News – Page 53 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2020 NATIONAL CALENDAR

Ottawa, ON (November 20, 2019) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce a robust 2020 national calendar adding new events to an already substantial list of national and international races on Canadian soil. Spanning the country, the calendar starts in January and runs through November offering racing opportunities to cyclists of all major disciplines. With the Tokyo Olympics taking place from July 24 to August 9, 2020 is set up to be a big year for cycling in Canada.

“We are very excited to announce our complete 2020 national and international race calendar,” said Josh Peacock, Cycling Canada’s Events Manager. “Through the support of our provincial partners and event organizers – both new and returning – we are confident that this calendar will provide athletes in all disciplines every opportunity to perform at their best on Canadian soil. Our overall calendar continues to expand both in quantity and in quality of competition offered. We would like to extend a very special thank you to all of our dedicated organizers and host communities who continue to support the sport of cycling across the nation and look forward to another great year of racing.”

The mountain bike calendar kicks off on temperate Vancouver Island on March 28-29 where the Bear Mountain Canada Cup once again opens the 2020 race season. The Canada Cup calendar continues with XCO and DH stops in Quebec, Alberta and finally concludes in Nova Scotia on August 30. For the first time this year, all junior events within the series will be sanctioned at a minimum level of UCI C2. From July 11-12, 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 25-26. The season will conclude with the well-established Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, which returns to Mont-Sainte-Anne on August 22-23.

While the international BMX calendar will start early in the year, the BMX Canada Cup series kicks off in Drummondville, QC, on June 27-28, with Okotoks, Alberta making its debut on the BMX Canada Cup calendar on August 15-16. Concluding the season will be the Canadian BMX Championships paired with the last round of the Canada Cup, which return to Calgary BMX on August 22-23.

The track calendar starts January 17-19 with the Western Track Challenge in Burnaby, B.C. Canada will host for the first time the 2020 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Milton on January 30 to February 2, a week after the TISSOT UCI Track Cycling World Cup closes out the 2019-2020 series. The U17/Jr/Para Canadian Track Championships will come back to Milton April 3-5 with the Elite and Masters Canadian Championships returning in the fall of 2020.

The UCI Gran Fondo World Series will increase its presence on Canadian soil with the Classique Des Appalaches in Victoriaville, QC, on July 2-4 moving onto the calendar for the first time. The event will also encompass the Canadian Masters Road Championships ensuring masters racers will have multiple opportunities to race and prove themselves on the road. The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships will then come to Canada for the first time in Vancouver/Whistler as a part of the esteemed RBC Gran Fondo Whistler from September 9-13.

On the Elite side, road races start on June 4 with the UCI women’s GP Gatineau followed on June 5 with the Chrono Gatineau. The Tour de Beauce (June 17-21), Canadian Elite/Jr/Para Road Championships (June 26-29) organized by La Corporation du Grand prix cycliste de Beauce, BC Superweek (July 10-19), Tour de l’Abitibi (July 14-19), Grand Prix Cycliste de la Matapédia (August 12-16) and the Tour de l’Avenir MaKadence (August 13-16) will offer many road racing opportunities for various categories across Canada throughout the summer. The season is capped by the UCI WorldTour stops on September 11 and 13 for the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal.

The Para national schedule will once again consist of four events, all on the UCI calendar. On April 3-5 the Canadian Track Championships will take place in Milton, followed by the Défi sportif AlterGo in Montreal on May 2-3. The road season will continue with the Canadian Road Championships on June 26-27, and finishes with the UCI Para Road World Cup which returns to Baie-Comeau, QC, for the third year in a row on August 6-8.

To close out the season, Langford, B.C. will host the Canadian Cyclocross Championships on November 14 at Bear Mountain Resort, home of the Canadian Mountain Bike National Team, followed by a UCI C2 race on November 15.

For the full 2020 events calendar, click here.

November 20, 2019/by Communications

TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN TORY NYHAUG RETIRES FROM BMX RACING

Ottawa, ON (November 18, 2019) – Two-time Olympian and Canadian BMX racer Tory Nyhaug has announced that he is officially retiring from professional sport after an illustrious career. The 27-year-old from Port Coquitlam, B.C. has been forced to hang up the bike after struggling with post-concussion symptoms for the last year and half that ultimately led to his decision to retire.

Nyhaug’s career was highlighted by a gold medal on home soil at the 2015 Pan Am Games, a silver medal at the 2014 UCI BMX World Championships and representing Canada at the 2012 and 2016 summer Olympics. At the Rio Games in 2016, Nyhaug qualified for the final and finished in fifth place, the best-ever Canadian result.

Early this year, Nyhaug described the concussion he has been suffering from as the most frustrating injury of his career. Having resumed training on multiple occasions, symptoms continuously flared up as he aimed to participate in a third Olympics for Canada. The severity of the injury, the persistent symptoms and the possibility of long term risk of another hit to the head forced Nyhaug to make the decision to retire in the interest of his own health.

“The past year and a half has been really difficult mentally and physically trying to overcome this concussion,” Nyhaug said. “I did everything I possibly could to return to racing and I’m disappointed I couldn’t finish my career on a high note. With that being said, I’m happy that I can now retire healthy and proud of everything I’ve accomplished. I have no regrets, I poured my heart and soul into my sport and I was rewarded with more than I ever thought possible. I competed in two Olympic Games including one Olympic final, won a Pan Am Games gold medal, earned a World Championships silver medal and stood on multiple World Cup podiums. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat.”

While he will take a step away from racing, Nyhaug plans to continue to be heavily involved in BMX riding for fun and sharing his story to help others dealing with the effects of concussions. He will also be a member of the TV crew at the UCI BMX SX World Cups, plans to hold BMX camps and coach riders. He also has plans to continue growing his “Coffee Chatter” BMX podcast.

November 18, 2019/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIGIRIT AND BIKEACE

Ottawa, ON (November 14, 2019) – Cycling Canada is excited to announce new partnerships with bike parts manufacturer Digirit, and marketing and bike parts distribution startup BikeAce. Known for their full carbon chainrings, oversized pulley kits and other innovative cycling components, Digirit joins a world-class list of official suppliers helping Canadian cyclists achieve their best performances on home soil and abroad.

Over the next year, Digirit will supply Cycling Canada with 52 chainrings varying in size from 48T to 53T and 55T to 64T. The variety of gearing suits the demands of Canada’s top endurance and sprint track athletes, whose record breaking speeds are made possible by the right gear selection. Additionally, there will be preferential pricing for purchasing Digirit products for Cycling Canada athletes and staff.

“Quality drivetrain components are critical for a successful track program and we’ve been very fortunate to connect with an innovative partner in Digirit,” said Kris Westwood, Cycling Canada’s Head of Performance Operations. “Their carbon chainrings are light and stiff and have been the perfect addition to our inventory as we evolve to ever-bigger gears.”

BikeAce specializes in the marketing and distribution of new cycling related technologies. Through their extensive network of manufacturer contacts in Europe and Taiwan, BikeAce introduces new products to the North American and European markets.

November 15, 2019/by Communications

ROCHETTE AND WEST WIN PAN AM CYCLOCROSS TITLES

Midland, ON (November 11, 2019) – Two Canadian riders won Pan Am Cyclocross Championships on Sunday in Midland, Ontario. Ruby West (Pivot Maxxis p/b Stans NoTubes) took the U23 women’s title, as Canadians swept the podium, while Maghalie Rochette (Specialized/Feedback Sports) repeated as the continental champion in the Elite women’s race.

Both Rochette and West won in dominating fashion, riding away from the rest of their respective fields on the opening lap of their races. West won by 1:37 over Dana Gilligan (Hardwood Next Wave), with Canadian champion Sidney McGill (Pedalhead Race Room) rounding out the all Canadian U23 women’s podium.

“I knew today was going to be a bit of a mess out there and it would be a race about staying controlled and smooth,” explained West. “I tried to just stay in my comfort zone and ride the lines I knew. I kept it within my limits and that helped a lot. Last weekend was a pretty disappointing [when she lost the national title] and that definitely added some fire to the belly. I saw two laps in that I had a gap and I was telling myself ‘use that anger from last week’, and it definitely gave me a little push.”

Rochette, who won the national title last weekend, beat American Clara Honsinger (Team S&M CX) by 40 seconds in the Elite women’s race. Jennifer Jackson (Easton-Giant p/b Transitions LifeCare) was the only other Canadian in the top-10, finishing fifth.

“My goal was to start really fast and see if people could follow me or not,” said Rochette. “The conditions were really slippery, so I knew it wasn’t going to be group racing. So I decided to start fast; it’s easier to ride by yourself in those conditions, so I figured I would try to go from the front. It’s cool; I’m the one who gets to wear the jersey, but it’s teamwork and there’s a lot of people behind these jerseys.”

In other Canadian results, Tyler Clark (Brevard College) was the top Canadian in sixth in the U23 men’s race. Emilly Johnston (Pendrel Racing/Naked Factory Team) finished fourth in the Junior women’s race and Michael van den Ham (Easton-Giant p/b Transitions LifeCare) was sixth in the Elite men’s competition.

For full results, click here.

November 11, 2019/by Communications

PAN AM CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN WITH FOUR CANADIAN WINS

Midland, ON (November 8, 2019) – Canada and the United States split the eight Masters category titles contested on Saturday, the opening day of the 2019 Pan Am Cyclocross Championships. Each nation won four continental titles. Held in Midland, Ontario for the second consecutive year, riders faced light snow and cold winds off the lake with temperatures dipping below freezing with wind chill taken into account.

Canadian winners were Patricia Konantz (Ride with Rendal p/b Biemme) in Women’s 65+ race, Sarah Gilchrist (Edmonton Road & Track) won the Women’s 35-44 race, James Laird took the title in the Men’s 65+ category, and Jean-Francois Blais (Trek Cyclocross Collective) won in the Men’s 45-54 race.

The Pan Am Championships continue on Sunday with the women’s and men’s Junior, U23 and Elite categories. Temperatures are forecast to rise into the mid-single digits, however, rain is also expected.

For full results, click here.

November 9, 2019/by Communications

ROSS WILSON SETS A NEW WORLD RECORD IN C1 INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT

Glasgow, UK (November 8, 2019) – Canada’s Ross Wilson has set a new world record for the C1 Men’s Individual Pursuit at the integrated Tissot UCI World Cup in Glasgow, Scotland. Wilson, from Sherwood Park, Alberta, covered 3,000 metres in 3:49.450, six-tenths of a second faster than the previous record of 3:50.051, set by Ricardo Ten Argiles of Spain at the world championships earlier this year.

“I was really excited to come to Glasgow to participate in the integrated Tissot World Cup,” said Wilson. “I didn’t really know what to expect, coming back to the track after a long block of road training, but the work I’ve been doing with Richard Wooles and Dean Somerset has paid dividends. I’ll enjoy a couple days of rest and then hopefully build on this new benchmark for the world championships in Milton and the Games in Tokyo.”

November 8, 2019/by Communications

CANADA TO HOST THE PAN AMERICAN CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

Midland, ON (November 6, 2019) – The Pan American Cyclocross Championships will be returning to Canada this weekend at Little Lake Park in Midland, Ontario. The town on Georgian Bay will host the continental championships for the second year in a row on November 9 and 10 after a successful 2018 edition in which Canadian Maghalie Rochette and American Curtis White won the Elite Pan Am titles.

The Silver Goose kicks off on Saturday with the Pan Am Championships for Masters racers followed by UCI C2 races for elites and Junior men, followed by the Junior, Under-23 and Elite Pan Am races on Sunday. The popular venue has it all with a fly over, tough stone stair run ups and undulating terrain that promises to be muddy if the weather is wet.

Defending her second title in two weekends, Canadian Elite women’s champion Rochette was excited for the racing to commence at the venue where she won her first career elite Pan Am title.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Midland for the Pan Am Championships,” said Rochette. “A championship race is always special because there is something on the line. It’s the one race where the winner takes all, so those races always bring a fierce competition. Everyone brings their A game. It’s been a good season for me so far, I’ve been enjoying racing and working hard, so I’m excited for more racing this coming weekend.”

The event returning to Canada is a testament to the enthusiasm for cyclocross in Canada. After debuting Pan Am titles in the Masters category last year, the Silver Goose will host the first Junior women’s Pan Am championship race a week after the same event debuted at the Canadian Championships in Peterborough.

“This will be only the second time in history that the event has been held on Canadian soil, and organizers have done a great job to build an event that will showcase some of the best cyclocross racing that this country has to offer,” said Josh Peacock, Events Manager at Cycling Canada. “We are expecting some tight racing as riders look to don the Pan Am champion’s jersey for the remainder of the season. Once again, there will be a full offering of Masters titles as well – a new and welcomed addition to the Pan Am Championship category offering at last year’s event. This will also be the first time in history that a Junior Women’s title will be awarded at the Pan American Championships, a positive step forward towards women’s parity in the sport.”

November 6, 2019/by Communications

ROCHETTE AND VAN DEN HAM REPEAT AS CANADIAN CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONS

Peterborough, ON (November 2, 2019) – A total of 14 national titles were awarded on Saturday at the Shimano Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships in Peterborough, Ontario. Both Maghalie Rochette (Specialized/Feedback Sports) and Michael van den Ham (Easton-Giant p/b Transitions Lifecare) successfully defended their Elite titles in wet and muddy conditions.

“It was a hard day today,” said Rochette. “I knew Jenn Jackson would come out firing today and she really did. She brought a solid battle which really brought the best out of me. I had to ride hard to shake her. I stayed pretty calm [when she got a gap]. I’ve been working on that, so I let her go in front for a bit and used this opportunity to recover a bit. I stayed calm, but I also realized that if I wanted to win, I had to do it from the front, so I quickly went back to the front and tried to put the pressure from there.”

“It’s never easy when it’s ‘Jersey Season’,” said van den Ham, “everyone wants to win one. Marc [André Fortier] had nothing to lose today and he was out there gunning for me. Marc and I were really throwing down the first couple of laps and then we sat up a bit. He did a good attack up a climb, and I can say that he had me a bit on the rivet, and I just made a silly mistake, got caught in a rut and lost my front wheel. Fortunately, we were close to the pits because I had bent my [brake] hoods in a bit. After that, it just became a time trial; I knew that I was riding big sections of the course stronger than him.”

In other results, Gunnar Holmgren (Hardwood Next Wave) repeated as the U23 men’s champion, while Sidney McGill (Pedalhead Race Room) finished just ahead of last year’s winner Ruby West. In the Junior category, the men’s Time Trial champion Jacob Rubuliak (TaG Cycling) finished first, while Emilly Johnston (Naked Factory Racing) became the first ever Junior women’s champion, as Cycling Canada added the category to achieve gender parity in cyclo-cross. For full results, click here.

November 3, 2019/by Communications

CYCLO-CROSS NATIONALS RETURN TO PETERBOROUGH THIS WEEKEND

Peterborough, ON (October 31, 2019) – The final maple jerseys of the year will be awarded this weekend at the 2019 Shimano Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships, in Peterborough, Ontario, on November 2nd. The following day, a UCI sanctioned C2 race will be held at the same location.

A total of 14 national titles will be awarded for women and men, ranging from Junior (Under-19) all the way to 65+ age categories. In addition, Challenge races will be held for Under-13 through Under-17 age groups. This year, for the first time, a separate category and title will be awarded for Junior women.

Both the women’s and men’s Elite champions will be returning to defend their titles, with Maghalie Rochette (Specialized X Feedback Sports) having had an extremely strong start to the cyclo-cross season, including winning the first round of the World Cup series. In the men’s category, Michael van den Ham (Easton-Giant p/b Transitions Lifecare) is coming off top-10 finishes against international fields.

“We are excited to return to Peterborough for the 2019 Shimano Canadian Cyclocross Championships,” said Josh Peacock, Events Manager at Cycling Canada. “As the final Canadian Championship event of the year, we expect competition to be fierce. Last year’s course provided great technical challenge for athletes of all ages, and with few changes made this year, we know that we’ll be in for a great show. With a later season position on the calendar, the weather will be a major factor.”

October 31, 2019/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA SELECTS FOUR ATHLETES FOR MINSK & GLASGOW TRACK WORLD CUPS

Ottawa, ON (October 28, 2019) – Cycling Canada has selected four strong riders to compete in the first two rounds of the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup, to be held in Minsk, Belarus from November 1-3 and Glasgow, UK from November 8-10. Maggie Coles-Lyster and Michael Foley will be competing in the Omnium at the Minsk World Cup, while Allison Beveridge and Derek Gee will be competing in the same event in Glasgow.

“We’re taking a strategic approach to this year’s world cups, which are part of the final phase of Olympic qualification,” said Kris Westwood, High Performance Director at Cycling Canada. “It’s a long season, and the biggest performance target is the worlds at the end of February, so our team pursuit and sprint squads will be skipping the first two world cups and focusing on the December events. We’re using Minsk and Glasgow to bank some results in the women’s and men’s omniums without accumulating too much travel fatigue for our targeted athletes.”

“The focus in Minsk will be on development, with Maggie and Michael gaining valuable world cup experience. Glasgow will be more about the results so we’ll be lining up our top omnium riders, Allison and Derek.”

Minsk World Cup
Maggie Coles-Lyster – Maple Ridge, BC [Omnium]
Michael Foley – Milton, ON [Omnium]

Glasgow World Cup
Allison Beveridge – Calgary, AB [Omnium]
Derek Gee – Ottawa, ON [Omnium]

October 28, 2019/by Communications