News – Page 24 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

9 NATIONAL RECORDS BROKEN 57 TITLES WON AT CANADIAN TRACK NATIONS

Milton, ON (September 4, 2022) – After three intense days of racing at the Mattamy Cycling Centre in Milton, Ontario, 57 new national titles were awarded at the 2022 Canadian Track Championships along with nine national records broken, making for an exciting weekend.

Para-cyclist, Mel Pemble, set the tone, breaking the first Canadian record of the weekend in the women’s C3 Time Trial with a time of 40.379 seconds, smashing the record she previously held by 1.83 seconds. The British Columbia rider then went on to break another national record in the Individual Pursuit the category later in the weekend.

Denise Magnini (Time Trial), Keith Bruneau (Time Trial, 200m Sprint), Frank Kovacs (Time Trial, 200m Sprint), Guy McLintock (200m Sprint) and Uli Mayer (Individual Pursuit) all can call themselves Canadian Champions and National Record holders in their respective Master categories.

On the Elite side, heavy hitters like Kelsey Mitchell, Lauriane Genest, Nick Wammes and Maggie Coles-Lyster were all in attendance. Over the three days, Mitchell would sweep the women’s sprint events along with taking the crowd by surprise with a bronze in the women’s Team Pursuit alongside Jackie Boyle, Sarah Orban and Kathryn Ayroud. Olympian, Nick Wammes, sought to take his own Sprint sweep but would be shy by two events to take bronze in the men’s Kilo and taking the silver to James Hedgcock by 0.005 seconds in the Keirin.

Fresh off her Commonwealth Games bronze, Maggie Coles-Lyster came back home after racing around the world with big goals. She would take the overall win in the women’s Omnium, winning three out of four events.

“It was nice coming off a high of third, fourth, fifth at Commonwealth Games, and then coming into nationals and having my legs back again after a bit of time off I was excited,” said Coles Lyster after taking the win in front of a home crowd. “My goal coming into the Omnium was to win every race. I wanted to show what I’ve found myself capable of this year and what I’ve put a lot of work into. I made three out of four of those happen. It was really cool having the top three all be from B.C. and it was really competitive which made for some good racing.”

Men’s endurance racing saw, Junior World Champions, Carson Mattern and Dylan Bibic who looked to win Elite titles. Racing in an experienced field the two were able to take home maple leaf jerseys with Bibic taking gold in the Omnium, overtaking strong athletes including Tokyo 2020 Olympian Michael Foley. He would then end his event schedule to take the win in the Madison alongside Mathias Guillemette where they won every sprint of the race. Coming off his double rainbow jersey wins just weeks ago, Mattern saw the top of the podium in the Men’s Pursuit with teammates Sean Richardson, Amiel Flett-Brown and Daniel Fraser-Maraun.

With the wrap up of 2022 domestic track events, Elites will prepare for World Championships in Saint-Quentin, France, then will come back home for the 2023 Canadian Championships for Elites and Masters slated for January 6-8 in Milton. List of all Canadian Champions along with medallists and results can be found here.

September 4, 2022/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA WELCOMES ATP LAB AS NEWEST SUPPLIER

Ottawa, ON (August 31, 2022) – Cycling Canada is excited to welcome ATP Lab as their newest supplier for the 2022-2023 season. The partnership will give Canadian cyclists the resources to fuel and recover better and faster with ATP Lab’s vitamins and supplements to support with their goals on the bike.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Cycling Canada,” said Scott Prunier, Director of Marketing at ATP Lab. “Not only is it a true testament to fulfilling on the high standards for nutrition within the elite teams, but also helps us expose our decade plus of experience in producing pharma-grade supplements to the cycling world.”

With over a decade of experience working with athletes and developing natural products to fuel their training, racing and goals ATP Lab is steadfast on ensuring athletes get the most out of their training as well as recovery. The Canadian owned and operated business has all of their products manufactured and produced in Quebec and was a natural fit to help support our Canadian riders.

“What our riders do on the bike is incredibly important, but what they do off the bike in terms of how they recover, fuel and train is equally as important,” said Josh Peacock, Director of Marketing & Events at Cycling Canada. “Working with a Canadian-based organization who has spent years building a strong reputation through proven, quality products is a natural fit for Cycling Canada, including our high performance national team athletes and everyday members alike.”

Stay tuned at Canadian Championship events throughout the season where our athletes and community can sample select ATP product, developed with the end user top of mind. Alongside supporting Cycling Canada’s high performance athletes, ATP Lab has also extended a 25% discount to all Cycling Canada members on their online store – simply enter promo code CC25 upon checkout at www.atplab.com to try it yourself.

August 31, 2022/by Communications

CANADIAN TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO MATTAMY CYCLING CENTRE FOR ELITE/PARA/MASTERS ATHLETES

Ottawa, ON (August 30, 2022) – Athletes from across Canada are gearing up for the 2022 Canadian Track Championships on September 1-3 at the Mattamy Cycling Centre in Milton, ON. Elite, Para and Masters riders will take part in the three days of racing, with Elites and Masters coming back to compete for the Canadian Champion title for the first time since 2019.

“It has been an exciting event season and we are looking forward to hosting athletes back in Milton for another Track Championship weekend,” said Jolène Dupuis, Manager of Events and Officials at Cycling Canada. “Both Elite and Masters athletes have not had the opportunity to race for the maple leaf jersey in three years, so we are excited to witness them back in action with even more fast racing on the heals of Track Nations Cup that happened earlier this spring.”

Not only will Elites like Olympic Champion Kelsey Mitchell and Tokyo Olympians, Ariane Bonhomme & Michael Foley be back on the track, but also former and current Junior World Champions, Dylan Bibic & Carson Mattern and Paralympic medallists, Kate O’Brien & Keely Shaw will also be on the hunt for the top of the podium and the title of 2022 Canadian Track Champion in their respective categories.

“I’ve been super fortunate to have some success on the road this year, but in the last two years I’ve really been trained as a track cyclist,” said Shaw. “I’m super excited to be back in Milton for nationals this weekend and interested in seeing what a season of road racing has done for my track events. Milton has become something of a home away from home for me. I can’t wait to be back at the velodrome in a race environment and see the fruits of everyone’s labour as the best track cyclists in Canada get together to race for the maple leaf.”

Athletes will take on individual, team, sprint and endurance events over the three days of racing all competing for the coveted maple leaf jersey. The full technical guide which includes schedule and important event information can be found on the Events page of our website.

August 30, 2022/by Communications

TEAM CANADA ANNOUNCES SELECTION TO GRANDS PRIX CYCLISTES DE QUÉBEC ET DE MONTRÉAL

Ottawa, ON (August 30, 2022) – Cycling Canada has announced the eight rider team that will race in national team colours at the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal (GPCQM) on September 9th (Quebec City) and 11th (Montreal). The GPCQM races are the only two slated on the UCI WorldTour calendar held in the Americas, bringing the highest level of international competition for professional men on home soil.

“We have made it a point to invite the National Team since the very beginning to give them a unique and privileged experience, bringing them closer to their dream of reaching the ultimate circuit,” said Sébastien Arsenault, president and CEO of the GPCQM. “And we had proof this summer with our Quebec riders at the Tour de France. It’s all possible thanks to hard work, but also to the essential support of several decades of committed and passionate players.”

The team will be led by Pier-André Côté, who has had a breakthrough season, after being crowned Canadian Road Champion and winning the Grand Prix Criquelion. He will be joined by his Human Powered Health teammate Adam De Vos. The team will be rounded out by U23 riders, coming fresh off the Tour de l’Avenir, including U23 Canadian Road Champion, Carson Miles as well as Quentin Cowan and Thomas Schellenberg. In addition to the stacked field, Nicolas Côté and Matteo Dal-Cin will also be representing the maple leaf.

“The GPCQM has become a center piece of both the Men’s WorldTour and the Men’s Canadian development scene.” said Nigel Ellsay, National Team Coach at Cycling Canada. “For our athletes, this experience at the GPCQM will see us attacking, getting dropped and fighting at the highest level of the men’s peloton. These experiences will be invaluable to our athletes in their short and long-term development, while building memories to last a lifetime.”

Racing will start on Friday, September 9 in Québec City and will continue Sunday, September 11 in Montréal. For more details, click here.

Team Canada
Pier-André Côté – Lévis, QC*
Nicolas Côté – Saint-Bruno, QC
Quentin Cowan – Calgary, AB
Matteo Dal-Cin – Ottawa, ON
Carson Miles – Ottawa, ON
Nicholas Rivard – Bois-Des-Filion, QC
Thomas Schellenberg – Chilliwack, BC

*Only racing in Québec

August 30, 2022/by Communications

ANDREW TITUS: RIDING FOR HIMSELF AND FOR OTHERS

Cycling: it’s a sport that inspires, teaches, motivates and for some, can save their life. For Andrew Titus, the bike does all of that and more.

The middle school teacher born and raised in New Brunswick, lives and breathes all things riding. From motivating people to join ride clubs, to teaching the foundations and fundamentals of riding to his students or organizing fundraiser rides to help support others in his community and beyond. To put it simply, he embodies what it means to be part of the cycling community.

“I think I got into it like most people,” said Titus. “It was my dad holding on to the back of my shirt at four-years old and doing loops around a parking lot. I can honestly say I remember the moment when he let go like it was yesterday. It was just this amazing feeling of absolute freedom and I love that feeling.”

It’s hard not to be drawn to the charismatic mountain bike and gravel rider, as he talks about what cycling done for him, from fond childhood memories to a greater meaning in his adult life. For him, it’s all about building a community of riding and grounding himself and others with the world around them.

“A person doesn’t get old and stop moving, they stop moving and then they get old. To me it’s about vitality that is in the community, it’s about connecting with each other in that way. For me, being a teacher is being a good example to those that are younger. I’m of the opinion that you’re a teacher 24/7.”

Riding to him doesn’t need to be flashy, with the most up-to-date bike, or the top-of-the line accessories or having the newest kit. Rather, riding can be simplified. He wants to show those in his community and the kids he teaches to come as they are. Cycling doesn’t have any bias on who you are or what you wear. It’s more about the people you ride with, explore places with and learn from. As a teacher, he fosters an environment that promotes accessibility and knowledge to the sport. His motto is to “come as you are” no matter what you do, what you ride or what you wear, it’s about being yourself.

“I ride a piece of junk to be honest, I’m riding a 30-year-old single speed bike when I’m with the kids, wearing a plaid shirt and a pair of Converse. This is a cyclist. Now, do I love Le Tour de France? Absolutely. But what you can pass on to these young kids is the philosophy that riding doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, you can just be you and ride your bike.”

Growing up Titus explains that he could’ve gone down a different path in life that might have landed him in unfavourable situations or circumstances, going left when he should’ve gone right. But, he said it was riding and being surrounded by like-minded athletes that steered him to this path, ultimately, as he says, saving his life.

“When I was younger, I lived in a rough neighbourhood and riding afforded me to stay away from a lot of the activity that I was surrounded by and just explore. Because of it, I had this feeling of exploration from a young age. There’s always another dirt road; there’s always another dirt track; or somewhere you can load your bike and drive for an hour and find an amazing track. I love where I live. Riding just really rescued me from a rough neighbourhood.”

Titus hopes that what he learned as a kid can inspire others to find meaning and value.

“It has taught me to be even more non-judgemental and to be more open to other people, to be deeply sympathetic and empathetic to people’s position.”

While it’s evident of how passionate is and how willing he is to go above and beyond to help others experience the beauty of riding, he’s also known for some wild and gnarly rides. He’s notorious for being the first to put his hand up to create something out of the box and finding hidden gems along the way. From knowing the best roadside coffee and homemade apple pies, to dreaming up and executing crazy rides to raise awareness and fundraising.

“Last year, myself and two friends raised money for the George Street Cycling Squad (the crew at my school) we rode around it for 100-kilometres. So, we rode in circles, and I just did it on a single-speed. It was fun because people could cheer for us, and they could stop by.”

It’s easy to see where he finds the inspiration to try rides that no one else wants to do. The bottom line for him, is he does it for the kids. While he teaches fundamentals in the classroom, he is devoted to giving kids tools they can use in life. He wants kids to be confident and self-sufficient and hopes the bike can be a conduit to that.

“The school I teach at is incredibly diverse from a socioeconomic standpoint. A lot of times, I’ll do these fundraiser rides and I’ll buy bikes so that I can loan or give them to kids – which is what usually happens anyways, because they arrive at school riding death traps and I go to fix them, realizing that fixing them is ridiculous – so I just give them a new bike. Then, I organize rides for them to come on, with the school, so that they can make new friends; learn about the tremendous trail network that we have around here which keeps them off the streets; but it also keeps them occupied from potentially risky situations that they may find themselves in. That to me, is way more important than getting out with the hammerheads. The rides that I do with the kids are real connection moments for me; to them; from them to each other and from them to the community. That really feels like it’s giving them something. I tend to teach them out to repair their bikes as well, and that makes them self-sufficient and gives them feelings to independence. You can’t teach that in the classroom.”

With no signs of slowing down or hanging up his helmet, Titus hopes the sport continues to evolve and become more inclusive and break boundaries, so that anyone can explore their own backyard; find an escape from reality; and enjoy the freedom and calmness riding can bring.

“People always seem to be reinventing it. I like that there is so much room for everybody. Everything from racial inclusivity, to gender, to socioeconomic. What I’m really hopeful for in both the short and long-term is more of that. Not only has it rescued me but just recently seeing it as a vehicle to rescue other people as well. Biking has slowed my life down, the aging process and let me take in everything going on around me. That is true of everybody, the kids I ride with express the same emotions, and same goes for the friends that I ride with.”

You can follow Titus’ journey and all his rides by following him @spoke_n_word or through his blog where you can keep up to date on how he’s supporting his community or following along on his crazy adventures.

August 29, 2022/by Communications

HEMSTREET WINS SOLE SILVER AT MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Les Gets, France (August 29, 2022) – British Columbia’s Gracey Hemstreet would be the sole Canadian to win a medal at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Les Gets, France. The Junior rider took home silver in the women’s Downhill race just shy of a gold by 1.870 seconds. This would be the eighteen-year-old’s second World Championship medal after taking the bronze at the 2021 Championship.

On the men’s side, Downhill Junior rider, Bodhi Kuhn, stepped up to the plate finishing fifth in the Junior category, while Jackson Goldstone was looking for his second World Championship rainbow jersey after claiming gold in 2021, but would finish in 14^th spot after a crash on his final run. Elite rider, Finn Iles, who came off an at home victory at the World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Ann, was seeded sixth going into the finals but would evidently be pulled due to injury.

“It was a huge week for Canada in Downhill Mountain Bike,” said National Team Coach, Chad Hendren. “Leading the Canadians was Gracey Hemstreet with a well served second place finish which is a solid step up from the bronze she won last year and we’re very proud of her. Her two World Championship podiums in a row will carry good momentum as she steps into the Elite category next year. All-in-all it was a successful week, and now we move to Val di Sole for the final World Cup race of 2022.”

Meanwhile, Mountain Bike racers opened up day one with the Team Relay event to finish in the top ten, with Emilly Johnston, Carter Woods, Peter Disera, Ian Ackert, Isabella Holmgren and Laurie Areseneault racing into seventh which would be Canada’s best finish overall.

Following the Team Relay, Junior riders would take on the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) event with Isabella Holmgren being Canada’s top performer in the category to take tenth spot. Her finish comes on the heels of her double medal performance at Canada Summer Games and performance camps in Switzerland, showcasing her talent on the world stage. Meanwhile, Zorak Paille would finish in eleventh spot on the men’s side.

Elites took on Short Track (XCC) on day three with Laurie Arseneault taking fourteenth spot, after coming off her National Championship win just one month prior in the event, and Sean Fincham in seventeenth spot on the men’s side and would later finish 30^th in XCO.

All eyes were then on U23 rider, Carter Woods, in XCO after a stellar season on the World Cup circuit. He would ultimately finish in 16^th spot. Coming off her National Championship win, Emily Batty, would be the top Elite woman in XCO cracking the top 20 to finish in 19^th.

“Overall Worlds was successful for Canada,” said National Team Coach Jeff Ain. “We have a very bright future based on the performances we had across all categories. I’m proud of the athletes who all performed their best on the day at the end of a long season. We improved our team relay result from 2021 and have athletes in every category who are tracking towards being ready to push for podium performances. A big thank you to all the staff and partners who worked tirelessly to make this project run smoothly and efficiently.”

Full results from all racing can be found here.

August 29, 2022/by Communications

PALMER AND SIMPSON CROWNED CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONS

Calgary, Alberta (August 29, 2022) – Over 700 riders from all over the country came out for the Canadian BMX Championships in Calgary, Alberta for the second year in a row on August 27th. Championship titles and maple left jerseys were awarded in the women’s and men’s categories for Junior (17-18), U23 (19-22) and Elite (23+) riders, with medals awarded to Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as five years old.

Races started out strong rounds, before heavy rain and thunderstorms got in the way, causing an afternoon-long delay before the rain returned, cancelling the rest of races for the day. Race organizers then made the decision to crown Champions based on the amount of the points collected during the day, with Olympian, James Palmer becoming the men’s Elite Canadian Champion.

“It an awesome day getting back in the gate in front of the Canadian crowd today,” said James Palmer after his win. “After having to sit out last year’s National Championships with an injury, I was eager to line up and battle for the Canadian sleeve again. I was able lay down two smooth laps before we got hit with some unfortunate rainy weather that ultimately ended our day and gave me the National Championship win based off winning the first two rounds of racing.”

In the elite field, both World Championships bronze medallist, Molly Simpson, and teammate Teigen Pascual battled it out on the track. Ultimately, it was Simpson who walked away with the title. With the addition of the U23 category this year, Curtis Crey and Megan Winger both won the first U23 BMX Canadian Champion title. Junior rider Max Ganakovsky would go on the claim the title for a second year in a row, while Keira Murphy got her hands on her first title in the women’s category.

“Making a call to cancel racing is never easy to do, but I’m thankful the officials had safety as the first priority because it would have been dangerous for us the race in those later conditions,” continued James Palmer. “A special shout-out to the track crew and volunteers for doing all they could to dry the track out and get us back out there.”

After the day of racing there were a total of six National Champions going home with their maple leaf jersey.

Results
Junior Women: 1- Keira Murphy 2- Abygale Reeve 3- Mathilde Brisebois
Junior Men: 1- Max Ganakovsky 2- Carson Kowaski 3- Dylan Tremel
U23 Women: 1- Megan Winger
U23 Men: 1- Curtis Krey 2- Edouard Brisebois 3- Thomas Jodoin
Elite Men: 1- James Palmer 2- Alex Tougas 3- Riley Lavorato
Elite Women: 1- Molly Simpson 2- Teigen Pascual

For full results, please click here.

August 28, 2022/by Communications

CARSON MATTERN WINS ANOTHER RAINBOW JERSEY AT JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tel Aviv, Israel (August 26, 2022) – Just one day after claiming gold in the men’s Individual Pursuit, Junior rider, Carson Mattern would claim his second rainbow jersey of the 2022 Junior Track World Championships in the men’s Omnium.

“It’s really surreal right now, and hard to believe.” said Mattern after his back-to-back days on the podium. “I just went into today thinking I wanted to do the best I can. Then, pretty quickly I realized that I was feeling good and knew I was in contention, so I knew I had to race the Points Race hard. There were a few moments where I thought, ‘maybe this isn’t going to work’ but then the cards just fell in my favour.”

After the four events, it was clear Mattern would take the win over Dominik Ratajczak from Poland and Tobias Muller of Germany. The Junior adds to his existing World Titles which were won in 2021 in the men’s Scratch Race in Cairo, Egypt, before taking the 2022 title in the men’s Individual Pursuit, then ultimately claiming gold in the Omnium.

Other notable mentions after four days of racing are the men’s Team Pursuit squad who opened day one in fifth spot and women’s Team Pursuit squad ending in eighth place before Charles Bergeron finished ninth on day two in the men’s Scratch. On day three, Carson Mattern earned his title in the Individual Pursuit before claiming his second title in the Omnium on day four, and Kiara Lylyk capped off the day in seventh spot in the women’s Points Race.

With one more day to go Canadians will look to finish up what has been a successful week with the men racing the Elimination, Madison and Kilo events with the women taking on the Madison.

Full results can be found here.

August 26, 2022/by Communications

CARSON MATTERN WINS RAINBOW JERSEY IN THE MEN’S INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT AT JUNIOR TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tel Aviv, Israel (August 25, 2022) – On the third day of racing at the Junior Track World Championships in Tel Aviv, Junior endurance rider, Carson Mattern, would win Canada’s first medal of the Championship week in the men’s Individual Pursuit to win his second individual World Champion title.

“It was obviously a really hard final,” said Mattern. “The qualifying was really tight, and I like the fact that I had to lead in the qualifying, which gave me some confidence. I knew that there were some strong competitors. When I saw an opening to strike, I just accelerated the last couple laps and that’s all I needed. I’m very excited, two World Champion wins in two World Championships. It’s another one I can put on the wall, and I can’t wait.”

With a time of 3:10.889 Mattern edged out second place finisher, Theodor Storm of Denmark by just 0.151 seconds, securing his place on the top of the podium. The gold in the Individual Pursuit would mark the Ancaster, Ontario native’s third World Championship medal after winning the men’s Scratch Race and taking bronze in the Madison alongside teammate, Dylan Bibic, at the 2021 Junior Track World Championship in Cairo, Egypt.

Canadians still have one more day of racing at the Sylvan Adams National Velodrome featuring the Omnium for the men and the 500-metre Time Trial and Individual Pursuit on the women’s side. Live streaming of races can be found here and live results and start lists can be found here.

August 25, 2022/by Communications

BMX CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD IN CALGARY THIS WEEKEND

Calgary, Alberta (August 24, 2022) – The Canadian BMX Championships will be returning to Calgary, AB on August 27-28 for an exciting weekend of competition. After a successful edition in 2021, the competition will kick off on Saturday with over 500 riders of all ages and categories.

The first day of racing will see riders competing for the maple leaf jersey in the Junior (17-18) and Elite (23+) categories, with the addition of the new U23 category for both women and men and medals awarded in the Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old.

Several high-profile athletes will be taking part in the racing, including UCI BMX World Championships U23 women’s bronze medallist, Molly Simpson, her teammate Teigen Pascual who was fifth at this year’s World Championships as well as current Elite Canada Cup leader, Riley Meyer-Clement.

“We’re excited to welcome the 2022 Canadian BMX Championships for the second year in a row,” said event organizer and President of the Calgary BMX Association, Jonas Tremel. “After last year’s success and great turn out, we can’t wait to see what the athletes can do in all the categories.”

On Sunday, riders will compete in the ninth and final round of the BMX Canada Cup national series. Full event details can be found here.

August 24, 2022/by Communications