News – Page 17 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

WORLD-CLASS COMPETITION CONCLUDES AT 2023 CANADIAN XCO & XCC MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (July 24, 2023) – A decorated field took to the mixed terrain and elevation of Kentville, NS, to determine the 2023 Canadian XCO & XCC MTB Champions on July 20-23.

Cross-country short track (XCC) competition was first to get underway on July 20, with the addition of new U17 and Junior categories. Rafaëlle Carrier (CVM Sigma Assurance) claimed the U17 Women’s jersey while for the men, Nicolas Gauthier (Ride with Rendall P/B Biemme) held on to an early breakaway to secure the title. Stimulus Orbea Racing Team had a great Junior showing with Marin Lowe claiming her second consecutive gold medal (Women) and Ian Ackert (Men) adding to his 2021 Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and 2022 Cyclo-cross Championships before moving onwards to the U23 category next year.

Defending Elite Champions Laurie Arseneault (Pittstop Racing Team – Women) and Carter Woods (Giant Factory Off Road Team – Men) managed to hold on to their titles with competitive, strategic racing. Arseneault commented, “It was a hard race, the pace was very high from the beginning so I had to work my way up. It was a very hard season until now, I had a lot of injuries and sickness so it felt good to be in the game again, have that win and wear the maple leaf again for the rest of the season. I love racing out east. The course is nice, people are nice, the organization is very, very good so good job to everyone.”

July 22’s XCO competition saw many athletes claim back-to-back championships including Lowe (Junior Women), Ackert (Junior Men), Carrier (U17 Women) and Woods (Elite Men).

“I felt like I had a pretty good shot at the Elite title and now I get to bring the jersey next year, too,” said Woods, who recently nabbed two Val di Sole World Cup wins as an U23 in the Mountain Bike World Series. “This is the first time where I’m feeling very confident and having some good training leading into [the UCI Cycling World Championships]. I didn’t put a lot of pressure on this week because I’ve had a couple good weeks of training so this is a complete bonus to come here and have two really, really solid rides. Back home for another two and a half weeks of focus and then I’m hoping to finish out my U23 year with a good Worlds.”

Rounding out the XCO men’s podiums were Emilien Belzile (Siboire QuiRoule – U17) and Cole Punchard (Hockley Valley Resort Armada – U23). Women’s U23 Champion Emilly Johnston (TREK Future) brought her experience to bear after winning bronze at the 2023 Nove Mesto Na Morave XCO World Cup and Jennifer Jackson (Liv Factory Racing) reclaimed the Elite Women’s title that she last held in 2021.

Jackson commented, “I’m really proud to race in the [Championship] jersey. It helps me believe that I can be the best Canadian and I want to show that on the world stage…. Championship races, there’s not a lot of them. There’s only one a year for your nation and one for the world. I set realistic goals and being national champion is a challenging but attainable goal. This is one of the milestones that I want to have to my name and carry proudly. Being able to double down and ride away with it today, I’m like, this is real, I can own this and I’m really happy about that.”

Masters also raced the XCO track. Winners included Peter Glassford (Trek Barrie-Aurora – 35-44 Men), Sue Haviland (Durham Shredders Mountain Bike Team – 35-44 Women), Aroussen Laflamme (Ponsse MTB Team – 45-54 Men), Annik Belanger (Explore Velo – 45-54 Women), Lorenzo Caterini (Hub Cycles Cycling – 55+ Men) and Lyne Nepton (Accro Velo – 55+ Women)

Competition concluded on July 23 with Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs) and Cycling Canada Trade Teams competing in the Team Relay. Pivot Cycles OTE emerged victorious due to the combined efforts of Carrier, Peter Disera, Mathis Duval and Vincent Thiboutot. Anchor Disera clinched the title over defending champions Team Ontario #1 after a back-and-forth battle to the finish line against Punchard.

The full list of results can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar are the Canadian Enduro Championships, which will be held on July 30 in Whistler, BC. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

CYCLING CANADA STATEMENT ON UCI ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS FOR TRANSGENDER ATHLETES

July 20, 2023

On July 14, 2023, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced the adaptation of its rules on the participation of transgender athletes in international competitions (UCI Regulations 13.5.001). From now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited from participating in women’s events on the UCI International Calendar – in all categories – in the various disciplines.

Effective July 17, 2023, the new Eligibility Regulations for Transgender Athletes will be recognized at all UCI-sanctioned events in Canada. These regulations will only apply to UCI-designated race categories at those events.

For Cycling Canada events and race categories not sanctioned by the UCI, including non-UCI categories at the Canadian Cycling Championships, athletes may participate in the gender category identified on their current applicable licence/membership for the full 2023 calendar year.

Moving forward, Cycling Canada will work closely with its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization partners and other key stakeholders to develop a framework for transgender inclusion and participation at nationally sanctioned events in non-UCI categories for the 2024 season.

For questions related to the application of these regulations at events, contact:

Josh Peacock
Director of Marketing and Events
Cycling Canada
josh.peacock@cyclingcanada.ca

For other questions or feedback concerning transgender participation in cycling, contact:
Vanessa Desjardins
Director of Operations and Inclusion
Cycling Canada
vanessa.desjardins@cyclingcanada.ca

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH RED X CARBON

Ottawa, ON (July 19, 2023) – Cycling Canada is proud to welcome the technology consulting and managed services company Red X Carbon to its family of partners as an Official Supplier.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Cycling Canada and support a sport that we are very passionate about. At Red X Carbon, we are committed to connecting individuals to their fullest potential by powering performance through innovative technology. This collaboration embodies our shared vision for pushing boundaries and fostering excellence,” said Marcelo Tamaki, CEO of Red X Carbon.

Red X Carbon’s support is tied to key Cycling Canada properties including the 2024 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup Milton and 2025 Canadian Cycling Championship events.

“Committed partners like Red X Carbon are essential for bringing world-class events to Canada’s backyard and we’re so thrilled that they have joined us for this journey,” said Josh Peacock, Cycling Canada Director of Marketing and Events. “The principles that Red X Carbon embody in the technology space – including strong leadership, world-class technical execution and a collaborative team approach – are also applicable to our cycling world so we feel that this partnership is a perfect fit.”

Cycling Canada’s partners provide essential support to the nationwide development of cycling from grassroots to the high performance level. To learn more about Cycling Canada partners and opportunities for collaboration, click here.

NOVA SCOTIA WELCOMES CANADIAN XCO & XCC MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (July 18, 2023) – U17, Junior, Elite and Masters athletes are on their way to  Kentville, NS, for the 2023 Canadian XCO and XCC MTB Championships on July 20-23.

“We are thrilled to bring the Canadian XCO and XCC Championships to Nova Scotia,” said Cycling Canada Director of Events and Marketing, Josh Peacock. “This event promises to showcase the best of maritime hospitality alongside years of trail, venue and event development by the local organizing committee, Trailflow Outdoor Adventure.”

With the recent retirement of 2022 XCO Canadian Champions Emily Batty (Elite Women) and Marianne Théberge (U23 Women), the title will be up for grabs in their categories. Looking to secure another gold medal are Peter Disera (Elite Men), Marin Lowe (Junior Women), Rafaëlle Carrier (U17 Women) and Carter Woods (U23 Men), who is coming back from two Mountain Bike World Series World Cup wins in Val di Sole, ITA, while Jacob Roy (U17 Men Champion) and Zorak Paillé (Junior Men Champion) are hoping to prove their strength in new categories, now racing respectively in the Junior and U23 ranks. 2023 XCO Mountain Bike World Series bronze medallist Emilly Johnston (U23 Women) will also be taking her place on the start line.

For the first time ever, XCC champions will be crowned within the U17 and Junior categories, while 2022 Elite Champions Laurie Arseneault and Woods are planning to leave it all on the trails to hold on to their title.

Sue Haviland (Masters Women 35-44) and Jon Barnes (Men Masters 45-54) will race to add another title to their name, while the title will be up for grabs in all other Masters category.

The full technical guide and important event information can be found on the Events Page of the Cycling Canada website.

NEW TITLES AWARDED AT THE CANADIAN DOWNHILL MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (July 17, 2023) – The 2023 Canadian Downhill MTB Championships, held in Fernie, BC, crowned eight new Canadian Champions from July 15-16.

Competition started on Saturday with seeding runs won by Austin Makson (U17 Men), Dane Jewett (Junior Men), Joy Attalla (Corsa Cycles/Dunbar Cycles – Junior Women), Lucas Cruz (Norco Factory Team – Elite Men) and Emmy Lan (Forbidden Synthesis Team – Elite Women).

2022 Canada Cup winner Brock Hawes (Gravity MTB Racing) was the fastest rider of the finals on Sunday with a time of 2:31.04, claiming his first national title in the Junior Men category after a crash in the seeding runs. He commented, “There were a couple of sections where I thought I was going to crash but we held it together and made it down. I’m at a loss for words, just buzzing.”

Bailey Goldstone (Corsa Cycles/Dunbar Cycles – Women Elite) kept her eyes on the prize, becoming Canadian Champion for the second consecutive year after battling it out with the current U21 Enduro World Series leader, Lan, who finished in second place.

The Norco Factory Team rounded out the Elite Men podium with Mark Wallace in second place and Kirk McDowall in third, letting Lucas Cruz celebrate his birthday with his very own maple leaf jersey.

In front of a home crowd, Joy Attalla stood on the highest step of the Junior Women podium, building on her bronze finish in 2022. She told Canadian Cycling Magazine, “It’s unreal. I did my first downhill race here, so it’s a real full-circle moment, it’s awesome and amazing to have my friends and family out. That just makes it, honestly.”

Anthony Shelly (Instinct Development –  U17 Men) was the fastest rider of his category, winning his first-ever Canadian title.

2022 Canadian Champions Robert Vernables (Dunbar Cycles – Masters Men B) and Donald Van Eestern (Rippers Lounge Racing – Masters Men C) held on to their title, while Tom Power (Rippers Lounge Racing – Masters Men A) was edged out by the new champion, Kristopher McMehan.

The full list of results can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian XCO & XCC MTB Championships, which will both be held from July 20-23 in Nova Scotia. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CYCLING CANADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ottawa, ON (July 13, 2023) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the opening of the annual nomination process for positions on its Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is elected by Cycling Canada’s members (Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations) and is comprised of seven Director-at-Large positions, a National Team athlete representative plus one optional Director that can be appointed at the discretion of the Board.

The role of Cycling Canada’s Board of Directors is to provide strategic direction, leadership and stability for the organization. The Board establishes the overall mission and purpose for the organization and is responsible for a number of key governance-related activities including approving the appointment of and providing direction to the CEO and senior management team, the development and adoption of organizational policies, financial oversight and approval of the annual budget.

Board members meet by video conference once per month, meet in person twice per year and are also expected to participate on Board committees on a regular basis. Cycling Canada is looking to build upon the expertise within its existing Board and is seeking to include a range of diverse voices and skills that will enable the growth and development of the organization and the sport in Canada.

For the upcoming September 2023 elections, the Nominations Committee is seeking nominees with diverse backgrounds, abilities and perspectives who possess the skill sets and competencies outlined below, as established as priorities for the organization:

  • Governance and policy expertise
  • Fundraising and strategic partnership development
  • Risk management

Specifically, Cycling Canada is looking for female applicants as well as those from the Indigenous community, Black Canadias, LGBTQ2S+, persons with physical impairment and representatives from marginalized communities.

Ideally, candidates will also have prior corporate or non-profit board experience. However, experience in cycling is not necessarily required.

In 2023 there are four (4) Director-at-Large positions open for nomination, each for two-year terms. Board elections will occur at the Cycling Canada Annual Meeting to be held by video conference on Sept. 12, 2023. Nominations for these Board positions will close Aug. 4, 2023.

For additional details please refer to the Nomination Form available for download here and the Cycling Canada by-laws and governance policies, available here.

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2024 CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS CALENDAR

Last updated Aug. 24, 2023

Ottawa, ON (July 12, 2023) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce a full calendar of Canadian Championship events set to take place aross the country for all disciplines in 2024.

“The 2024 season is set to offer another year of exciting Canadian Championships taking place throughout the nation,” said Cycling Canada Events and Officials Manager, Jolène Dupuis. “These events allow us to celebrate not only our phenomenal homegrown talent but also the wider cycling community, from the local organizers, volunteers and officials who make these events possible to the family and fans who come out in full force to create an inspiring competition atmosphere. We’re very excited to set the stage for another class of Champions to earn their spotlight next year.”

Track events will start the Championship season right away, with g Elite and Masters contesting the Canadian Track Championships at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, ON, from Jan. 5-7. U17, Junior and Para athletes will return to the Vélodrome Sylvan Adams – Centre Multisports Desjardins in Bromont, QC, for a second consecutive year to enjoy the hospitality of the Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont from Mar 29-31.

Also happening early in the season on Feb. 10-11 will be the Canadian Esports Championships, perhaps the most accessible event on the calendar due to its virtual nature. Meanwhile, the second edition of the Canadian Gravel Championships will move westward to Calgary, AB, where Deadgoat Racing will host their first Championship event on June 16.

After hosting the Masters in 2023, Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce will welcome Elite, Junior and Para athletes back to Saint-Georges, QC, from June 20-23 for the Canadian Road Championships two years since those categories raced in the Beauce region.

BMX racing will take its turn July 6-7 when the Club BMX de Vaudreuil-Soulanges hosts the Championships in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC.

Mountain bike will kick off with full force in July, with the Canadian Cross Country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) Championships on the 19th-21st in Kentville, NS, hosted for the second time by Trailflow Outdoor Adventures in partnership with the Town of Kentville. Enduro (EDR) will also be held in the west later in the month by Crankworx Events Inc. with downhill (DH) following in Sun Peaks, BC, hosted by Sun Peaks Resort and SE Racing. Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club will wrap things up for mountain bike by hosting their first Canadian Championships on Sept. 7 for the cross-country marathon (XCM) in Thunder Bay, ON.

Currently absent from the current calendar are the Canadian Championships for road (Masters), BMX freestyle and cyclo-cross: Cycling Canada is still accepting bids from organizers for these events. If interested in submitting a bid for any of the above, please contact jolene.dupuis@cyclingcanada.ca. Following review of all relevant applications, Cycling Canada will publish an update in late 2023. The full events calendar will be available on the Cycling Canada website at the end of the season in late November.

2024 Date Event Location Organizer
Jan. 5-7 Canadian Track Championships (Elite/Masters) Milton, ON Cycling Canada
Feb. 10-11 Canadian Esports Championships Virtual Cycling Canada
March 29-31 Canadian Track Championships (U17/Jr/Para) Bromont, QC Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont
June 16 Canadian Gravel Championships Calgary, AB Deadgoat Racing
June 20-23 Canadian Road Championships (Elite/Jr/Para) Saint-Georges, QC Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce
July 6-7 Canadian BMX Racing Championships Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC Club BMX de Vaudreuil-Soulanges
July 19-21 Canadian XCO & XCC MTB Championships Kenvtille, NS Trailflow Outdoor Adventures in partnership w/ Town of Kentville
TBC Canadian DH MTB Championships Sun Peaks, BC Sun Peaks Resort & SE Racing
Sept. 7 Canadian XCM MTB Championships Thunder Bay, ON Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club
TBC Canadian Enduro MTB Championships TBC Crankworx Events Inc.
TBC Canadian Road Championships (Masters) TBD TBD
TBC Canadian Freestyle BMX Championships TBC TBD
TBC Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships TBD TBD

 

MOUNTAIN BIKE ATHLETES HEAD TO FERNIE, BC, FOR CANADIAN DOWNHILL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (July 11, 2023) – Elite, Junior, U17 and Masters athletes from all over the country will travel to Fernie, BC, on July 15-16, 2023, for the Canadian Downhill MTB Championships, where they will race for the maple leaf jersey.

“The 2023 Canadian Downhill MTB Championships are the culmination of months of preparation on the part of our athletes, as well as countless hours spent by organizers, resort staff, volunteers and officials to ensure a fun and safe event,” said Events & Officials Manager at Cycling Canada, Jolene Dupuis. “We’re looking forward to an inspiring weekend of competition in the Rocky Mountains.”

2022 Canadian Champions Bailey Goldstone (Elite Women), Gabriel Neron (Elite Men), Tegan Cruz (Junior Men) and Jon Mozell (U17 Men) will be lining up in hopes to reclaim their titles, while Gracey Hemstreet (2022 Junior Women Champion) will try to grab her first Elite title. Several familiar faces from UCI Mountain Bike World Series podiums will also be in attendance including Bodhi Kuhn (Downhill Junior Men) and Emmy Lan (Enduro U21 Women), both fresh off World Cup wins in their respective categories in Val di Sole and Val di Fassa, ITA. They will be joined by 2023 Enduro World Cup medallist Lily Boucher.

On the Masters side, current Canadian Champions Tom Power (Masters A Men), Robert Vernables (Masters B Men) and Donald Van Eesteren (Masters C Men) will race in hopes to add another gold medal to their collection.

The full technical guide and important event information can be found on the Events page of the Cycling Canada website.

2023 CANADIAN ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS CONCLUDE WITH MASTERS COMPETITION

Ottawa, ON (July 2, 2023) – The 2023 Canadian Road Championships concluded with the Masters categories, held June 29-July 2 in St. Georges, QC.

Competition kicked off with the individual time trial on June 29. Zack Morris recorded his first-ever national title in the Masters A category, while a bevy of riders successfully defended their time trial title for a second year running: Masters B athlete, Mark Sherboneau (Ride With Rendall p/b Biemme); Masters E athlete, Nancy Gillan (Agowatt); Masters F athlete, Paolina Allan (Uxbridge Cycling Club); and Masters G athlete, Nathalie Champagne (Agowatt).

Continuing a strong 2023 season, Bruce Bird (Wheels of Bloor) added the Masters C win to his Gravel Masters 55-64 Championship title. Sylvan Adam (Israel – Premier Tech) found himself with a Masters D gold medal several years after his first Canadian Time Trial Championships in 2012 and 2013. The Masters H category rounded out the day’s competition, with Anna Tykoliz (St. Catharines Cycling Club) adding to a 2023 tally that includes the Canadian Esports and Gravel Championships (Masters Women 65+).

The next day saw the men’s categories battle strong winds and a long climb for the road race. Three athletes crossed the finish line to add their name to the Canadian Championship history books: Maxime Forget (Rackultra), Nicolas Proulx (Les Rouleurs Polo-Vélo) and Éric Provost (Clan Knox) won the Masters A, B and C categories, respectively.

Adams collected his second Masters D title of the weekend, commenting, “This is my eighth Canadian Championship jersey in all disciplines – track, time trial and road. But I’ve never won in the same year and I’ve only won the road race once before so for me it’s really special. It was a bit of a grind to try and drop the peloton and end up in the breakaway. Ultimately, the entire podium drooped the peloton and when I was with those two guys, I knew I was going to win the sprint. So I was able to sit and be very patient and didn’t even initiate the sprint until 100m to the line.”

The women’s turn to race came on Canada Day. Jodi Wendland (The Cyclery) used experience gained winning the 2023 Gravel Championships (Master Women 35-44) to clinch the Masters E category, while Caroline Montminy (Équipe Studio Vélo) built on last year’s second-place road race finish to win the Masters F for 2023. Champagne and Tykoliz also earned their second maple leaf jerseys of the weekend in their respective categories.

“It never gets old, it is always so very humbling and with the greatest of gratitude being able to wear this jersey, especially on July 1 – how amazing is that? And I think my [Cycling Canada] socks helped out, too,” joked Tykoliz, who used the event to qualify for the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, GBR. “All the athletes have had just an amazing experience and really appreciate [Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce] being able to host. And I am very proud that I now get to go to Scotland!”

The event finished on July 2 with a hilly 50min criterium, where Tykoliz (Masters E) and Adams (Masters D) successfully completed a title trifecta and Provost (Masters C) claimed a second Championship. A handful of athletes made the most of the opportunity to earn their first Champion’s jersey: Samuel Blanchette (Siboire-GFT) in the Master A category; Patrick Tremblay (Les Rouleurs Polo-Vélo) in the Masters B; Pauline Diaz (ECF – Communimed p/p Davélo) in the Masters E; Josée Rossignol (Ecomax/Velogare) in the Masters F; and Dawn Heinemeyer (Calgary Crankmasters) in the Masters G.

“I kept checking behind me to see where the other girls were and kept trying to expand; it was magical to create a gap like that,” commented Rossignol. “We had our peloton with around 25 Masters girls. It was a good thing to have a lot of Master Women to compete this weekend, it was such a great experience. Since a lot of women quit after 35, we want to encourage more women to compete.”

The full list of results can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian Downhill MTB Championships from July 15-16 in Fernie, BC. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

SIX NATIONAL TITLES CLINCHED AT 2023 CANADIAN BMX RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Drummondville, QC (July 1, 2023) – Nearly 700 athletes celebrated Canada Day by contesting the Canadian BMX Racing Championships on July 1, 2023, in Drummondville, QC.

In the Elite category, Ryan Tougas (ODI, Fly Racing, Chase BMX) stayed cool and collected to win all of his races, reclaiming the men’s Championship title that he held in 2021. His counterpart Molly Simpson (Daylight Cycles) led a combined field of play including U23 and Junior athletes on her way to collect a third consecutive women’s Championship and eighth national title overall.

“I’ve been travelling around the world so racing on home soil, I appreciate it so much,” said Simpson, who currently sits sixth in the UCI BMX Women Elite Ranking. “The atmosphere is electric, racing this race is one of my favorites. [The Canadian BMX community] all support each other so much. We’re just here to ride bikes and have fun, and everybody’s happy for everybody no matter the results. It’s definitely motivating.”

The U23 Men category was a fierce battleground for 2022 Junior Champion Max Ganakovsky (Maximal Advantage, Meybo, WLM Design) and Thomas Jodoin (Équipe du Québec), who traded first- and second-place finishes across three motos before Jodoin ultimately secured the win.

“It’s my first-ever national title so it just feels incredible,” commented Jodoin. “I didn’t really expect much going into this weekend and it all worked out. It was really nice to race in front of the home crowd. It was awesome just being at the gate and when they said my name, everybody started cheering.”

Mathilde Brisebois (Équipe du Québec) topped the U23 Women category, building on her bronze finish as a Junior in 2022.

Keira Murphy (Cycling BC) came away with her second consecutive title in the Junior Women category, while Carson Kowaski (Rift/Tangent Canada) became a first-time champion for the Junior Men. He reflected, “When I got to the finish line, it was pretty emotional. A wave of relief hit me, that I actually got a good lap done so it was a really good feeling. I felt like I had a horrible semi, I almost didn’t make it. In the main, I just got myself completely in the zone as much as I could, told myself what I had to do and executed what I could.”

In addition to the Championship classes, medals were awarded in Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old. The full list of results can be found here.

Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian Downhill MTB Championships from July 15-16 in Fernie, BC. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.