News – Page 44 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

MARK WALLACE FINISHES JUST OFF THE PODIUM AT MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLDS

Leogang, Austria (October 12, 2020) – The 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships concluded in Leogang, Austria, on Sunday with world cup medalist Mark Wallace placing fourth in the Elite men’s downhill final, only 0.712 seconds short of the podium.

Wallace, who qualified 22^nd on Friday, did not let the slippery conditions slow him down, setting the third fastest time in his final run before being dislodged by Austrian David Trummer. Finn Iles, who had initially set the third fastest qualifying time, slid out and finished 34^th.

Overall, Canada had solid showings in E-MTB, XCO and DH over the five days of competition, with three riders finishing in the top-5. Maghalie Rochette, who was the first Canadian to compete, took fifth in the women’s E-MTB competition on Wednesday, followed by Sean Fincham on Friday who also placed fifth in the men’s U23 XCO competition. Wallace tops off the championships with the best Canadian result of the week.

While this marks the end of the cross-country season, the downhill season is just getting started with upcoming world cups scheduled to take place in Slovenia and Portugal.

For full results, click here.

October 12, 2020/by Communications

SEAN FINCHAM FINISHES TOP-5 AT MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLDS

Leogang, Austria (October 10, 2020) – After finishing 11^th at last year’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, Sean Fincham came closer to the podium on Friday in Leogang, Austria, where he placed fifth in the U23 XCO category. The 22-year-old from Squamish, BC, had posted two top-10 placings in Round 1 and Round 2 of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Nove Mesto Na Morave.

“It was a hectic day out there for my last U23 Worlds,” said Fincham. “I am stoked to finish with my best ever Worlds result. It was exciting fighting for third place for most of the race. The conditions were super sloppy, there was nowhere to hide and it was always full-on.”

With a field of over 70 riders, all five Canadian riders managed to finish in the top-25, with Carter Woods finishing 15^th, Gunnar Holmgren 20^th, Quinton Disera 22^nd and Tyler Orschel 23^rd.

On Saturday, Canadian riders tackled the U23 women’s and Elite men’s and women’s cross-country races, finishing just outside of the top-25. Léandre Bouchard and Marianne Théberge finished 26^th in the Elite men’s and U23 women’s race respectively. In the Elite women’s field, Emily Batty finished 27^th, Jenn Jackson 28^th and Haley Smith 29^th.

“It was pretty neat to finish the world championships with my best result of the year,” said Bouchard. “The conditions were super rough and muddy, but I was feeling great on the course. I rode pretty consistently and gained a few positions every lap. I knew by the last lap I was below 30th and I was able to see the top-25 group in front of me. I’m very grateful to have a racing season this year; it could have been nothing, but we had five races in two weeks.”

Tomorrow, Canadians will be in action in the Downhill finals, where Finn Iles is expected to be a top contender after qualifying third in the Elite field, only just 4.783 off the leader.

October 10, 2020/by Communications

DEVELOPING THE FUTURE OF CYCLING IN CANADA

Cycling Canada’s NextGen program was launched in 2014 with the goal of helping young athletes develop and advance to the Elite National Team. By having access to a world-class training environment, talented coaches and experts and international races, young cyclists can quickly accelerate their progress and graduate to the highest ranks much quicker.

Ariane Bonhomme, member of the Women’s Track Endurance team, and sprinter Nick Wammes are both graduates of the NextGen program, which helped them achieve a huge career milestone by being selected for the Tokyo Olympics. No athlete’s journey is linear but Cycling Canada’s NextGen program has provided a pipeline to the National Team, helping Bonhomme and Wammes hone their talent and reach their potential.

NextGen launching athletes to the Olympics

Ariane Bonhomme was one of the very first members of Cycling Canada’s NextGen Women’s Track Endurance squad in 2015. The National Team had been a goal for Bonhomme and she was already training with the Elite squad as a Junior in 2014.

“It was hard for us to imagine how to bridge the gap,” Bonhomme said of making the leap to the Elite National Team. Then, in 2015, Bonhomme joined the new NextGen program. “It gave us an amazing platform to bridge to the Elite group. We were the priority of the coach, we were his focus and our goal was to make it to the Elite team.”

The importance of having a program focused on them allowed the young athletes in the NextGen program to thrive. “Having the resources, the coaching and even the funding to have a bike, physio, nutrition and a coach was so valuable. Being able to have our own plan separate from the Elite group, to train in California and our own training time in the velodrome in Milton helped us develop a strong program,” said Bonhomme.

Nick Wammes was a very promising but raw sprint talent as he came out of U17 and he became motivated to step up to the Elite National Team program. A big advantage of being a NextGen athlete was that Wammes immediately got exposed to the training environment of the senior team.

“It is a full-time training environment with staff and coaches seeing everything you do, pushing and motivating you. That was a big one, having that whole team around me,” said Wammes.

Another major element of the NextGen program that has continued to evolve over the years is giving development athletes access to big international races around the world. “I got to go race a UCI C1 in Portugal in 2018, that was my first really big step before I got a shot at the World Cup in New Zealand. Cycling Canada sent a development squad to the 2019 Pan American Games. There are lots of opportunities for NextGen athletes,” said Wammes.

The coaches have also had outstanding influences on the athletes. NextGen Track Endurance Coach Jenny Trew and Track Sprint Coach Franck Durivaux had big impacts on the development of Bonhomme and Wammes respectively.

“Having Franck there all the time, he put the same effort into all the athletes,” explained Wammes. Bonhomme had a similarly great experience with Trew. “I have always had a great relationship with Jenny and I think she really understands the sport because she used to do it. Having a woman as a coach for a women’s team is definitely really important, she’s honestly the perfect NextGen coach,” said Bonhomme.

The Canadian Women’s Track Endurance squad has a long history of success, winning back-to-back bronze medals in the Team Pursuit at the London and Rio Olympic Games. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Bonhomme has moved up from NextGen to join the Elite team alongside Annie Foreman-Mackey and Olympic medallists Allison Beveridge, Georgia Simmerling and Jasmin Duehring.

“I think we are one of the strongest teams in the world. The team that went to London, to Rio and now Tokyo has been more or less comprised of the same girls,” explained Bonhomme. “The NextGen program is the perfect way to develop athletes in the coming years that will be ready for Paris, Los Angeles and the Games after that. Canada definitely has the potential to repeat those World Championship and Olympic performances.”

To learn more about the 2021 NextGen program, click here.

October 5, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA LAUNCHES 2021 NEXTGEN PROGRAM

Ottawa, ON (October 1^st, 2020) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the launch of its NextGen program for the 2021 season. The NextGen program, which is open to all Olympic and Paralympic disciplines, is designed to rapidly accelerate the training and development of each athlete by exposing them to a world-class training environment under the guidance of expert coaches and staff with the goal of raising the bar for what is possible.

The athlete selection process is open to all Canadian riders and will take place in October, with athletes being notified of their selection by the end of the month. Interested athletes are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the programs listed below and to contact the relevant coach with an expression of interest or any questions they may have.

“The coaching and staff expertise that we have at Cycling Canada is truly exceptional,” said Jenny Trew, Cycling Canada’s NextGen Lead Coach. “The strength that we bring to our NextGen programs through expert collaboration allows us to capitalize on our collective strengths both through and across all programs. I am excited to build an even stronger and tighter Canadian cycling community that will raise the expectations and standards of what is possible for our athletes. We aim to empower athletes with the training, knowledge, skills and behaviours to maximize their performances on the world stage.”

Since its inception in 2014, Cycling Canada’s NextGen program has developed a tradition of success with graduates moving into National Team Elite programs. With athletes such as Ariane Bonhomme and Nick Wammes officially set to take the stage in Tokyo, the program has successfully proved that it can springboard athletes to the top level of the sport.

BMX
Mountain Bike
Para
Track Endurance
Track Sprint
Road

October 1, 2020/by Communications

MIKE WOODS TOP CANADIAN AT IMOLA ROAD WORLDS

Imola, Italy (September 28, 2020) – Canada capped off the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola, Italy with a strong ride from Mike Woods in the men’s road race, who ultimately finished 12^th after 260 kilometers in the saddle. Over the four days of competition, ten Canadians lined up in the elite women and men’s individual time trials and road races.

“I was able to move well through the peloton but just wasn’t able to execute properly on the final climb. I was too far back when the move went and it cost me; I just didn’t have the legs to get across to that group,” said Woods. “Not the best day, but not awful, considering where I have come from [broken leg earlier in the year] and where I was at the start of the year.”

On Saturday, Alison Jackson showed off her form in the women’s road race by attacking and leading a strong breakaway that gained a maximum advantage of two minutes. She was finally caught with 50 kilometers to go and finished in 30th place.

“It was good to represent Canada at the front and execute our plan as a team. I think we were showing that the Canadian women had great representation in a world championship field. I was proud to wear the maple leaf and give our Canadian fans an exciting race to watch,” said Jackson.

In the individual time trials, Leah Kirchmann finished 21st with Karol-Ann Canuel in 22nd. Alex Cataford finished 41st in the men’s race against the clock.

Canadian athletes still have a full race calendar ahead of them, with Woods and Houle headed for the Ardennes Classics. Cataford is set to make his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia, while Guillaume Boivin will be racing the Northern Classics. The Women’s WorldTour resumes on Wednesday with the La Fleche Wallonne Féminine where Canuel, Kirchmann, Jackson and Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin will be in action.

September 28, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA UNVEILS 2021 NATIONAL CALENDAR

Ottawa, ON (September 28, 2020) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce its robust 2021 national calendar, adding some exciting new events to an already substantial list of national and international races on Canadian soil.

“We are very excited to return with a complete calendar of national events for the 2021 season across all disciplines,” said Events & Partnerships Manager Josh Peacock. “Although Cycling Canada remains optimistic that the conditions surrounding the current pandemic will improve, we remain conscious that our ability to deliver our national events calendar may be subject to ongoing public health regulations. Cycling Canada will continue to work alongside our dedicated group of national event organizers, provincial partners and public health authorities to provide all of the necessary resources to ensure our 2021 events calendar can be conducted in a safe and effective manner.”

The mountain bike Canada Cup calendar will kick off in Mont-Tremblant, QC, on May 29-30 with offerings in both the DH and XC disciplines as a part of the wider Crossroads Tremblant festival. The calendar continues with XCO and DH stops in Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia, with exciting conclusions at the Crankworx Festival for DH series, and in Dieppe, NB, for the XC series. As was planned for 2020, all junior events within the XC series will be sanctioned at a minimum level of UCI C2 including four stops on the UCI Junior Series.

From July 10-11, the Canadian XCO Championships return to Hardwood Ski & Bike in Oro Station, ON, while the Canadian Downhill Championships head to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, B.C., on July 24-25. The season will conclude with a stop at one of Canada’s most exciting mountain bike venues in Saint-Félicien, QC, for the Canadian XC Marathon Championships on September 11th. Notably absent from the calendar is the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC. With the UCI unable to offer a two-year contract for the hosting of the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup in 2021 & 2022, organizers have opted to take a brief hiatus from programming in 2021 and work towards an agreement for the return of the event in 2022 & 2023.

The BMX Canada Cup series will kick off in Drummondville, QC, on June 19-20, followed by an exciting new stop on the series at Haut-Richelieu, QC, on June 26-27 and a stand-alone Canada Cup in St. Albert, AB, on July 17-18. The season will conclude with the Canadian BMX Championships & Canada Cup finale at Calgary BMX on August 28-29.

The UCI Gran Fondo World Series will continue to build its presence on Canadian soil with the Classique des Appalaches in Victoriaville, QC, on July 1-3 making its debut on the national calendar. Adding to the profile of the event will be the inclusion of the Canadian Masters Road Championships from July 1-4, cementing Victoriaville as a destination for Canadian and North American masters riders alike.

On the Elite side, road racing will commence on June 3^rd with the UCI women’s Chrono Féminin de la Gatineau followed by the Tour de Gatineau on June 4^th. A few weeks later, racing will resume in Beauce with the Canadian Elite/Junior/Para Road Championships taking place on June 17-20, followed by the Tour de Beauce on June 23-27. Rounding out the domestic UCI calendar will be the fan-favourite BC Superweek from July 9-18 and Canadian road calendar staple Tour de l’Abitibi from July 12-18. The season is capped by UCI WorldTour stops in Quebec City and Montreal on September 10 and 12 for the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal.

The para-cycling national schedule will once again return to Montreal on May 1-2 for the Challenge Gary Longhi as part of the Défi Sportif AlterGo, a multisport event for athletes with functional limitations. The season will continue with the Canadian Road Championships on June 17-20, and finish with the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Baie-Comeau with final dates still to be confirmed.

Noticeably vacant from the current calendar are events in the cyclo-cross, track, and para track cycling disciplines. Cycling Canada is currently working with organizers in both disciplines towards an event application deadline of October 1^st. Following review of all relevant applications, Cycling Canada will publish a release with complete event detail in late 2020. For the full 2021 events calendar, click here.

“We would like to take this opportunity to commend our local and national organizing committees across the country who have continued to demonstrate an inspiring sense of optimism and resilience as we weather this storm,” said Peacock. “We are thrilled to be working with them as we build towards another exciting year of national calendar racing.”

September 28, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA CANCELS LAST EVENT OF THE 2020 SEASON

Ottawa, ON (September 23, 2020) – As a result of continuously evolving public health guidelines, Cycling Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Canadian Track Championships for all age groups, scheduled to take place from November 26-30, 2020. As the last event on the 2020 national calendar, the Canadian Track Championships were expected to host athletes of all categories following the postponement of both Track Championships earlier this year.

“We are disappointed to have to cancel the last event on our 2020 national calendar,” said Mathieu Boucher, Cycling Canada’s Head of Development & Operations. “Although we were hopeful that we would be able to host the track community in Milton before the end of the season, our priority remains the safety of our members and communities. Our team is already hard at work with our organizers and provincial partners to plan an exciting 2021 season.”

Cycling Canada will be releasing its 2021 national calendar for BMX, Cyclo-cross, Para-cycling, Mountain Bike, Road and Track next week. As has been the case since the start of the pandemic, we will continue to operate our events calendar in a manner that supports first and foremost the health and safety of our members and the general public.

For an up-to-date list of cancelled or postponed events on the national calendar, please consult the event list on the Cycling Canada website. For more information regarding Cycling Canada recommendations, please consult our COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions.

September 23, 2020/by Communications

GETTING CLOSER BY KEEPING THE DISTANCE

By Adam Muys, Head BMX Racing Coach with Cycling Canada

The BMX season started earlier than normal in 2020 with two UCI World Cup events in February. With a compact early season, plans were made with a focus and a destination. Strategies were developed and reviewed, and then everything went blank. Race after race got postponed and/or cancelled and we kept training for a couple of weeks before more events got cancelled and our schedule became clear. A small break and then weeks of solo training.

We removed the gym equipment from our gym and delivered it to the local athletes so they could set up gyms at home. I monitored the athletes’ training the same as I would with athletes that aren’t in the local CTE (central training environment), by following their progress over text and WhatsApp. The athletes sent some videos and we talked through challenges.

Finally, on June 23^rd we were able to return to training together at the track in Abbotsford, BC. When we returned, training looked slightly different with regular health checks, surfaces constantly cleaned and hand sanitizer bottles around for everyone to use while everyone kept their distance. I filmed with the iPad and would airdrop the files to the athletes in order to avoid contact.

Training began to look a little different as well. Normally our sessions are very focused on speed work – a set number of reps all leading to peaking for an event. Now we are focusing more on skills and pushing our boundaries on the bike. I started to ride more with the athletes to keep the sessions more casual. Our current goal is to build up the skills to a higher level so that our athletes will be able to do more on the bike and go faster.

With this shift in focus, we have been trying new things such as riding different tracks, finding different lines and playing games off the bike. This break in events is an opportunity to put some time into developing new skills or making changes that take time. Some examples have been learning to hit the pro rhythm, trying the pro section or learning to be more efficient in the air. Challenges can also be found by trying different types of cycling or another sport.

When the last two events on our calendar were cancelled, I scheduled a bunch of “training” races in Abbotsford. The athletes were excited to compete and prepare for an event. As their coach, it was great to watch the athletes compete and review on how to improve. The training events have also been huge for our development pathway with many young athletes gaining experience on the Supercross track.

Be positive and build motivation

It’s important to be positive in the training environment, but not over-the-top cheerleading. I am excited to see the athletes and support them to see positives in and out of their training. At the end of training sessions, I’ve asked athletes for their highlight. It’s a fun game to get the athletes to reflect on their session, find a positive and leave on a good note.

As a coach, I find that the more I work with an athlete, spend with them and can see them in the competition zone, the more I can help them to perform. Understanding an athlete’s stress and concerns makes it easier plan and prepare and likewise, the athlete learns what to expect from the coach.

This has been a year of challenges and has taught us how to be flexible. I think being flexible is definitely a Canadian advantage – we constantly train in bad weather and are often exposed to last minute delays. We’re used to change and I find we excel when the conditions are challenging. Long term success doesn’t happen overnight, it happens in small increments every day.

Highlights to coaching during COVID-19:

Being positive, bringing the passion and motivation
Taking the time to work on skills, the building blocks of success
Spending time with the athletes in order to build relationships
Taking a break is OK, try doing something different
Highlights of the day after training sessions
Embracing that being flexible is an advantage

This week is National Coaches Week across the country. Join us in saying #thankscoach to all the amazing coaches at every level of the sport.

September 21, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA WELCOMES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Ottawa, ON (September 18, 2020) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the results of its 2020 Board of Directors Election from its Annual Meeting held via video conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. This year, Cycling Canada’s members voted to elect three new directors from a slate of five nominees.

Each of the following Directors will serve two-year terms in the role of Director-At-Large:

Louizandre Dauphin (Markham, ON)
Aubrie De Sylva (Toronto, ON)
Shauna Finlay (Edmonton, AB)

Also joining the Cycling Canada Board as of September 8, 2020, is Andrew L’Esperance, who moves into the position of Athlete Representative. A member of Canada’s national mountain bike team, Andrew is co-chair of the Cycling Canada Athletes’ Council and succeeds Annie Foreman-Mackey who had served in this capacity on the Cycling Canada Board since January 2019.

Cycling Canada would like to extend a warm welcome to its new Directors as well as a sincere thank you to all of the candidates who put their names forward as nominees in the election. A very special thank you also goes out to outgoing Cycling Canada Board members Greg Cote, Paul Devries and Scott Kelly for their commitment and contribution to the board during their respective terms.

Continuing their ongoing terms on the Cycling Canada Board of Directors are Mark Gilligan, Curt Harnett, Bill Kinash, Kelly Murray and Pierre Laflamme (President).

The role of Cycling Canada’s Board of Directors is to provide overall strategic direction, leadership and stability for the organization. The Board establishes the overall mission and purpose for the organization and it 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.

September 18, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA AND CYCLING BC PARTNER WITH 7-ELEVEN CANADA

Ottawa, ON (September 17, 2020) – Cycling Canada and Cycling BC are proud to announce their new partnership with 7-Eleven Canada Inc. As an Official Partner of both organizations, 7-Eleven Canada will be supporting existing development programs in British Columbia as well as the development of new grassroots initiatives across the country.

Through this partnership, provincial and national programs such as iRide and HopOn will have the opportunity to safely deliver more in-school and community programming for students, as well as summer camps and other initiatives to introduce children to cycling. Since 2013, iRide has visited over 56,000 students across British Columbia’s 8 regions, making it one of Canada’s most successful youth cycling programs. In the coming years, Cycling Canada will be working with its provincial partners across the country to develop and deliver similar programs in additional regions through its HopOn curriculum.

“Cycling BC is excited about the possibilities for our sport through this partnership with Cycling Canada and 7-Eleven Canada,” said Erin Waugh, Executive Director at Cycling BC. “We have seen cycling grow exponentially in the last year, and we are excited to collaborate with 7-Eleven to deliver our programs to even more schools and students in the coming year.”

“7-Eleven Canada is proud to team up with Cycling Canada and Cycling BC,” said Norman Hower, VP and GM of 7-Eleven Canada. “We’re excited about the new partnership and the development of the iRide and HopOn youth cycling programs that help young Canadians stay active while improving their cycling skills. With over 630 stores in communities from Ontario through to B.C., 7-Eleven is only a short cycle away.”

“We are thrilled to welcome 7-Eleven Canada to our family of sponsors and supporters,” commented Cycling Canada Executive Director Matt Jeffries. “The nationwide development of our HopOn grassroots program is a major and emerging strategic focus for our association. This partnership will enable continued growth for existing programs in B.C. while also providing critical resources to support program development across the country.”

7-Eleven has a long history of corporate support for the sport of cycling. In the 1980s, 7-Eleven sponsored amateur and professional cycling teams that enjoyed international success. Canadian racers on Team 7-Eleven – Alex Stieda (1986) and Steve Bauer (1990) – won international recognition for the brand, both taking the Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France. As part of the build up to Expo 86, 7-Eleven Canada sponsored the 16km “7-Eleven Bicycle Trail” that ran from Vancouver to New Westminster, one of the first of its kind in Canada. With this sponsorship of Cycling Canada and Cycling BC, 7-Eleven reconnects with its cycling legacy.

September 17, 2020/by Communications