association as the coach of the national para-cycling team. Van den Eynde coached at three Olympics (1996, 2000 and 2004) and four Paralympics (1996, 2008, 2012 and 2016). Over the years, his impact has been felt by countless athletes who have competed for both the Quebec provincial team and the Canadian National Team. He continues to contribute to the sport through his involvement in with the Fédération Québécoise des Sports Cyclistes and the Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont.

Guy Morin had a very successful cycling career, claiming roughly 60 victories in road competitions from 1947 to 1960. Morin held the title of Canadian Champion on eight separate occasions. However, despite his success, he may be best remembered for his contributions to cycling that followed his competitive career. Morin continued to build the sport as a race organizer in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto, helping to organize numerous six-day competitions. In 1965, Morin was elected president of the Union Cycliste du Quebec and went on to serve as the president of the Canadian Cycling Association from 1967 to 1974. It was during this time that he lead the organization in hosting the Road and Track World Championships in Montreal in 1974. The 1974 Track World Championships were held on a temporary velodrome at Université de Montréal, while the Road World Championships were held on challenging course that included Montreal’s Mont Royal. In 2026, the World Championships will return to slopes of Mont Royal once more.

Tickets for the 2023 Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame Event can be purchased here. Proceeds from all ticket sales will go towards supporting the Centre National de Cyclisme Bromont.

Updated 2023/10/17 to reflect the substitution of Kiara Lylyk for Erin Attwell. 

Ottawa, ON (Sept. 25, 2023) – Cycling Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee have announced Team Canada for the 2023 Pan American Games from Oct. 20-Nov. 5 and the Parapan American Games on Nov. 17-26 in Santiago, CHE.

“The Pan and Parapan Am Games are an incredible opportunity for the athletes to gain experience,” said Dan Proulx, Canadian National Cycling Team Head Coach. “For many, it will be their first time competing in a Games environment – staying in an athlete village and performing in a new setting where the demands and pressures are slightly different compared to other events. We hope to win medals but more importantly, this is a learning opportunity – an experience that can set up Canadian athletes for success at future Games. We’re keen to see what this group of riders can do in Santiago.”

The Team Canada cycling team for the Santiago 2023 Pan and Parapan American Games is:

BMX Racing
Curtis Krey – Etobicoke, ON
Teigen Pascual – Squamish, BC
Molly Simpson – Red Deer, AB
Ryan Tougas – Pitt Meadows, BC

Mountain Bike
Gunnar Holmgren – Orillia, ON
Jenn Jackson – Barrie, ON
Sandra Walter – Coquitlam, BC
Carter Woods – Cumberland, BC

Para-Road
Tarek Dahab (C2) – Beloeil, QC
Nathan Clement (T1) – West Vancouver, BC
Shelley Gautier (T1) – Niagara Falls, ON
Alexandre Hayward (C3) – Quispamsis, NB
Charles Moreau (H3) – Victoriaville, QC
Mel Pemble (C3) – Victoria, BC
Mike Sametz (C3) – Calgary, AB
Keely Shaw (C4) – Midale, SK

Para-Track
Tarek Dahab (C2) – Beloeil, QC
Alexandre Hayward (C3) – Quispamsis, NB
Mel Pemble (C3) – Victoria, BC
Mike Sametz (C3) – Calgary, AB
Keely Shaw (C4) – Midale, SK

Road
Ngaire Barraclough (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) – Edmonton, AB
Devaney Collier (Road Race) – Edmonton, AB
Chris Ernst (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) – Kitchener, ON
Carson Mattern (Road Race) – Ancaster, ON
Adèle Normand (Road Race) – Alma, QC
Campbell Parrish (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) – Vancouver, BC
Riley Pickrell (Road Race) – Victoria, BC
Ruby West (Individual Time Trial, Road Race) – Dundas, ON

Track Endurance
Ngaire Barraclough (Madison, Team Pursuit, Travelling Alternate: Omnium) – Edmonton, AB
Devaney Collier (Madison, Omnium, Team Pursuit) – Edmonton, AB
Chris Ernst (Madison, Team Pursuit) – Kitchener, ON
Michael Foley (Madison, Omnium, Team Pursuit) – Milton, ON
Kiara Lylyk (Team Pursuit) – Guelph, ON
Fiona Majendie (Team Pursuit) – Vancouver, BC
Carson Mattern (Team Pursuit, Travelling Alternate: Madison, Omnium) – Ancaster, ON
Campbell Parrish (Team Pursuit) – Vancouver, BC
Sean Richardson (Team Pursuit) – Vancouver, BC
Ruby West (Team Pursuit) – Dundas, ON
Daniel Fraser-Maraun (Non-Travelling Alternate: Team Pursuit) – Anmore, BC

Track Sprint
Jackie Boyle (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) – Toronto, ON
James Hedgcock (Keirin, Team Sprint) – Ancaster, ON
Sarah Orban (Keirin, Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) – Calgary, AB
Tyler Rorke (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) – Baden, ON
Emy Savard (Team Sprint) – Saguenay, QC
Nick Wammes (Individual Sprint, Team Sprint) – Bothwell, ON

26 athletes face Santiago bolstered by their recent experience at the 2023 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Cycling World Championships, which were held August in Glasgow, GBR. The para-cycling squad came home with 10 medals including two world titles from Paralympians Clement in the men’s T1 road time trial and Pemble in the women’s C3 track omnium (not a Parapan Am event).

“I’m thrilled to represent Canada at the Parapan Am Games and have the opportunity to build on the results of the 2023 World Championships,” said Clement. “Having experience racing at the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto for swimming, I’m ecstatic to attend another multi-sport Games. To get the chance to race in front of loud and passionate crowds only fuels the fire to take in the learning and growth needed as the 2024 season kicks off.”

Attwell and Wammes are the sole athletes on this team with Pan American Games experience. Wammes, along with Foley, bring Olympic experience, having represented Canada at Tokyo 2020. Foley was part of the men’s team pursuit which finished fifth at Tokyo 2020 – Canada’s best Olympic result in the event since 1932.

Hedgcock and Mattern are two of the rookies who will look to lean on the veterans on the team and gain valuable major Games experience of their own. After finishing just shy of the podium in two events at the Milton 2023 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, Hedgcock will be on a mission to medal in the men’s keirin and team sprint with teammates Rorke and Wammes. Mattern is no stranger to international podiums, having won two gold medals (in the omnium and individual pursuit) at the 2022 UCI Junior Track World Championships.

Mattern has been inspired by past Pan American Games, citing Toronto 2015 as instrumental in sparking his interest in cycling. The track cycling events took place at the velodrome in Milton – which would later become the Mattamy National Cycling Centre – which is just a short drive from Mattern’s hometown of Ancaster. Eight years later, he is excited to have the opportunity to race for Team Canada at the Pan Am Games.

“The Pan Am Games came to Toronto right around the time I started cycling and were a big part of what initially got me excited about the sport,” said Mattern. “Later, in 2019, Canadian riders that I knew and looked up to went and won medals at those Pan Am Games, which was very motivating for me and my future. Now, it’s a little surreal to think it’s come full circle and I get to have this experience for myself. I intend to enjoy the whole process from start to finish!”

In BMX, hopes are high for 20-year-old Simpson, who currently sits sixth in the UCI BMX Women Elite Ranking and is the youngest athlete in the top 10. She won her first career World Cup medal in October 2021 and then took bronze in the U23 division at last year’s world championships.

“It’s an honour to be selected for the 2023 Pan American Games, I couldn’t be more excited to represent Canada,” said Simpson. “This will be my first Games, so I am really looking forward to the experience and the competition. I’m sure the atmosphere will be electric!”

On the road, Pickrell is riding high after winning Stage 2 of the Tour de l’Avenir, considered the Tour de France for U23 athletes.

Mountain bike also promises excitement with Woods working his way through a terrific UCI World Cup season in the U23 division. He has collected six medals from the series so far, including gold in both the men’s U23 cross-country Olympic and cross-country short track categories from the Val di Sole Trentino World Cup. He’ll be fighting for redemption after suffering a mechanical failure at the start line of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which forced him to fight through a competitive field of more than 85 entries for a remarkable 11th-place finish in the men’s U23 cross-country Olympic race.

“I’m thrilled to welcome such a big, passionate and energetic team to the Pan Am Games. I can’t wait to witness your dedication in the velodrome, and on and off the road,” said Christine Girard, Santiago 2023 Pam Am Chef de Mission. “Together, let’s ride towards victory and create a wave of inspiration for all to witness!”

“What an incredible group of athletes,” said Karolina Wisniewska, Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Co-Chef de Mission. “All eight para-cycling racers are coming off a very successful summer of competition and whether they have been to multiple Paralympic Games or this is their first multi-sport Games, are now heading into Santiago as top contenders to watch. Congratulations to each athlete on being selected to represent your country; it will be a delight to cheer you on and know that the entire Canadian contingent will be behind you in Santiago.”

The upcoming competition is an important opportunity to earn valuable qualification points for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in BMX racing and track. The detailed schedule of events for Santiago 2023 can be found here.

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee. The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here for the Pan Ams and here for the Parapan Ams.