Milton, ON (Jan. 8, 2023) – 123 Elite and Masters athletes from across the country travelled to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, ON, for their chance to earn one of 50 national titles at the Canadian Track Championships from Jan. 6-8, 2023.

James Hedgcock Sweeps Elite Men Sprint Events
The Elite Men category featured nail-biting competition between world-class athletes in both sprint and endurance events. James Hedgcock (Team Ontario) rode in perfect form all weekend, topping the podium for each event in which he competed: the 1km time trial, sprint, team sprint and keirin. Hedgcock was the defending 2022 Champion in both the keirin and the team sprint, alongside teammates Tyler Rorke and Nick Wammes.

Also making a statement in the Elite Men category was Dylan Bibic (Israel-Premier Tech). The newly crowned Scratch World Champion debuted the rainbow jersey on home soil while collecting Championship titles in the scratch race, omnium and Madison, in which he participated with his fellow UCI Track Champions League rider, Mathias Guillemette. In the individual pursuit, however, Bibic’s best efforts were unable to keep Michael Foley at bay and the Toronto Hustle rider ultimately captured the Championship title.

Lauriane Genest Wins Fierce Battles in Elite Women Category
Lauriane Genest (Équipe du Québec) emerged victorious in the Elite women’s sprint, edging out fellow Tokyo 2020 Olympic medallist Kelsey Mitchell (Juventus Cycling Club) by the smallest of margins.

“It’s different racing against your teammates. You have to forget they are people who are normally on the same team as you,” said Genest. “In training, we do a lot of sprints together to push each other so that’s kind of what I was trying to tell myself all day: it’s like a regular practice but with the added pressure of the Canadian Championships.”

Genest also became Canadian Champion in the women’s keirin and team sprint with teammates Jackie Boyle, Sarah Orban and Emy Savard (Quebec and Jack). However, she was relegated to the second step of the podium in the 500m time trial, in which Mitchell claimed the gold medal.

Meanwhile in the Elite women’s endurance events, Ariane Bonhomme left her mark with hard-fought wins in the scratch race, omnium and individual pursuit. She and Lily Plante also captured the win for their team, Roxo Racing, in the Madison.

Rosa Phillip and Amy Maher Dominate Masters Women Category
Rosa Phillip (Midweek Cycling) and Amy Maher (Opus Elite Cycling p/b Cyclepath Oakville) each departed the Mattamy National Cycling Centre as decorated Canadian Champions in the Masters Women division. Phillip, riding in the Master A category, won the time trial, points race, scratch race, individual pursuit, sprint and keirin.

Master B rider Maher brought home the gold medal in the 500m time trial, points race, scratch race and individual pursuit. Additionally, she set Canadian records in the time trial, team pursuit with fellow riders Elaine Soucy, Lisa Ulrich and Amy White (Pursuit of Happiness), and team sprint with Soucy and Ulrich (Back in Action).

“I really want to motivate other women and bring more Master women into the sport,” said Maher. “There’s such a great atmosphere during the events, it’s a really social sport and I hope that I can inspire other women to get into track racing. It feels really good to break Canadian records and I managed to break three of them this weekend, so it’s a pretty special feeling.”

The Master C 500m time trial and individual pursuit titles were awarded to Wendy Malloch.

Masters Men Display Strong Depth of Field

A number of Cyclemeisters/Bowcycle members became Canadian Champions in the Masters Men category, including Master A rider Brent Baerg (1k time trial, sprint); Master A rider Willy Gonzalez (points race, scratch race, individual pursuit); and Master C rider Frank Kovacs (500m time trial, sprint, keirin), who also came away as the proud owner of a new Canadian record. Baerg and Kovacs were joined by Jeff Moir to add a final title to Cyclemeisters/Bowcycle’s collection in the team sprint.

Burnaby Velodrome Club also had a strong showing with Hans Loeffelholz (750m time trial, sprint, keirin) and Uli Mayer (points race, scratch race, Canadian record in the individual pursuit) in their respective Masters categories.

Additionally, Tim Hadfield topped the Master B field in the points race, scratch race and individual pursuit, as well as in the team pursuit with Scott Buschlen, David Hainish and William Trischuk (Composite “N”). The title of Master A Keirin Champion went to Jérémie Fontanaud of Rackultra Racing Team.

The full list of podium results from the Canadian Track Championships (Elite/Masters) can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian ESports Championships presented by Wahoo on Feb. 11-12. Then, U17, Junior and para track athletes will have their chance at a title from March 31-April 2. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

Ottawa, ON (Dec. 7, 2022) – Ticket sales are now live via the Mattamy National Cycling Centre website for the 2023 Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, to be held April 20-23, 2023, in Milton, ON.

The Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup is one of the biggest track cycling events on the international calendar, with only three rounds hosted each year. Cycling Canada, in partnership with the Town of Milton and supported by Sport Canada and the Ontario Sport Hosting Program, is excited to host hundreds of athletes from over 30 different countries, including some of Canada’s biggest cycling stars. Athletes will be competing in all six Olympic events (sprint, keirin, team sprint, team pursuit, omnium and Madison), as well as elimination races over the four-day event.

“We feel privileged to have been selected by the UCI to host this prestigious event,” said Mathieu Boucher, Cycling Canada Chief Development Officer. “While the Nations Cup is a key event for our athletes in their qualifying process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it is also an incredible opportunity for us to connect and grow our community by inviting schools and engaging with the local community who have been so supportive. I am convinced that everyone who attends will be treated to quite a show and a festive atmosphere.”

A wide range of ticket options is available to provide a customizable experience for all fans:

The full competition schedule will be published once confirmed, along with various volunteer opportunities for those looking for a more hands-on experience. More details, including information on corporate partnership and hospitality packages, can be found at tncmilton.com and exclusive gear for cheering on athletes during the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup can be purchased here.