News – Page 46 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

2020 ELITE/JUNIOR/PARA CANADIAN ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED

Ottawa, ON (July 31, 2020) – As the 2020 calendar year continues to progress, Cycling Canada and our provincial and territorial cycling associations continue to make decisions in the interest of ensuring a safe sporting environment for our members and participants at all levels and in all parts of the country. As a result of continuously evolving public health guidelines, Cycling Canada, the Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes and the Corporation du Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Elite/Junior/Para Canadian Road Championships, after originally postponing the event. The Canadian Road Championships for Masters had previously been cancelled in late May in conjunction with the Appalachian Classic organizers.

“We recognize that event cancellations such as these may disappoint those who have been hoping for a sense of normalcy that would have been brought by the resumption of national and international racing,” said Mathieu Boucher, Cycling Canada’s Head of Development & Operations. “That being said, our priority remains the safety of our members and communities. We are still assessing the feasibility of hosting the Canadian Track & Cyclo-cross Championships, while remaining fully aware that the current public health restrictions with regards to travel and social distancing may impact our ability to host these events.”

Cycling Canada will continue to monitor the feasibility of the remaining events on our calendar and aim to announce final decisions regarding the 2020 Canadian Track and Cyclo-cross Championships before the end of September.

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.

July 31, 2020/by Communications

CANADIAN PROS RETURN TO WORLDTOUR RACING THIS WEEKEND

Ottawa, ON (July 31, 2020) – Canadian professional road cyclists are making their long anticipated return to racing in Europe this weekend after a five month hiatus. Tomorrow, the 2020 UCI WorldTour and UCI Women’s WorldTour seasons resume with the Strade Bianche in Siena, Italy.

Canadian WorldTour professionals have joined their team bubbles in the past weeks to prepare for the upcoming races, which will be condensed in a four-month window, running from August to November. Taking the start on the men’s side will be Mike Woods (EF Pro Cycling), Hugo Houle (Astana Pro Team), Alex Cataford (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Guillaume Boivin (Israel Start-Up Nation), while Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb) and Karol-Ann Canuel (Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team) will be competing in the 136 kilometer women’s race.

The Strade Bianche will be the first of a long series of races for Canadian pros, who have laid out some of their main targets for the 2020 season. While Mike Woods’ season opens this weekend, the 2018 World’s bronze medalist is scheduled to race Il Lombardia before targeting the Tour de France. Antoine Duchesne (Groupama-FDJ) will also be on the start line of the Grand Boucle at the end of August, while Hugo Houle and James Piccoli (Israel Start-Up Nation) are scheduled to race an autumn edition of the Giro d’Italia in September. Piccoli’s Israel Start-Up Nation’s teammates Guillaume Boivin and Alex Cataford are also preparing for the new season, with Boivin targeting the cobbled classics, including the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

“I am really happy to be able to race again this weekend,” said Houle, whose last race was Paris-Nice in early March. “We are excited to be back and test the hard work done in training during the last few months.”

The women’s WorldTour season will be equally as busy, with Kirchmann targeting big races such as La Course, where she finished on the podium twice, while her teammate Allison Jackson (Team Sunweb) will be resuming her first WorldTour race season.

“I’m looking forward to restarting the season at Strade Bianche, one of my favourite races on the calendar,” said Kirchmann. “I have continued to work hard on my time trial while away from racing and hope to target a good result at the World Championships in Switzerland. My hope is that we can complete the season as planned in a safe and responsible way.”

To ensure a safe return to competition, the UCI has imposed strict health measures built off a team bubble system with frequent testing aimed at detecting any carriers of the virus before they enter a race bubble. Race organizers are also required to impose strict social distancing measures between the peloton bubble and the team bubbles, among other guidelines.

Fans can follow the 2020 season, including all five Monuments, the Grand Tours and the Road World Championships via Flobikes.

July 31, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA NOMINATES LARGEST TRACK CYCLING SQUAD IN CANADIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

OTTAWA, ON (July 29, 2020) – The Canadian Olympic Committee and Cycling Canada announced on Wednesday nine women and eight men who will represent Canada in the road and track cycling events at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in 2021.

The track events will open on August 2 at the Izu Velodrome, located 120 kilometres outside of Tokyo. Over the course of seven days, Canadians will compete in eight of the twelve medal events, including women’s and men’s sprint, keirin and team pursuit, women’s omnium and the men’s madison, which returns for the first time since the 2008 Olympic Games.

The women’s team pursuit squad has a tradition of medal-winning performances since the event was introduced at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Canada won bronze in 2012, when the event was contested by teams of three riders. In 2016, Jasmin Duehring returned to lead the team to another bronze medal in the new four-rider format, beating New Zealand in the final. Three of the four Rio finalists returned to the squad last season and finished on the podium at every World Cup they entered before reaching the finals at the UCI World Championships where they broke the Canadian record that had been set at the previous Olympic Games.

The squad will be anchored by double Olympic medallist Duehring, who will attempt to lead the team to a third consecutive medal. She will be joined by her Rio 2016 teammates Allison Beveridge and dual season Olympian Georgia Simmerling, while Annie Foreman-Mackey and Ariane Bonhomme will be competing in their first Olympic Games. All five women will be entered in the team pursuit, with Allison Beveridge also competing in the omnium.

“I am honoured to have been selected to represent Team Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. For any athlete, the opportunity to represent their country on an Olympic start line is a dream come true, and even after two previous Olympics I do not take that for granted,” said Duehring. “With experience comes greater responsibility and I know that my teammates and I will face our biggest challenge to date next summer. Not only is our competition stronger than ever before, but the buildup and preparation will obviously not look as expected. With that in mind I hope to bring increased focus and tenacity to the team as we attempt to continue and build on the momentum of this past season all the way to the start of the Games.”

On the men’s side, the much younger team pursuit squad has shown immense progress, finishing the season ranked in the top-10 in the world to earn Canada a spot at the Olympic Games for the first time in more than 30 years. Since the men’s program was established in 2014, the team has won medals at World Cups, the Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Pan American Championships. The team has improved steadily, shedding more than 24 seconds off the Canadian record in just six years, dipping below four minutes in 2016 and below 3:50 in 2020.

The Tokyo team will be comprised of Derek Gee, Jay Lamoureux and Michael Foley, as well as two-time Olympian speed skater Vincent de Haître, who joined the team after the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. All four athletes will compete in the team pursuit, with Gee and Foley also competing in the madison.

“After competing at the 2018 Winter Games, I expressed my intent of committing myself full-time to cycling with the goal of qualifying for the 2020 Games,” said de Haître. “Two years later, I’ve competed at my first Track World Championships as a member of the Men’s Track Endurance squad and I hold the national record in the kilo and the men’s team pursuit. The last years have definitely tested my skills as an athlete, but I am more focused than ever and look forward to competing at both the Summer and Winter Games only six months apart.”

Aside from its track endurance achievements, Canada has also produced many dominant sprinters over the years, including Olympic gold medallist Lori-Ann Muenzer and the country’s most decorated cycling Olympian of all time, Curt Harnett.

This year will be no exception, with cycling prodigies Kelsey Mitchell and Lauriane Genest representing Canada in both the sprint and keirin events. Mitchell, who was first discovered in 2017 through the RBC Training Ground program, quickly rose to fame with podium results at the 2019 Pan American Games, followed by four World Cup medals during her first international race season. Genest also had a breakthrough season this year, beating some of the world’s best sprinters and finishing on the World Cup podium twice. Joining them on the men’s side will be veteran Hugo Barrette and Canadian champion Nick Wammes.

Mitchell, who has recently resumed training at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre, said, “In 2017, I attended RBC Training Ground as a last chance to follow my dream of going to the Olympics. As a former soccer player, I wanted to give high performance sport one last shot before moving on. Nearly three years later, I have officially qualified for a spot at the Olympic Games on the track. A dream I have cherished for so long is finally going to become a reality in one more year! Although I was initially upset, I’ve decided to look at the Games postponement as a blessing in disguise, which gives me an extra year to get stronger in the gym, to become even better at riding my bike, and to grow even more as an athlete. My initial dream was to go to the Olympics, but now I’m dreaming of winning a medal for Canada!”

At 137km for the women and 234km for the men, the road races are the longest events of the Olympic Games. Both races will start in Musashinonomori Park in northwestern Tokyo and finish at the Fuji International Speedway near the iconic Mt. Fuji. The men’s road race will kick off the medal events on July 24, followed by the women’s road race and the individual time trials at Fuji International Speedway on July 25th and 28th.

Highlighting the men’s team will be Michael Woods of EF Education First Pro Cycling, who will be joined by Hugo Houle of Team Astana, as well as a third unconfirmed rider. While Woods started professional cycling later in life, he has proven to be one of the best climbers on the UCI WorldTour circuit, winning a stage at the 2018 Vuelta ciclista a España and finishing third at the Road World Championships the same year. Houle, who is known to be one of the world’s best support riders, will assist Woods in the road race, and will also compete in the time trial.

The women’s team will be led by current Canadian champions Leah Kirchmann of Team Sunweb and Karol-Ann Canuel of Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team. Kirchmann, who is due to return to racing in August, is currently ranked in the top-10 in the world and has had countless podium performances throughout her career, including at La Course by Le Tour de France, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau and many more. Canuel is better known for her time trial expertise, winning medals in several individual and team time trial races in recent years and finishing fourth at the 2014 World Championships. Both athletes will compete in the road race and the individual time trial.

“Ever since the 2020 Olympic course was revealed, I’ve had a big X on my calendar, and although that X has had to move, my goal for the Olympics remains the same,” said Woods. “Competing at the 2016 Games in Rio was a dream come true, but I was unable to perform at my best due to an injury. Since then, I have proven that I am capable of competing and winning against the best riders in the world, and I hope to do the same in Tokyo on a course that really suits my abilities.”

The final men’s road starter and non-travelling alternates will be selected in May 2021, while female and male starters for cross-country mountain bike and BMX racing will be selected by June 2021.

Road and track cycling have been part of the Olympic Games since the birth of the modern movement in 1896, although women’s road events weren’t added until 1984, while track events were added in 1988. The women’s team pursuit was added to the Olympic program in 2012, creating equity for the first time between the number of men’s and women’s events.

The athletes nominated are:

Women’s Track Endurance

Allison Beveridge (Calgary, Alta.) – Team Pursuit, Omnium

Ariane Bonhomme (Gatineau, Que.) – Team Pursuit

Jasmin Duehring (Coquitlam, B.C.) – Team Pursuit

Annie Foreman-Mackey (Kingston, Ont.) – Team Pursuit

Georgia Simmerling (Vancouver, B.C.) – Team Pursuit

Men’s Track Endurance

Vincent de Haître (Cumberland, Ont.) – Team Pursuit

Michael Foley (Milton, Ont.) – Team Pursuit, Madison

Derek Gee (Osgoode, Ont.) – Team Pursuit, Madison

Jay Lamoureux (Victoria, B.C.) – Team Pursuit

Adam Jamieson (Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) – Non-travelling alternate

Women’s Sprint

Lauriane Genest (Lévis, Que.) – Sprint, Keirin

Kelsey Mitchell (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Sprint, Keirin

Sarah Orban (Calgary, Alta.) – Non-travelling alternate

Men’s Sprint

Hugo Barrette (Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) – Sprint, Keirin

Nick Wammes (Bothwell, Ont.) – Sprint, Keirin

Women’s Road

Karol-Ann Canuel (Amos, Que.) – Road Race, Time Trial

Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, Man.) – Road Race, Time Trial

Alison Jackson (Vermilion, Alta.) – Non-travelling alternate

Sara Poidevin (Canmore, Alta.) – Non-travelling alternate

Men’s Road

Hugo Houle (Ste-Perpétue, Que.) – Road Race, Time Trial

Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ont.) – Road Race

Canada’s track cycling athletes have been returning to training during the pandemic under strict guidelines to protect the health of athletes and staff. These guidelines, developed in collaboration with Own the Podium, the Canadian Sport Institute network and facility managers, can be found here.

Prior to being nominated to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.

July 29, 2020/by Communications

CAN STRENGTH TRAINING INFLUENCE CYCLING PEDALING TECHNIQUE?

By Stephen McMullan, Strength & Conditioning Coach at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario & with the Canadian National Track Program

In many sports, technique is closely linked to performance with cycling being no different. Improving the interaction between the cyclist and their bicycle is of significant value to any rider and there are multiple ways to enhance this relationship. The skill of pedaling involves co-ordinated extension and flexion of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. These joint movements allow for effective torque production during the pedal stroke in order to overcome the resistance of the bicycle gear. Torque is the term used to describe rotational force applied to the pedal by the foot.

Pedaling can be broken down into two main phases. The first 180 degrees of the pedal stroke is known as the propulsive phase which occurs from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock of the crank, followed by the recovery phase which is the second 180 degrees of the pedal stroke, which occurs from 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock. With peak torque occurring during the propulsive phase, this downward pushing action is an area of importance for cycling performance.

We all know strength training is a modality widely used by cyclists but the question remains, what effect can strength training have on pedaling technique? RØnnestad and colleagues of Lillehammer University College in Norway completed a 25-week study investigating the effects of combined strength and endurance training. Comparison was made to an endurance-only training group. The study was conducted during the off-season and pre-season of the elite road cyclists’ calendar.

The endurance training for both groups involved spending time cycling at various heart rate (HR) zones (60-100%HR_max). There was no significant difference in the training intensity and volume between groups, although the endurance training group spent slightly more time at the lower HR zones (60-83%HR_max), balancing the additional strength training volume of the combined training group. One of the variables analyzed included the crank angle where peak torque occurs. Measured before and after the 25-week training plan, peak torque angle was recorded during a 3-minute period of the blood lactate profile. The intensity of this testing period corresponded to an average power output of 4.3 watts per kilogram of bodyweight. Combined strength and endurance training significantly improved the crank peak torque angle by 3.5%, indicating that peak torque occurred earlier [-3 degrees] in the pedal stroke. In comparison, no changes occurred for endurance-only training.

RØnnestad and coworkers further demonstrated a relationship between the changes in peak torque angle and power output improvement in time trial performance. Earlier peak torque production significantly influenced the increases in average power output during a 40-minute time trial. The combined training group increased maximum strength by 20% over 25 weeks of training. As expected, the endurance training group had no change in maximum strength. The only significant training difference between the groups was the inclusion of strength training, twice per week.

In the absence of cycling based pedaling exercises, strength training can positively influence pedaling technique. Increased strength levels improve the rate that torque is applied to the pedal, reducing the time it takes to reach the required peak torque to maintain a high average power output. These pedaling technique adaptations lead to a more efficient and effective propulsive phase and may allow the cyclist to get their wheel ahead of the opposition when it matters most during a race.

July 27, 2020/by Communications

2020 CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED

Ottawa, ON (July 24, 2020) – As the 2020 calendar year continues to progress, Cycling Canada and our provincial and territorial cycling associations continue to make decisions in the interest of ensuring a safe sporting environment for our members and participants at all levels and in all parts of the country. In recent months, Cycling Canada has made the decision to cancel or postpone several events on the 2020 national calendar as a result of continuously evolving public health guidelines.

In conjunction with the Alberta Bicycle Association, Cycling Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel the Canadian BMX Championships, initially scheduled to take place from September 5-6, 2020. Cycling Canada will continue to monitor the feasibility of the remaining events on our calendar and will communicate any changes six weeks prior to the event’s scheduled date.

In addition to this cancellation, the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, originally planned for September 11 & 13, have made the decision to cancel their 2020 edition. An update on the status of the 2020 Canadian Road Championships will be made next Friday, July 31^st.

July 24, 2020/by Communications

JUST GET OUT AND RIDE: KELOWNA TO VICTORIA AND AN EVERESTING NATIONAL RECORD

By Jacob Rubuliak, Junior Canadian ITT Champion & member of the Giant Canada Team

COVID-19 has been less than ideal for most people in 2020. Travel, racing and normal life has been put on pause for the last few months with no set date on its return. Initially, this hit me very hard mentally and I was extremely disappointed about the postponement of the season. I had to change my mindset, the goals I had set for the season and I needed to think of new activities to do.

I decided to do things I normally wouldn’t do during the race season in order to find new sources of motivation. I did a couple of bike packing trips; I really enjoyed riding with no real objective, just leaving home with some food, gear and finding new locations I normally wouldn’t explore. I also changed up my training plan, adding a few days of Strava segment hunting. This allowed me to still get a hard ride in, while incorporating a fun aspect and motivating me in a different way. Next up was long-distance riding. I started out with a couple of 200km rides, and then moved up to 300km. These were rides I had not planned for in advance, where I just got out on the bike and rode. If I was feeling good, I would just ride for as long as I felt. If I was having an off day, I took it easier. I have been really enjoying a more flexible training schedule and I’m grateful my coach Richard Wooles (Peak and Valley Coaching) adjusted it to the situation.

My biggest and hardest day so far has been a 500km ride from Kelowna to Victoria, with over 5000m of elevation gain, 170km of gravel and cold and rainy conditions for nearly half the ride. It initially started when I was jokingly asked by my friend Riley Pickrell if I wanted to ride him home to Victoria. With no hesitation I went for it, putting myself in an uncomfortable situation that I knew could make me a better rider. That ride was one of my most fun rides I’ve ever done and I will have stories to tell for the rest of my life. Riding BC backroads in the middle of the night with no car sightings for 5+ hours and sending the road bike down gravel descents at 55-60km/h with only a small cone of light to guide us were crazy experiences. Note: if a moose starts chasing you on a forestry road at 2am, sprint! You only have to beat the slowest rider…unfortunately for me, I was sprinting against Riley.

Next up was the Everest. This challenge had been on my mind for a few weeks and as it became more and more popular during the pandemic, the more my motivation increased. When the weather conditions became somewhat ideal, I set the date and the location: Knox Mountain in Kelowna, BC. I not only want to complete the Everest, but I also wanted to give my best shot at the Canadian Record. I knew it would be one of my hardest days in the saddle. That being said, I prepared as best as I could to succeed; a container of pre-cut CLIF Bars, 15+ bottles, Coke, Red Bull and gels were all prepared the day before. My bike was race ready, with spares ready to go at the side of the road. When I started my computer at 7am that morning, I was determined to give it my all, and was not stressed whether or not I got the record.

I was up on my preplanned pace from the start, but I knew it would be a challenge to hold it and took the risk. I stuck to my nutrition plan as long as I could (⅓ CLIF Bar per lap + liquid) and only slipped on my pace slightly in the last 10-12 laps. The last 3-5 laps were almost max, it was the deepest I have ever gone on a solo effort. In the end, I completed the challenge in 9 hours 33 minutes, lowering the Canadian record by nearly one hour. I am really proud of what I accomplished that day, which would not have been possible without my parents, brothers, Giant Bicycles Canada, Cyclepath Kelowna, my cheer and support crew on Knox that day.

I would like to encourage all riders, from WorldTour pros to complete beginners, to challenge yourselves during this time. This represents a new opportunity to grow as a rider and as a person. Find new limits and create valuable memories. Don’t worry about race results, now is the time to ride for the fun of it – so just get out there and ride!

July 20, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA LAUNCHES PARA-CYCLING DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Ottawa, ON (July 15, 2020) – Cycling Canada is launching a new initiative to support the recruitment and development of Para-cycling athletes. The Para-cycling Development Funding program will provide between $5,000 and $15,000 each to cycling clubs and provincial sports organizations.

Funding and technical assistance from Cycling Canada will be provided to programs that are looking to develop and recruit para athletes through two types of agreements. The first will focus on introducing athletes to competition and helping to meet athlete quotas for the Canada Summer Games in 2025, while the second type of agreement will focus on recruitment activities.

“The overarching goal is to build a strong network of reliable resources that will help maintain a healthy talent pool for Para-cycling, strategically covering the vast territory of our wide country,” said Guillaume Plourde, Cycling Canada Para-cycling NextGen (East) Coach. “Funded organizations will be expected to work closely with Cycling Canada to ensure the continuity of their respective projects in the future, always aiming at consistently delivering new Para-cycling talent.”

Eligible programs include provincial sports organizations, cycling clubs and Para sport organizations. Successful applicants will be provided with funding and assistance for one or for multiple years, subject to annual evaluations. Funding will be available to existing and emerging programs. All organizations are asked to submit their application via the Para-cycling Development Funding Application online form and carefully read the Para-cycling Development Funding Guidelines. The deadline to apply online is Oct. 1, 2020.

July 15, 2020/by Communications

BASIC RIDING SKILLS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS

By Adam Muys, Head BMX Racing Coach with Cycling Canada

It currently might be a challenge to go out and do the riding you normally would be doing this time of year. Nevertheless, it is also a great opportunity to shift gears from the regular training, rides or races you normally do and to explore and try something different. We are often focused on the next race or training goal and gloss over some of the basic riding skills that lead to success.

We talk a lot about having world class basics and a simple way to build on these basic skills is to work on them in a small confined area. Using Futsal as an example for skill development for soccer, the same can be done on a bicycle. If you are unfamiliar with Fustal, it is a soccer game played on a small court with particular emphasis on the skills of passing, dribbling and close control. In the confined area, players all touch the ball more and have to focus on control.

Before your next ride or just for fun on its own, find an area; it could be a driveway, empty parking lot or a safe spot on the street. Get some cones and set up a course. Don’t have cones? You can get creative with water bottles, sticks, gloves or pop cans. This can be an easy way to work on cycling fundamentals that may be limiting your riding. The fundamentals include cornering, sprinting, bunny hops, manuals and wheelies. It’s recommended that this be done on flat pedals (not clipped in), but it doesn’t have to be. Bunny hops should always be developed on flat pedals, no matter what bike you’re on.

The set up can vary from a single line of cones to weave in and out of, to a complex course that includes figure 8’s, sprint sections, skinnies or obstacles to bunny hop over. The possibilities are endless. You could create dual Ninja Warrior courses for competitive fun.

Examples of drills:

Weave in and out of cones on two wheels or one
Figure 8, turning hard and accelerating out of the corners
Acceleration sprints between cones, you can then add in a quick turn followed by another sprint
Set cones at 2m intervals and then see how many cones you can manual or wheelie over (bring back the wheelie!)
Standing start 3 pedal wheelie, try to wheelie for 3 pedal strokes from a standing start

Combine 3 or 4 drills to make an exciting course. This can be done alone or make it a challenge with a friend. Get the whole family involved!

It’s amazing how much fun you can have in a small space, the time will fly by.

Quick tips:

Manual: Shift your weight down and back, like an L. This will pop your wheel up and get you back and low to keep your wheel up. Cycling Canada has a video tutorial you can watch on their Facebook page which explains it in more detail.

Bunny hop: Explode the ground away from you (think of how you jump off the ground with your feet), then scoop the bike up. Don’t just pull up. I repeat…this MUST be learned while not being clipped in. You will only cheat by pulling up with clips and your max height will only be about 6”. If you are doing the skill correctly you can easily bunny hop much higher.

Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!

July 13, 2020/by Communications

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CYCLING CANADA BOARD POSITIONS

Ottawa, ON (July 2, 2020) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the opening of the annual nomination process for positions on its Board of Directors. The Cycling Canada Board of Directors is elected by Cycling Canada’s members (Provincial & Territorial Cycling Associations) and is comprised of 6 Director-at-Large positions, a National Team Athlete representative plus the position of President (Chair of the Board).

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.

Board members meet by teleconference 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 our organization and our sport in Canada. For the upcoming September 2020 elections, the Nominations Committee will prioritize the skill sets, competencies and considerations outlined below:

- Diversity & Inclusivity
- Geographic Representation
- Financial Acumen
- Fundraising Experience and Capability
- Governance Expertise
- Legal Expertise
- Corporate or Non-Profit Board Experience
- NSO and Sport-specific Experience & Knowledge

In 2020 there are three (3) Director at Large positions open for nomination. Board elections will occur at the Cycling Canada Annual Meeting to be held by conference call on September 15, 2020. Nominations for the three Board positions will close one calendar month prior to the date of the Annual Meeting (August 14th, 2020).

Note – each year the Cycling Canada Board may, by resolution and at its discretion, appoint one (1) Director after the organization’s Annual Meeting. An appointed Director will serve a term of one (1) year. This position is currently filled by Curt Harnett.

For additional details please refer to the Nomination Form and the Cycling Canada Nominations Policy.

July 2, 2020/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA POSITION ON NATIONAL TEAM ACTIVITY IN 2020

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global health crisis that has led to restrictions on travel, business, social contact, and mass gatherings including sporting events.

International cycling has been shut down since March 13, 2020. The UCI has announced that major international competitions will resume as early as Aug. 1, 2020. Nevertheless, the UCI has wisely decided that virtually no events taking place in the remainder of 2020 will count towards qualification for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

At the same time, global infection rates continue to rise, with more than 10 million confirmed cases and more than 500,000 deaths. While infection rates in some regions have stabilized or dropped, the number of cases overall continues to grow and there has been a resurgence of the pandemic in some areas as restrictions are being lifted. Health experts have warned a second wave of the pandemic is likely if not inevitable because we have not achieved herd immunity; a vaccine has yet to be developed; and many jurisdictions have failed to implement adequate testing and contact tracing measures.

It is unclear how this will affect the resumption of the international cycling season. Travel and social gathering restrictions vary widely not just from country to country, but from region to region. It is likely many such measures will remain in effect for months if not longer. Even if Canadians are able to travel to other countries, travel itself will pose a significant health risk; any quarantine measures that remain in place for overseas visitors will hamper athletes’ ability to prepare for competition; and insurance may be difficult if not impossible to secure.

The advice we have received from Canadian multi-sport organizations is that athletes should avoid preparing for peak performances at major international events this year. It would be irresponsible of Cycling Canada to take a position that directly or indirectly encourages or pressures athletes to do otherwise.

Given the scale of this crisis, the uncertainty for the coming months, and Cycling Canada’s responsibility for the well-being of its athletes and staff, we feel it is important to provide some certainty and help reduce the pressure for athletes and staff to travel by adopting a clear and firm stance on national team programming.

National team programming

Cycling Canada is taking a cautious and pragmatic approach to the return to training and competition, with the safety of athletes and staff as the underlying principle.

The greatest risk involves travel to other countries. There are risks of exposure to COVID-19 during travel, and it is difficult to predict what conditions will be like in the countries where competitions are taking place. In addition, there are logistical hurdles that include:

border closures;
the possible need to self-quarantine both overseas and upon return to Canada;
the difficulty in securing accommodation;
the difficulty securing insurance;
the potential for travel delays if any of our participants contract COVID-19; and
the potential to be unable to travel home in the event of a second wave of the pandemic.

These risks need to be weighed against the relative importance of whatever competitions do take place. The UCI has made it clear that virtually no competitions that take place from now to the end of 2020 will count towards qualification for Tokyo 2020 (other than BMX worlds, which will likely be late December), so from that perspective there is less immediate pressure to send athletes overseas.

Cycling Canada has also decided that no events taking place between now and the end of 2020 will be considered for Olympic or Paralympic selection, to ensure we are not adding to the pressure for athletes to travel overseas.

Another major consideration for Canadian athletes participating in international competitions is to achieve results for carding. Cycling Canada has consulted with Sport Canada and confirmed that no results after March 3, 2020, will be considered for 2021 carding nominations.

We must also be mindful of the importance of junior events for the development of emerging athletes and providing exposure to international competition. However, we do not believe that these objectives outweigh the health risks of sending young athletes abroad, in particular given the heightened responsibility Cycling Canada has for minors in its care.

Finally, Cycling Canada typically requires athletes to compete in Canadian championships in order to maintain their eligibility for national team selection and for carding. We hope to run some Canadian championships this year, but in order to avoid pressuring people to travel the requirement for athletes to attend these events will be waived for 2020.

With all this in mind Cycling Canada is adopting the following position on National Team programming:

Cycling Canada will not be conducting any national team projects outside Canada before Jan. 1, 2021.
The sole exceptions may be Elite and U23 World Championships (see below). A decision on worlds participation will be taken around July 15.
A decision on projects after Jan. 1, 2021, will be taken in September, or once additional information becomes available.
For the remainder of 2020, resumption of National Team programming will be phased as follows:
- Phase 1 (underway) – Athletes following training plans at home while respecting local public health guidelines.
- Phase 2 (partly underway) – Organized training resuming for programs based at national team facilities (eg. track and BMX) under strict return- to-training guidelines developed in partnership with the facilities and Canadian Sport Institutes.
- Phase 3 (partly underway) – Organized training camps within Canada.
- Phase 4 (pending) – Competitions within Canada, with no obligation to attend Canadian championships.
Given the range of directives from local health authorities and the varying requirements and objectives for each program, these plans will be developed for each program and monitored/adjusted as conditions evolve.
No aspect of National Team programming will be mandatory for the balance of 2020. This position takes precedence over any other policies or agreements in place.

Worlds participation

Cycling Canada may enter Elite and U23 athletes in the following World Championships if conditions permit:

2020 UCI Road World Championships (Aigle-Martigny, SUI, 20-27)
2020 UCI XCO and DHI Mountain Bike World Championships (Leogang, AUT, 5-11)

Cycling Canada will only enter athletes who are already in Europe as part of their competition program with UCI-registered teams, and this will only be done if it is possible for staff to safely travel from Canada, or for Europe-based personnel to staff the events on behalf of Cycling Canada.

Under no circumstances will Cycling Canada enter juniors in the road or mountain bike world championships.

For the 2020 UCI BMX World Championships (Houston, USA, dates TBA), Cycling Canada will assess the situation when more information becomes available.

Evolving situation

The pandemic remains unpredictable and Cycling Canada continues to monitor the global situation. We reserve the right to modify our approach to national team programming in the coming months, while respecting the position outlined above.

June 30, 2020/by Communications