CANADIANS SUFFER MISFORTUNE AT CAIRNS DH WORLD CUP

(Cairns, AUS – April 23, 2016) It was a hard day for Canada on Saturday at Round 2 of the Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup in Cairns, Australia.

Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing), second in the first round of the World Cup for Elite Men and fifth in qualifying at Cairns, flatted high on the course during the Final, ruining his chances of a podium. Finnley Iles (Specialized Gravity), the winner of the first round in Junior Men, crashed heavily in qualifying, injuring his right arm, and did not start the Final. Canada did not have any women competing, with Rachel Atherton (Trek Factory Racing) of Great Britain taking her second consecutive win.

Two Canadians did finish the Elite Men’s race, with Mark Wallace (Devinci Global Racing) finishing 26th, 8.622 seconds behind winner Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) of France, the world champion. Forrest Riesco was 44th, 12.955 seconds behind Bruni. Henry Fitzgerald (Steve Peat Syndicate) was the only Canadian the Junior Men’s Final, finishing 13th.

Smith drops from second to sixth in the Elite Men’s overall standings after two rounds, having scored no points in Cairns. Mark Wallace fell two spots in the standings, to 13th, while Riesco is 63rd. American Aaron Gwin (The YT Mob) leads the standings. In the Junior Men, Iles drops from first to second, behind Round 2 winner Matt Walker (Madison Saracen) of Great Britain, with Fitzgerald 19th in the standings.

April 23, 2016/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA AND LOUIS GARNEAU LAUNCH 2016 CYCLING TEAM COLLECTION

(Ottawa, ON – April 08, 2016) At the upcoming Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Canadian cycling team uniforms from Louis Garneau Sports will blend cutting-edge technology with a nod to tradition.

This year, Team Canada will continue to sport the traditional light blue jersey with white sleeves and red maple leaves that dates back to the 1960s. This is the same iconic design as the one worn by Hall of Famers Alison Sydor, Jocelyn Lovell, Curt Harnett, Steve Bauer and Gord Singleton. Louis Garneau wore the kit himself in the 1984 Olympic Games and has been the producer of the Canadian National Cycling team kits ever since. The national symbol, the maple leaf, is visible on the rider from every angle, creating a strong visual impact.

The simple design disguises the forward-thinking technology associated with Garneau apparel, encompassing fabric construction, performance features, and moisture management. The 2016 edition will be the fastest and most comfortable Team Canada kit ever made thanks to extensive development work between apparel manufacturer Louis Garneau Sports and the aerodynamic expertise of Alphamantis Technologies. Directly involved at each stage of this collaboration were athletes and staff from Cycling Canada’s high performance programs. Canadian National Team athletes also underwent numerous fit sessions with Garneau to maximize aerodynamic efficiency.

“I could not be more proud of the tremendous development work that has been done with Cycling Canada,” said Founder and President Louis Garneau. “For months we have collaborated relentlessly in order to create the best-performing apparel for our cyclists at the Rio Games. We’ve put all of our expertise at the service of the team, and the result speaks for itself: state-of-the-art apparel that will allow our athletes to compete at the highest level and concentrate on their performance, not on the reliability of their equipment.”

“Cycling Canada is committed to providing our athletes with the best possible tools required to perform at the highest international level,” said Cycling Canada High Performance Director Jacques Landry. “We are proud to work with partners like Garneau who share this commitment and we are grateful for all the research, development and passion that has gone into delivering a world-class product to our world-class athletes.”

For the first time, authorized exact replica versions of the Team Canada jersey will be available for sale at select retailers that carry the Garneau product line at the end of May. A portion of the proceeds of each sale goes back to support the Canadian Olympic Team as well as Cycling Canada’s National Team programs.

ABOUT LOUIS GARNEAU

Louis Garneau Sports, a global company with its head office located in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC, is an international leader in the design and manufacture of sports clothing and accessories. The company has over 400 employees and is ever growing. Thanks to the sponsoring of high-profile international athletes and teams, and to the sale of its products in over 40 countries, the company is in constant progress and relentlessly centers its efforts on development and innovation. More than ever, athletes all around the world stand out and perform in outstanding fashion thanks to the Louis Garneau brand. For more information please visit www.louisgarneau.com.

April 8, 2016/by Communications

NATIONAL CYCLING TEAM AND CYCLING CANADA TEAM UP WITH BIKND

(Ottawa, ON – April 04, 2016) Cycling Canada welcomes Biknd as its official supplier of bike travel cases and wheel bags for the National Cycling Team. Biknd, founded in 2009, is based in Chicoutimi, QC, and manufactures and distributes an industry-leading line of protective travel cases for both road and mountain bikes. Its innovative products are known for their unique combination of design with superior function and performance.

“We are thrilled to add another world class, Canadian-based company to our team of partners providing vital support to our programs,” said Cycling Canada High Performance Director Jacques Landry. “Our athletes and staff spend countless days on the road every year. Having a top-of-the-line, protective case for our most important piece of equipment is a necessity that cannot be overlooked.”

Biknd’s Helium Bike Case has already won many design awards as well as honourable mention in various cycling media outlets such as cyclingnews.com and Mountain Bike Action.

“Biknd is proud to become one of the official partners of Cycling Canada by providing peace of mind to the best Canadian athletes during their trips and allowing them to focus on their success,” said Marc-Andre Girard, International Sales Coordinator for Biknd.

In addition to supplying product for use by the National Cycling Team, Biknd will donate 10% of sales proceeds to Cycling Canada from product purchases made by Cycling Canada members. For more information please contact sales@biknd.com.

ABOUT BIKND

Biknd is a privately owned company established in the province of Quebec Canada. Under the initiative of Cycles Devinci, the Biknd brand was born in 2009 to market innovative travel cases. Biknd has multiple international patents and protects bikes in more than 30 countries. We believe that bringing to life progressive ideas enables us to develop products that offer superior function, simplicity, and performance.

April 4, 2016/by Communications

PENDREL & GAGNÉ WIN SEASON-OPENER CANADA CUP AT BEAR MOUNTAIN

(Victoria, BC – March 05, 2016) Canada’s national champions were the winners at the opening round of the Mountain Bike Canada Cup cross-country series on Saturday, at the Bear Mountain Resort on Vancouver Island.

Riders faced a combination of natural single track and long flowing descents with jumps thrown in. Race day was sunny and in the low teens for temperature, however, rain earlier in the week left sections of the track muddy and slippery.

Catharine Pendrel (Luna), the current national champion and two-time world champion, won the Elite women’s title with a time of one hour, 29 minutes and 54 seconds. Second was perennial rival and 2015 Pan Am Games champion Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) at one minute and 19 seconds. Pendrel put nearly 20 seconds into Batty on the first lap and steadily pulled away for the rest of the race. American Erin Huck (Scott-3Rox) took third. Catherine Fleury (Cyclone d’Alma) was the top Under 23 rider in sixth place.

“We just capped off a two-week national team camp here,” explained Pendrel, “and it’s been phenomenal. To have a race here on a high quality course; it’s definitely something I want to come back for.”

The men’s race was a three-way battle between national and Pan Am Games champion Raphaël Gagné (Cannondale 360 Fly p/b Sugoi), Derek Zandstra (Scott-3Rox) and Léandre Bouchard (Cyclone d’Alma). Gagne led for most of the race, with Zandstra in second and Bouchard close behind. Zandstra then suffered a mechanical and had to stop at the pits, dropping him to third. The Scott-3Rox rider caught up to Bouchard and the two pulled to within nine seconds of Gagné by the finish. Marc-Antoine Nadon (Team Ontario) was the top Under 23 rider, in seventh place.

“We’ve had a chance to train here and get used to the slippery mud,” said Gagné. “My hat’s off to Derek, he unfortunately had a mechanical. It would have been really interesting to battle it out with him to the finish line. We’ve been training together for two weeks and the race finished with the top three within ten seconds of each other, so really close. It’s my first race as a Cannondale rider, so I’m really happy to take the win for Cannondale-365.”

“I had some trouble and had to pull into the pits,” said Zandstra, “which put me into third. Then Dre [Léandre Bouchard] and I had quite a battle, which brought us pretty close to Raph.”

Quinton Disera (Team Ontario/Angry Johnny’s) and Emily Handford (Rocky Mountain Factory) won the Junior Men’s and Women’s races, respectively.

The Canada Cup returns for Round 2 of the Cross-country and Round 1 of the Downhill at Mont Tremblant on May 22-23.

March 6, 2016/by Communications

SEASON 26 OF THE MTB CANADA CUP KICKS OFF ON MARCH 5TH

(Ottawa, ON – March 01, 2016) Canadian mountain bikers will line up at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, on March 5th, for the start of the 26th season of the Canada Cup series. This long running series is the pinnacle of domestic mountain bike racing, and has been a stepping stone for Canadian athletes that have gone on to reach the highest levels on the world stage.

Kamloops, BC-based Catharine Pendrel, the two-time women’s cross-country world champion, got her start on the Canada Cup circuit, and considers the series essential to her development.

“The Canada Cup is a fantastic series on which to develop,” commented Pendrel. “The courses require a high degree of technical skill and the depth of competition is perfect for pushing you to find more in your riding and racing. For Canadians, learning how to travel and race is key to high level performance, and the East-West circuit offers us the opportunity to also figure this out before we get to World Cups.”

Dan Proulx, the National Mountain Bike Coach, also considers the Canada Cup series to be a significant part of the development program for Canadian athletes. “The Canada Cup continues to be a pillar in our MTB development system. It’s the only series where the best riders from each province are racing together and raising the bar for each other. That type of racing allows everyone to improve more rapidly. If we continue to grow and evolve, we’re going to continue seeing top level international riders emerging from these races.”

“Most importantly, the Canada Cup series is fun! It has a real sense of community and camaraderie that welcomes all. There is a really good energy and atmosphere at these events. Everyone is so supportive of each other.”

This year, the Series consists of ten events – six Cross-Country (XCO) and four Downhill (DHI). All events are registered on the international calendar, providing athletes with the opportunity to gain valuable UCI ranking points necessary to gain admission to World Cup-level competition.

This season, Cycling Canada is proud to welcome Clif Bar as the “Official Energy Bar” of the Canada Cup Mountain Bike Series as well as the Canadian Mountain Bike Championships.

Mathieu Boucher, Director Performance Development at Cycling Canada, commented “We are excited to be working with a strong group of organizers to deliver the 2016 Canada Cup mountain bike race series. The Canada Cup is an important step in the continuing development of the international race calendar in Canada and in North America.”

The XCO series begins in the first-time venue of Bear Mountain Resort, the Official Sponsor and High Performance Training Center for Cycling Canada’s National Mountain Bike Program.

In conjunction with the racing, the first ‘Road to Rio’ fundraising gala will be held at the resort on the evening of March 5th. Many of Canada’s international pros and Olympians will kick their season off at Bear Mountain.

After Bear Mountain, the series will take a break until May 22-23, when XCO #2 and DHI #1 will take place at the traditional Quebec venue of Mont Tremblant, north of Montreal. The XCO event will also be part of the new international UCI Junior XCO series.

Two weeks later, on June 5th, the action moves to Ontario for back-to-back weekends of XCO competition, beginning with the Horseshoe Valley Canada Cup and then, one week later, the Trek Store Canada Cup, which takes place on the 2015 Pan Am Games course, where Canadian men and women won two gold medals. The Trek Store event is also part of the UCI Junior XCO series.

On June 24th, the gravity riders get their chance with DHI #2 at the East Coast Open, at Blue Mountain Resort, in Collingwood, Ontario. The downhillers then head out West to Panorama Mountain Resort, in Panorama, B.C., for Round 3 on July 16th. Panorama has been the site of numerous national championships.

A week later, the cross-country riders convene at former national championship and World Cup site Saint-Félicien, Quebec, for their penultimate round, on July 23rd. Both Cross-country and Downhill riders then finish their respective Series in Whistler, B.C., as part of the legendary Crankworx Festival. The sixth and final XCO takes place on August 19th, while DHI #4 will cap off the 2016 Canada Cup season on August 20th. The XCO is also part of the UCI Junior Series.

“The Canada Cups continue to improve,” said Dan Proulx. “This year, in particular, we’ve seen some significant improvements to the start categories – designed to encourage more competitive racing while at the same time delivering a better experience for Junior development riders just starting out.”

Although not technically part of the Canada Cup series, it would be remiss not to make mention of the three Canadian Mountain Bike Championships events: the Canadian Cross-Country and Eliminator Championships in Baie St Paul, Quebec, on July 14-17; the Canadian Downhill Championships on July 23rd, in Sun Peaks, B.C.; and the Canadian Marathon Championships on July 31st, in East Hereford, Quebec.

March 1, 2016/by Communications

Sport leaders sign landmark agreement for B.C

SPORT LEADERS SIGN LANDMARK AGREEMENT FOR B.C.

RICHMOND, B.C. (February 5, 2016) – Today, a new sport memorandum of understanding was introduced by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), Own the Podium (OTP), the Province of British Columbia (B.C.) and viaSport BC, whereby the five partners commit to collaboration on a set of pertinent principles. This partnership aims to further develop and explore new opportunities for British Columbian youth to realize their full potential from playground to Olympic and Paralympic success.

In its resolution dated October 16, 2014, the United Nations recognized sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace. As such, it represents an important asset to society – and each partner is committed to that resolution.

To ensure this promotion of education, health and development through sport, as well as B.C. and Canada’s performance on the field of play, the five partners recognize the importance of increasing collaboration and efficiency to achieve common success. This agreement represents a shared commitment to work together to support B.C.’s sporting communities.

Through this agreement, the partners will explore opportunities to collaborate based on principles such as:

Providing the best conditions and support possible for the athletes and coaches of today and tomorrow;
Increasing collaboration between provincial sport organizations and national sport federations;
Working collaboratively on actions and initiatives to get youth more active and adopt healthy lifestyles, progressively enlarging the pool of youth engaged in sport;
Continuing to make sport and its funding a priority and influence this priority with strategic public and private partnerships in the Province of B.C.;
Continuing to work collaboratively in B.C. to achieve Canada’s international sport objectives.

The COC, CPC, OTP, B.C. and viaSport agree to work together and with other partners to create increased opportunities for sport and physical activity to be a relevant and important part of British Columbians’ lives.

The event livestream can be viewed at: http://www.viasport.ca/events/live-announcement-canadian-sport-alignment-strategy-partnership

High-res event photos will be available here: http://olympicca.webdamdb.com/albums.php?albumId=1379660

QUOTES

“The Canadian Olympic Committee strongly believes in the importance of this provincial and national collaboration in favor of sport development, and applauds the Province of British Columbia for exploring further opportunities with sporting partners. Together, we are working toward a strong Canadian sport system from the playground up, inspiring our youth to lead healthy, active lives while at the same time, ultimately growing the pool of future potential Olympians. Our best chance of success is to work as one team from coast to coast to coast.”

– Tricia Smith, President, Canadian Olympic Committee

“The Province of British Columbia has such a strong sport system and with the leadership of all partners aligning efforts, together we can further bolster the growth of Canada’s national sport system. This will in turn provide greater opportunities for athletes with a disability to prosper and reach Paralympic success, and for Canada to become a world-leading Paralympic nation.”

– Gaétan Tardif, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee

“It takes a cohesive team to achieve success in any walk of life, and that certainly holds true in developing Olympic and Paralympic champions. These champions can come from anywhere in our great country and perform at their best when there is strong collaboration between all partners. Our partnership with British Columbia will attract more youth to sport and ultimately increase our pool of high performance athletes, inspiring new champions well into the future. This is a vehicle for developing a healthier population, more active communities and a prouder, stronger and united Canada.”

– John Furlong, Chair, Own the Podium

“This agreement aligns with British Columbia’s commitment to sport and to encouraging our youth to become more involved in a healthy and active lifestyle. The Province looks forward to building on its already strong reputation as a national leader in developing Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The signing of this new memorandum of understanding will further the relationship between our province and its partners.”

– Hon. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

“viaSport envisions an active, healthy British Columbia where sport inspires a field of possibilities for all. It is through partnerships at the community, provincial and national levels that we are able to support the delivery of programs aimed at fostering excellence from the playground to the podium. We are excited to be part of this ground-breaking initiative which will continue to make sport and physical activity relevant for all British Columbians.

– Caley Denton, Board Chair, viaSport

About the Canadian Olympic Committee:

The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team’s podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada’s elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything, every day. The backbone of Canada’s Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes’ stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee:

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 27 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

About Own the Podium

Own the Podium, a not-for-profit organization, prioritizes and determines investment strategies for national sport organizations in an effort to deliver more Olympic and Paralympic medals for Canada. Own the Podium’s largest contributor of funding is the Government of Canada with additional funding provided by the Canadian Olympic Committee and its Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, along with the corporate community.

Own the Podium was created in 2005 to help Canada become the number one nation at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and to place in the top-three nations in the gold medal count at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Own the Podium continues to drive Canada’s high performance sport system forward in a quest to help more athletes and coaches win more medals in future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

About viaSport

viaSport British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization created in 2011 as a legacy of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Our mandate is to increase awareness, opportunity and participation in sport across the province–at every stage of life and in every community.

By leading the province in building a stronger, more effective sport system, we will bring more families to the field of play, more fans into the stands, more athletes to the podium and more sports events to the province.

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Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:

Cherry Ye, Program Manager, Media Relations

Tel: 416-324-4123 / Cell: 416-427-4341

Email: cye@olympic.ca

Ricky Landry, Manager, Communications

Tel: 514-861-3696 / Cell: 514 229-4833

Email: rlandry@olympic.ca

Own The Podium Media Office:

Chris Dornan, High-Performance Public Relations

Tel: 403-620-8731

Email: hpprchris@shaw.ca

Web site: www.chrisdornan.ca

Canadian Paralympic Committee Media Office:

Alison Korn, Sr. Manager Media Relations & Communications

Tel: 613-569-4333 ext. 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927

Email: akorn@paralympic.ca

Province of B.C.:

Gillian Rhodes

Communications Director

Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

Tel: 250-888-1462

Email: gillianrhodes@gov.bc.ca

viaSport:

Alyson Gourley-Cramer, A/Director, Communications & Engagement

Tel: 250-961-5366

Email: AlysonGC@viasport.ca

February 5, 2016/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES “ROAD TO RIO” FUNDRAISING GALA

Fundraiser at Bear Mountain Resort to support Canada’s mountain bike athletes

(Ottawa, ON – December 4, 2015) Cycling Canada invites you to come to Victoria, British Columbia to join our country’s top mountain bike athletes on March 5th for a fundraising gala at Bear Mountain Resort, home for Canada’s mountain bike team.

The gala will be held at the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa. ECOASIS, owners of Bear Mountain Resort, and Cycling Canada announced their partnership in January 2015 designating Bear Mountain Resort as the Official High Performance Training Centre.

The inaugural “Road to Rio” fundraising event will feature a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions and exclusive opportunities to engage and interact with Canada’s national team and development level mountain bike athletes who will be in attendance. Coinciding with the fundraising gala, Bear Mountain Resort is proud to host their first officially sanctioned Canada Cup mountain bike race that will welcome seasoned and medaled athletes along with those competing for a break out year.

Canada’s top mountain bike riders, including Rio-bound Catharine Pendrel, have been training regularly at Bear Mountain Resort this fall and winter. The Resort, which uniquely offers year-round training opportunities on Canadian soil, is playing a key part in Cycling Canada’s long-term athlete development plans.

“I’d like to invite everyone to come and celebrate mountain biking with me and Canada’s best mountain bikers at our Road to Rio Fundraiser at Bear Mountain Resort on March 5th,” said Pendrel, two-time UCI World Champion and two-time Canadian Olympian. “This is a great opportunity to meet and support your Olympians and future Olympians as they kick off their 2016 season.”

Proceeds from the event will be invested in Cycling Canada’s National Mountain Bike Team program, both at the elite level as well as Junior and Under 23. All contributions will directly benefit Canada’s athletes in their pursuit of the podium in 2016 while also supporting the next generation of champions targeting 2020 and beyond. A portion of the event proceeds will also be invested in local development programming through Cycling BC.

For tickets and additional information please visit https://hoponcanada.ca/product-category/road-to-rio/ or contact Matthew Jeffries (matthew.jeffries@cyclingcanada.ca).

WHAT: Cycling Canada “Road to Rio” Fundraising Gala
WHERE: The Westin Bear Mountain Resort, Victoria, BC
WHEN: Saturday, March 5th — 6:00pm to 10:00pm
WHO: Canada’s National Mountain Bike Team
TICKETS: $250 per ticket or $1,800 per table (tax receipts available for allowable portion)

December 5, 2015/by Communications

THE PERFECT GIFT: BICYCLE ART

Cycling Canada and BicycleArt.ca team up to raise money for cycling

(Ottawa, ON – December 02, 2015) Cycling Canada is proud to announce a unique partnership with Italian artist and former racer Luigia Zilli, who runs the website www.BicycleArt.ca.

The Oakville, Ontario artist has been painting for over 25 years and specializes in bicycle themed art. Over the years, she has painted numerous pieces featuring Canadian National Team Athletes across road, track, BMX and mountain bike disciplines.

Through this partnership, Zilli will donate paintings and artwork for use by Cycling Canada in annual fundraising initiatives. Additionally, 10% of all online purchase made at www.bicycleart.ca will be donated to Cycling Canada for investment in cycling development programs across the country.

Zilli’s bicycle art became very popular since her first cycling painting in 2005, “Tour De France” which was based on an image of the first edition of the Giro di Burnaby, a professional cycling race that takes place in Burnaby, BC.

“We are honoured to partner with Luigia and BicycleArt.ca,” commented Matthew Jeffries, Cycling Canada’s Director of Marketing. “Luigia has demonstrated immense talent through her 25+years of painting experience. Her work is stunningly beautiful and her passion for the sport of cycling translates into wonderful pieces of art. She shares wholeheartedly our commitment to the long-term success of Canadian cycling, and we are grateful for her support.”

Having grown up in Italy, Zilli is an avid rider and passionate about cycling, both from a recreational and competitive perspective. “I paint bicycles because they are my passion. Since childhood I have cycled and grown up in a family of cyclists and in a place where this sport is at its most popular. The inspiration has a lot to do with my personal experience and being involved in activities where the bicycle is at the forefront.”

Cycling enthusiasts can purchase more than just paintings as Zilli also produces and sells wall calendars, holiday greeting cards, commissioned work as well as prints on canvas and paper.

December 2, 2015/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES THE NEXTGEN CLASSES OF 2016

(Ottawa, ON – November 13, 2015) When the NextGen program (previously known as the Talent Development Program) was introduced by Own the Podium, the sport of cycling was identified as one of the few summer and winter sports to be given the opportunity to access funds that would contribute to building future champions that were positively trending towards Olympic and Paralympic podium performances within five to eight years.

After the success of the Victoria NextGen program, Cycling Canada continued the growth of its NextGen program by expanding to Milton, ON, and Bromont, QC. With the Mattamy National Cycling Centre as its home, both the Men’s and Women’s NextGen track endurance programs will benefit from this world class training facility, through an enhanced Daily Training Environment, and access to an integrated network of professional support staff.

Utilising infrastructure already in place from Cycling Canada’s successful national Para-Cycling program, the Para-Cycling NextGen program will be based in Bromont, QC.

The four NextGen programs that are hosted by Cycling Canada could never operate without valuable partners like the Canadian Sports Institutes, the Provincial Cycling bodies, Own the Podium, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. By September 2016, all NextGen program will target specific cycling sports as they fast track the development of nominated cycling candidates to international performances.

In Victoria, the NextGen program led by Coach Jeff Ain (jain@csipacific.ca) will transition in September 2016, to solely cater towards Cross-Country Mountain Bike athletes. For the 2015-16 season; however, the targeted riders to the BC NextGen Program are:

Erin Atwell, from Victoria, BC; initially coached by Lister Ferrar
Felix Burke, from Mont-Tremblant, QC; initially coached by Keith Wilson
Gillian Elsay, from Courtenay, BC; initially coached by Richard Wooles
Catherine Fleury, from Alma, QC; initially coached by Jude Dufour
Emily Handford, from West Vancouver, BC; initially coached by Andrew Pinfold
Max McCulloch, from Victoria, BC; initially coached by Dan Proulx
Sidney McGill, from Edmonton, AB; initially coached by Tracey Shearer
Soren Meeuwisse, from Toronto, ON; initially coached by Kevin Simms
Rachel Pageau, Chicoutimi, QC; initially coached by Dan Proulx
Haley Smith, from Uxbridge, ON; initially coached by Dan Proulx
Rhys Verner, from Squamish, BC; initially coached by Mike Charuk
John Wilcox, from Victoria, BC; initially coached by Steve Lund

In Milton, ON, the NextGen Track Endurance Women’s Program will be led by Coach Cameron Jennings (cameron.jennings@cyclingcanada.ca), who recently relocated to Ontario from Edmonton to work with targeted track endurance women that will eventually start integrating into our international performing National Team squad post Rio Games. The targeted 2015-16 riders to the NextGen Track Endurance Women’s Program are:

Arianne Bonhomme, from Gatineau, QC; initially coached by Craig Griffin
Kinley Gibson, from Edmonton, AB; initially coached by Cameron Jennings
Jamie Gilgen, from Dundas, ON; initially coached by Rob Good
Meghan Grant, from Delta, BC; initially coached by Jenny Trew
Catherine Ouellette, from Saint-Lambert, QC; initially Pierre Hutsebaut
Georgia Simmerling, from Vancouver, BC (No previous cycling coach)

The Town of Milton will also host the NextGen Men’s Track Endurance Program that has been led by Coach Ian Melvin for the past year. This group of riders has already shown international competitiveness at the recent Pan-American Games and will have a full road and track program. It will be managed in part by Development Coach Luc Arseneau (luc.arseneau@cyclingcanada.ca) on the road and by Ian Melvin (ian.melvin@cyclingcanada.ca) when the program hits the velodrome boards. The targeted 2015-16 riders to the NextGen Men’s Track Endurance Program are:

Willem Boersma, from Winnipeg, MB; initially coached by Jayson Gillespie
Evan Burtnik, from Edmonton, AB; initially coached by Cameron Jennings
Aidan Caves, Vancouver, BC; initially coached by Jeff Ain
Alec Cowan, from Calgary, AB; initially coached by Nich Jendzjowsky

William Elliot, from Barrie, ON; initially coached by Kevin Simms
Adam Jamieson, from Barrie, ON; initially coached by Rick Lee
Jay Lamoureux, from Victoria, BC; initially coached by Jeff Ain
Sean Mackinnon, from Hamilton, ON; initially coached by Kevin Mackinnon
Bayley Simpson, from Lindsay, ON; initially coached by Rob Good
Edward Walsh, from Halifax, NS; initially coached by Luc Arseneau

Finally, the Centre National de Cyclisme Bromont will be hosting the Para-Cycling NextGen Program for the first time, which will be led by Coach Guillaume Plourde (guillaume.plourde@cyclingcanada.ca). As para-cyclists tend to develop faster than in other cycling sports, it is anticipated that some NextGen athletes will graduate to our National Team program shortly after the Rio Games. In the meantime the targeted 2015-16 riders to the Para-Cycling NextGen Program are:

Myriam Adam, from St-Jean sur le Richelieu, QC; initially coached by Sébastien Travers
Annie Bouchard, from Baie-St-Paul, QC; initially coached by Eric Van den Eynde
Tristen Chernove, from Cranbrook, BC; (No previous cycling coach)
Joey Desjardin, from Hawkesbury, ON; initially coached by Arnaud Litou
Sebastien Heroux, from Bromont, QC; initially coached by Sébastien Travers
Elsa Lalonde, from Hawkesbury, ON; (No previous cycling coach)
Cindy Morin, from Levis, QC; initially coached by Pierre Pomerlea

For any additional cycling NextGen program inquiries please contact CyclingNextGen@cyclingcanada.ca

November 13, 2015/by Communications

2016 CYCLING CALENDAR UNVEILED

The 2016 Cycling Canada Domestic Calendar filled with exciting events

(Ottawa, ON – October 22, 2015) Cycling Canada announces 2016 domestic events calendar for all cycling sports.

TRACK

Junior and Cadet age categories will start off an exciting track season, with Canadian Cadet/Junior Track Championships taking place April 1-3 at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton. The Track calendar will also see the return of the Milton International Challenge. The inaugural event hosted in 2015 only days after the Mattamy National Cycling Centre opened, served as a test event of the Pan-Am Games and welcomed some of the world’s top competitors. The Canadian Track Championships for the Elite, Para-cycling and Master categories will take place in the fall with final dates to be announced.

Two new national sanction events will appear on the track calendar, with the Eastern Track Challenge in Milton on February 13^th and Western Track Challenge to take place in Burnaby, BC (date TBC). The events, geared towards the U15, Cadet and Junior age groups, will provide a competitive platform for up and comers preparing for Canadian Track Championships.

ROAD

The Global Relay Canadian Championship will take place in partnering cities Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec for the Elite, Junior and Para-cyclists. The 2016 edition of the event, running from June 25-29, will see a revamped schedule introduced. The Masters will have a separate Canadian Championships, scheduled mid-June, with more details to come in the following weeks.

Internationally, Gatineau will once again this year host the women’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau and the Chrono Gatineau in early June. The third edition of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay and the Tour de Beauce will once again be hosted on back-to-back weeks, allowing teams to compete in both events in a cost-effective way.

The Tour of Alberta is scheduled to return for a fourth consecutive year. Sanctioned as UCI 2.1 race, Canada’s biggest stage race will once again bring the best North American cyclists and some of the World’s best to Western Canada. The UCI World Tour Grand Prix Cyclistes, the only North American World Tour races, are slowly becoming classic races on the World Tour calendar, year after year attracting the best of the best to Canadian soil.

Para-cyclists can look forward to another exciting weekend of competition with the return of the Défi Sportif AlterGo in Montréal, QC.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

The Canadian MTB XCO Championships will take place, as previously announced, in Baie-Saint-Paul, a staple venue in the Canadian Mountain Biking scene. The resort, located in the majestic Charlevoix region, has hosted Canada Cup and Coupe du Québec events for the last 17 years, and will host for the first time the Canadian Championships.

Bear Mountain, a partner of Cycling Canada, will be hosting for the first time a Canada Cup Mountain Bike event, slated for an early-season March 5^th debut. The resort, which is the training base for the Canadian Mountain Bike Team, has developed brand new trails to host the event, which are getting rave reviews with early users. The 2016 Canada Cup MTB Series begins in March, and will run through August. The cross-country series will visit Victoria, Mont-Tremblant, Horseshoe Valley, Hardwood Ski and Bike and St-Félicien. Whistler, during the Crankworx Festival, will once again host the Series finals for the XCO and DH disciplines.

Downhillers will see the addition of the East Coast Open Canada Cup, set to take place at Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario, making its debut in the national series. The series will feature a total of four races for the adrenaline seekers: Mont-Tremblant, Blue Mountain, Panorama and Whistler. The Canadian MTB DH Championships will once again take place at Sun Peaks Resort, promising riders an exciting battle for the coveted Maple Leaf jersey.

Mont-Sainte-Anne remains a classic UCI World Cup race on the international calendar. The Velirium races will take place just before the Olympic Games, allowing athletes to get final training prior to the pinnacle international event in 2016.

BMX

Calgary BMX, host of the 2015 Canada Cup BMX Finals, will be hosting the Canadian BMX Championships for the next two years and will also host the final round of the Canada Cup BMX Series for 2016.

The Canada Cup returns with seven events on the calendar in Abbotsford, Drummondville, Toronto and Calgary. The opening Canada Cup BMX events will be hosted in May in Abbotsford, aligning with the Olympic Qualification window, while Toronto’s Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre and BMX Drummond will return for an exciting second and third round of competition.

CYCLO-CROSS

The marquee event of the season will be the 2016 Canadian Cyclocross Championships, scheduled for October 22^nd. Cycling Canada is pleased to announce Sherbrooke, Quebec as the host city of the 2016 & 2017 Canadian Cyclocross Championships. The city has hosted Provincial championships in the past few years, and organizers from the Club Cycliste de Sherbrooke are ready to welcome Canada’s best in this fast-growing cycling sport.

Chief organizer, Stéphane Vallières adds: “We are very excited that Club Cycliste de Sherbrooke has been chosen to host the 2016 & 2017 Canadian Cyclocross Championships. We will work hard to ensure these championships are a success. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the City of Sherbrooke, Destination Sherbrooke and the Siboire microbrewery for their support in the preparation of the bid.”

The full schedule, including all domestic events for all cycling sports and disciplines, has been posted on cyclingcanada.ca.

October 22, 2015/by Communications