Para-Cycling – Page 11 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

CYCLING CANADA INTRODUCES NEXTGEN PARA PROGRAMS

Ottawa, ON, January 16, 2018 – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce a significant expansion to the national Para-cycling program with the establishment of dedicated NextGen programs in both Eastern and Western Canada. Canada’s Para-cycling athletes are among the best in the world, winning an incredible 11 world titles on the road and track in 2017, and the NextGen initiative will ensure Canadian riders continue to perform at the highest level for years to come.

“Cycling Canada is delighted to receive financial support from the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, Own the Podium and Sport Canada for both Para-cycling NextGen programs,” said Arnaud Litou, High Performance Manager for Para-cycling at Cycling Canada. “The addition last fall to the Para coaching task force of Phil Abbott represents a unique opportunity to have a physical presence in the Western region. Guillaume Plourde, who leads the Eastern program, will continue developing HP athletes who shine on the international scene, as well as introducing new athletes to cycling.”

The NextGen East program will be centered in Bromont, Quebec, where nine athletes will work with Guillaume Plourde, the NextGen Para-cycling Coach (East). Athletes will also use the Mattamy National Cycling Centre Velodrome in Milton, Ontario, on a regular basis.

“For the 2018 season, the eastern branch of the Para-Cycling NextGen program has a core group of nine athletes, including four newcomers,” says Plourde. “While some are working hard to be selected at multiple World Cup events and world championships through the summer, the main focus for the group will be to have strong performances at Road Nationals in June and at the Road World Cup to be held in Baie-Comeau in August. After the first training camp, which is at the end of February in California, athletes in the group will be training on a regular basis at the National Cycling Center in Bromont, for both track and road events. The other main purpose of the program remains to recruit and develop new talents, with the help of a continuously growing network of key partners in the local clubs and provinces.”

The Western program will be based in Calgary with Phil Abbott as the NextGen Para-cycling Coach (West), and is very much a partnership with the Alberta Bicycle Association and Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. Athletes will also use the Mattamy National Cycling Centre Velodrome in Milton, Ontario, on a regular basis.

“We have identified a group of five talented Para athletes in Western Canada,” says Abbott. “In the past month since the programs began, we have been working to establish a strong training environment for this group of athletes. Over the next eight months we have planned a series of camps and competitions to develop this core group of riders. The long-term objective is to have the athletes progress onto the elite national team. In addition to developing the current group of athletes, we will also be looking to identify new talent across the Western Provinces.”

NextGen East Athletes
Myriam Adam [Women’s H3] – St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
Annie Bouchard [Women’s Tandem] – Baie-St-Paul, Quebec
Anais Courteille [Women’s Tandem Pilot] – Gatineau, Quebec
Joey Desjardins [Men’s H3] – Hawkesbury, Ontario
Matthew Kinnie [Men’s H2] – Riverview, New Brunswick
Evelyne Gagnon [Women’s Tandem Pilot] – Quebec City, Quebec
Keely Shaw [Women’s C4] – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Cindy Morin [Women’s Tandem] – Levis, Quebec
Michael Shetler [Men’s T2] – Kirkland, Quebec

NextGen West Athletes
Kara Douville [Women’s H4] – Calgary, Alberta
Lachlan Hotchkiss [Men’s C4] – Surrey, BC
Erin Ruttan [Women’s Tandem Pilot] – Calgary, Alberta
Carla Shibley [Women’s Tandem] – Calgary, Alberta
Lowell Taylor [Men’s Tandem] – Lethbridge, Alberta

January 16, 2018/by Communications

BEVERIDGE, CHERNOVE, DAL-CIN & WOODS TOP 2017 CANADIAN CYCLIST AWARDS

Ottawa, December 30, 2017 – The 21st edition of the Canadian Cyclist of the Year awards saw three newcomers and one repeat winner for 2017, in these Peoples Choice awards. Three-time national champion Allison Beveridge of Calgary, Alberta, was chosen as the Female athlete of 2016, while Top-10 Vuelta a Espana winner Mike Woods of Gatineau, Quebec, is the Male cyclist and five time world champion Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, BC, took the Para award. Matteo Dal-Cin of Ottawa, Ontario, won the Best Individual Performance award for his win at the National Road Championships.

The Canadian Cyclist Awards are the oldest and most recognized cycling awards in Canada, voted on by thousands of cycling enthusiasts from across Canada and around the world. Voting took place between December 9th and 23rd.

Beveridge, a member of the Olympic bronze medal Team Pursuit squad in Rio, came back from pre-season surgery for a blood clot to have the best season of her career in 2017. A member of the U.S.-based Rally Cycling team, Beveridge sprinted to the national road title in June. On the track, the 24 year old won the national Omnium and Team Pursuit titles, and won three medals in World Cup competition – gold and silver in the Team Pursuit, and silver in the Omnium. Beveridge took 49.5% of first place votes cast, with Team Time Trial world champion Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, Manitoba) receiving 28% and Downhill world champion Miranda Miller (Squamish, BC) receiving 23%.

“It’s an honour to be chosen by the cycling community to be Female Canadian Cyclist of the Year,” said Beveridge, “especially given the ever growing talent of female cyclists in Canada! 2017 was a comeback year for me following surgery, and it was a rough start, so this is confirmation that I’m making my way back to where I need to be. Thank you to everyone who voted, and to Rally Cycling and my Canadian track cycling family for getting me back on track! The support of the cycling community and the role that Canadian Cyclist plays in showcasing our sport is greatly appreciated! I know that Canadian cycling will continue to excel in 2018 and I look forward to (hopefully) being a part of that.”

Mike Woods had a breakout year in 2017. One of only a handful of Canadian men to race at the WorldTour – the highest level of professional road racing – Woods began his season at Cannondale Drapac with a ninth place in Liege-Bastogne-Liege and 11th at Fleche Wallonne; two of the Spring Classics. In May, he finished fifth in Stages 6 and 8 of the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), one of the Grand Tours of cycling. However, it was in September when he really shone, finishing seventh overall in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain), the final Grand Tour of the season – the best-ever result for a Canadian at this race. He also finished third on Stage 9, and is the only Canadian to make the top-100 in the world rankings. Woods took 43% of first place votes cast, with national road champion Matteo Dal-Cin (Ottawa, Ontario) receiving 30% and Tour of Utah champion Rob Britton (Regina, Saskatchewan) receiving 17%.

“It is an honour to be selected as Male Canadian Cyclist of the Year,” said Woods, who is already preparing for the 2018 season. “I know that this title is voted on by fans spread throughout Canada, which makes this that much more special. 2017 was a great year for me, and I could not have had that success without the help and support of my wife, my family and friends, my coach Paulo Saldanha, my team (Cannondale-Drapac), and B2Ten. Much love to everyone and Happy New Year!”

Last year, Tristen Chernove became the first Canadian Cyclist of the Year in the new Para category after winning gold, silver and bronze medals at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. He didn’t slow down in 2017, winning an incredible five world championship titles – two on the road and three on the track. Chernove is currently ranked Number 1 in the world for both road and track for his C2 category. Chernove received 55% of first placed ballots cast, followed by Shelley Gautier (Toronto, Ontario), a two-time world champion on the road in the T1 category, and Ross Wilson (Edmonton, Alberta), a three-time track world champion in the C1 category, both with 18%.

Canadian cyclists had a strong year in 2017, and voters had ten performances to chose from in the Best Individual Performance category, in disciplines ranging from Road to Para, Cyclo-cross, Downhill and Cross-country Mountain Bike. In the end, Matteo Dal-Cin of Ottawa, who races for Rally Cycling, was the top vote-getter for his national title win in the men’s road race, in his home town, coming a year after he crashed in the final corner while in the lead. Dal-Cin won with 17% of first place votes, just ahead of Team Time Trial world champion Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, Manitoba) at 14% and Tour of Utah winner Rob Britton (Regina, Saskatchewan) at 13%.

“It’s an honour to have my ride recognized as one of the best performances, with so many other people doing amazing rides this season,” said Dal-Cin. “Thanks so much to everyone who voted for me in recognizing my ride! I’m sure my Mom was on there voting non-stop.”

December 30, 2017/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA HIRES PARA-CYCLING DEVELOPMENT COACH – WEST

Ottawa, November 13, 2017 – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Phil [Philippe] Abbott to the position of NextGen Para-cycling coach-West.

Working under head Para-cycling coach, Sebastien Travers, and in tandem with NextGen Para-cycling coach-East, Guillaume Plourde, Phil will head the para-cycling development program based out of Calgary, Alberta. Abbott’s main responsibilities will be to identify and develop para-cycling talent throughout the western provinces, from Manitoba to British Columbia.

No stranger to coaching para-cyclists, as well as able cyclists, Phil comes to Cycling Canada from having worked at Alberta Bicycle Association as High Performance Director for the last five years, and having worked as the high performance cycling coach at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary since 2009.

“The hiring of Phil Abbott will be a great addition to the para team. Being involved in the program with current world champion Mike Sametz, Phil will bring his experience and knowledge to the next generation of para-cyclists in Western Canada. Now that we have established two NextGen programs that will cover the whole country, we look forward to finding future paralympic medallists,” said Sebastien Travers, Head Para-cycling Coach at Cycling Canada.

The NextGen Coach – West position is made possible by partnerships between Cycling Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Alberta Cycling Association, Own the Podium and the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary.

“We are fortunate that Phil has decided to grace our para program with his presence. He will undoubtedly greatly contribute to building a stronghold of para-cycling talent out West. Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in the number of top internationally performing para-cyclists coming out of both Alberta and British Columbia. With that much talent cropping up out West, it only makes sense to have a program based out of Calgary that can better support our up-and-coming western talent pool,” said Jacques Landry, Chief Technical Officer – Head Coach at Cycling Canada.

While ensuring a smooth transition between his old job as provincial performance director and his new appointment, Phil officially starts in his new role on Nov. 13.

November 13, 2017/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2018 NATIONAL CALENDAR

Ottawa, November 10, 2017 – Cycling Canada is pleased to release the national and international events competition schedule for 2018. Beginning in March and running through to December, the competitions calendar spans the country, with events ranging from the Atlantic provinces to the Pacific coast.

Josh Peacock, Competition Coordinator at Cycling Canada, said, “We are very excited to announce our complete 2018 National and International race calendar. 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. 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 Canada Cup series opens the calendar with what is becoming the traditional start to the XCO season at Bear Mountain in Victoria, BC, on March 31st. The Canada Cup Series concludes after six events at a new venue in Kentville, Nova Scotia, on August 5th. Under-17 Men and Women have been added as official Canada Cup Mountain Bike categories on the XCO side. Riders will be awarded the same points scale as the Juniors and will be required to race the same number of events as the Juniors to qualify for an overall Series ranking. There will be three XCO Junior Series events at Bear Mountain, Baie St. Paul, Quebec, and Trek Store in Oro Station, Ontario. The XCO National Championships will return to Canmore, Alberta, for a second year on July 21-22. And, of course, Mont-Ste-Anne will play host to the UCI World Cup for both XCO and Downhill, on August 11-12.

The Downhill Canada Cup Series has added two new events in British Columbia, at Fernie and SilverStar Resort. Fernie and Silverstar will create a July triple header western race schedule for Downhill, which will conclude with the Downhill National Championships at Panorama, BC, on July 28-29.

The national Road calendar begins at the end of May, with the Hayman Classic in Penticton, BC. Cycling Canada is working towards adding more road stage racing opportunity for Junior and Cadet riders, starting with the Hayman Classic. June is Road month, beginning with the Masters Nationals in Victoria, BC, followed by four UCI-sanctioned events in Quebec – GP Cycliste Gatineau and Chrono de Gatineau for women, and the GP Cycliste de Saguenay and Tour de Beauce for men. On June 21-24, the National Road Championships for Elite, Para and Junior riders will take place in Kamloops, BC.

Road racing continues through the summer, with the Tour de la Relève Rimouski in Quebec at the beginning of July, followed by the UCI-sanctioned Delta Road Race and Global Relay Gastown GP in BC’s Lower Mainland. Of special note is the 50th anniversary of the Tour de l’Abitibi, one of the premier stage races for Junior men in the world, which will take place on July 17-22. The Road calendar concludes in early September with three international events for pro men – the Tour of Alberta and the Quebec City and Montreal WorldTour races.

The BMX national calendar events will take place in July and August. Four Canada Cup events, all with a UCI C1 sanction, will be held in Toronto (July 7-8), Drummondville (July 14-15), Abbotsford (August 18-19), and St. Albert, Alberta (August 25-26). The National Championships will take place in Drummondville on the same weekend as the Canada Cup event. Finally, the FISE BMX Freestyle World Cup will return to Edmonton on August 26-27.

Canada’s national track program will be centered around the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, with four of five events on the calendar taking place there. In the coming months, Cycling Canada will continue to work with organizers in the east and west to finalize dates and locations for 2018 Eastern and Western Track Challenges, building on the success from 2017. These will lead into the National Championships at Milton on April 12-15 for U17, Junior and Para athletes. During that same weekend, Para athletes will participate in a C1 Challenge event open to international competitors. The Elite and Masters riders will have their Championships in Milton on September 28-30, and the UCI Track World Cup will return to Milton in December, although final dates are still to be confirmed.

Cyclo-cross (CX) continues to grow, with eight days of UCI-sanctioned races on the schedule for the Fall of 2018. UCI cyclo-cross racing will return to Toronto with two days of racing on September 1-2, with Sherbrooke following up two years of hosting the Championships with UCI events on October 20-21. Peterborough, Ontario, will host a C2 event in conjunction with the first year of a two year sanction for the Canadian Championships on November 10-11, and the Silver Goose in Midland, Ontario, finishes out the CX season on November 17-18.

Finally, the Para national schedule consists of four events, all on the UCI calendar. On April 14-15 the Para Track Nationals and UCI C1 Challenge event will take place in Milton, followed two weeks later by the Défi sportif AlterGo road event in Montreal. The Para Road Nationals will take place in Kamloops, BC, on June 21-24.

November 10, 2017/by Communications

PARA-CYCLING NEXTGEN PROGRAM APPLICATION NOW OPEN

The Cycling Canada Para-cycling NextGen Program is now accepting athlete applications for the 2018 season. This program is focused on providing targeted athletes with an elevated level of support to deliver international podium performances and transition seamlessly into the elite ranks. In addition, the program offers athletes without prior experience an opportunity to see if they have what it takes to be a Paralympian.

Selected athletes will receive a world class Daily Training Environment with personalized and periodized coaching from the NextGen coach, as well as integrated support services such as nutrition, mental performance, physiology and strength & conditioning.

“The para-cycling NextGen program is growing! Thanks to its established eastern program and with a western branch opening this fall, Cycling Canada is aiming to support competitive para-cyclists through the country” says NextGen Coach Guillaume Plourde. “The system aims at supporting and elevating skilled athletes towards the National Team by providing personal coaching, access to sports science services and specific equipment all year long. With training camps and international racing opportunities, we are targeting athletes that are ready to commit to a high performance lifestyle to develop their skills to the fullest.”

Applications can be completed online HERE.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 17:00 PDT, MONDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, 2017.

Any questions can be directed to NextGen Coach Guillaume Plourde at guillaume.plourde@cyclingcanada.ca

October 17, 2017/by Krisw

CLASS OF 2017 INDUCTED INTO CYCLING HALL OF FAME

Milton, October 3, 2017 – The third annual induction to the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame took place on Sunday at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ontario, with over 150 people attending the luncheon that saw Gary Longhi, Albert Schelstraete-Coulier, Karen Strong and Steve Smith become the newest members of the Hall of Fame.

“To create our history, we need to recognize and celebrate our greats of yesterday,” stated Pierre Lafontaine, CEO of Cycling Canada. “Today was one of those days in life that makes you so proud to be associated with cycling and the quality people it has helped shape. We are about creating world-class people and this day we were surrounded with some of the best of the best that Canada has ever produced. Humbling!”

Prior to the induction ceremony, over 100 cyclists participated in the Lexus-sponsored Ride with Legends event, where they had the opportunity to ride with current members of Canada’s national team, as well as cycling legends Steve Bauer, Curt Harnett, Gordon Singleton and Karen Strong.

At the luncheon, Eleanor McMahon, Ontario Minister for Sport and founder of the Share the Road advocacy group, spoke about the benefits of cycling and how government is improving safety and access for cyclists.

An introduction to the accomplishments of each inductee preceded remarks by each of the new members or their representatives. The class of 2017 includes three athletes and one builder.

Gary Longhi, para-cyclist and multi-time Paralympian led Canadian cyclists at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, winning a gold medal in the Individual Time Trial (ITT) and a bronze in the Road Race. He was a silver medalist in the ITT at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games and was the flag bearer for the Canadian Paralympic Team at the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney.

Albert Schelstraete-Coulier’s cycling career covered many facets including racing but his recognition as a builder comes about due to his leading role in two specific areas. He served as the President of the Canadian Wheelmen’s Association (1952-1957) and later as the President of the Canadian Cycling Association (1972-1974). In addition to this, he built the Delhi, Ontario, velodrome in 1939 and the first portable track in 1948 and went on to build numerous tracks in North America from 1948 to 1975, as well as designing the 1976 Olympic track in Montreal. Albert Schelstraete-Coulier passed away in 2011 and his award was accepted by his son, Bob Schelstraete.

Karen Strong is a recognized forerunner for many of Canada’s top road and track athletes. As the first Canadian woman to win medals at the Track World Championships her bronze medal in 1977 and silver in 1980 paved the way for future Canadian successes in the discipline. In addition to several international podiums, Karen dominated the Canadian Road Cycling Championships from 1975 to 1982. Following her incredible competitive career she served as the first full-time women’s coach for the national body.

Steve Smith, Canada’s greatest downhill mountain biker, tragically lost his life in May of 2016 as the result of a motocross accident. From 2004 to 2013 Stevie’s legend grew, culminating in being the 2013 World Cup Champion. Included in his three win’s in 2013 was a memorable gold medal run on home soil at Mont-Ste-Anne, QC which contributed to him being named Cyclist of the Year for 2013. After two injury-plagued seasons in 2014 and 2015 he came back in early 2016 with a World Cup podium at Lourdes, FRA to start his final season. Steve Smith’s award was accepted by Mathieu Dupelle – friend and former team mechanic.

October 3, 2017/by Communications

EVENT OF THE YEAR VOTE NOW OPEN

Ottawa, September 26, 2017 – After a very exciting season of racing throughout the country, Cycling Canada invites all cycling fans to vote online over the next few weeks to determine the 2017 Cycling Canada Events of the Year. Fan vote will count for 50% of the overall consideration for Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX, Para-cycling and Cyclo-cross events of the year.

2017 Event of the Year winners will be determined by an equal proportion of public voting (this survey) and evaluation of the review of the following criteria by relevant staff & committees:

Communication with Stakeholders
Event Promotion
Event Presentation & Execution
Organizing & Planning

Cycling Canada would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the organizers with whom we have collaborated this season. Great Canadian events contribute to international success and to the growth of the sport in Canada.

The survey will be live until October 10^that 11:59PM EST. Category winners will be announced at the 2017 Cycling Canada Annual General Meeting.

Click here to access the survey.

September 26, 2017/by Communications

CANADA FINISHES PARA ROAD WORLDS WITH 5 WORLD TITLES

Pietermaritzburg, September 4, 2017 – Canada finished the Para Road Cycling World Championships on Sunday in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, with a historical fifth world title and seventh medal of the championships, when Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, BC, won the C2 men’s road race.

Chernove, who had earlier in the week won the C2 time trial title, took the road race title in a three up sprint after 60.7 kilometres of racing. He finished ahead of Darren Hicks (Australia) and Francois Lacroix (France). Tristen initiated the winning move and led the winning break for most of the race. This is his sixth title in six world championship events (4 Track, 2 Road) since he started racing two years ago.

“It’s been a dream come true kind of a season,” admitted Chernove. “Even leading up to the Rio Paralympics [where Chernove won gold, silver and bronze], and repeating [as champion] both years at Track Worlds … This was my first Road Worlds and I had high expectations. I’ve worked really hard since Rio without taking a break, training and racing, and came here more relaxed and prepared, and it paid off. Today was a great race; I did a lot of extra work trying to keep the pace high and it seemed to work. It’s my sixth rainbow jersey and I can’t get the smile off my face.”

Ross Wilson of Sherwood Park, Alberta, missed out on a chance for a second medal in the men’s C1 road race after he got caught behind a crash, with three riders who managed to avoid the incident winning the medals. Wilson, who won silver in the time trial, chased for the rest of the race to finish fourth.

In other Canadian road race results, Marie-Claude Molnar of St Hubert, Quebec, took sixth in the women’s C4 category, Nicole Clermont of St Denis de Brompton, Quebec, was seventh in women’s C5, the women’s tandem team of Shawna Ryan (Saskatoon, SK) and Joanie Caron (Rimouski, QC) was sixth, and the men’s tandem team of Matthieu Croteau Daigle (Sherbrooke, QC) and Benoit Lussier (Montreal, QC) were tenth.

Sebastien Travers, Para Head Coach at Cycling Canada, summarized the project: “It’s been a very successful world championships – obviously on results, but also on all performances. Our main goal was to evaluate where we stood against our competitors, and this was very positive. We have athletes who are stepping up their games, and we have athletes coming out of a post-Paralympic season and getting their groove back together. So I cannot be more happy than with what we achieved here. The most positive aspect is that our team is very cohesive, which is what we have been aiming for.”

September 4, 2017/by Communications

GAUTIER WINS SECOND GOLD MEDAL AT PARA ROAD WORLDS

Pietermaritzburg, September 3, 2017 – Shelley Gautier of Toronto, Ontario, won her second world title at the Para-cycling Road World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on Saturday, bringing Canada’s total medal count to six for these championships.

Gautier, who had earlier won the women’s T1 category time trial, won the 24.3 kilometre road race with a time of one hour, one minute and 41 seconds, finishing a lap ahead of Toni Mould of South Africa.

The only other Canadians competing on this third day of the world championships were in the men’s H3 60.7 kilometre race, where Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Quebec, finished seventh, Alex Hyndman of Morpeth, Ontario, was tenth and Joey Desjardins of Hawksbury, Ontario, was 14th. Moreau was with the winning break until he suffered a mechanical problem.

September 3, 2017/by Communications

CANADA TAKES MEDAL COUNT TO 5 ON DAY 2 OF PARA ROAD WORLDS

Pietermaritzburg, September 1, 2017 – Canada took its medal count to five after the second day of competition on Friday at the Para-cycling Road World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. After winning gold and bronze on the opening day, Canadian athletes won two more gold medals and a silver in time trial competitions on Day 2. Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, BC, and Michael Sametz of Calgary, Alberta, both won world titles, while Ross Wilson of Sherwood Park, Alberta, won a silver medal.

In the Men’s C2 category, Paralympic champion Chernove won his first Road title, to add to the four Track world titles he already holds. Chernove’s winning time for the 23.3 kilometre race was 35 minutes and 32.72 seconds, 16.44 seconds ahead of silver medalist Darren Hicks of Australia.

“It was wonderful to win today at my first opportunity to compete at the Road world championships,” said Chernove. “It’s my fifth world title, and what strikes me most today is how ideally set the atmosphere is amongst this amazing Canadian team. Everything about the cohesion of this team is geared towards success, and we are seeing it across the board with all our great results. I’m loving it.”

Michael Sametz, a bronze medalist in Rio, racing in the 23.3 kilometre Men’s C3 category also won his first Road title, with a time of 32 minutes and 48.92 seconds. Benjamin Watson of Great Britain finished second, 37.19 seconds behind.

“It feels really good to win the big one after winning a couple of World Cups this year,” admitted Sametz.

Ross Wilson, a double silver medalist at the Rio Games, led his 23.3 kilometre C1 category race at the first split, but faded slightly to finish 28.21 seconds behind winner Michael Teuber of Germany.

“It was a great course and a lot of fun to be out there racing,” said Wilson. “I felt I rode really well and my training is paying off as my performances continue to improve, but we obviously have more work to do. I’m working with my coaches to devise a plan to find that half minute that I need to take the Rainbow Jersey next year.”

In other categories, Marie-Claude Molnar of St-Hubert, Quebec, was fifth in the Women’s C4 competition, Nicole Clermont of St Denis de Brompton, Quebec, was eighth in the Women’s C5 category, the women’s Tandem team of Shawna Ryan (Saskatoon, SK) and Joanie Caron (Rimouski, QC) was seventh, and the men’s Tandem team of Matthieu Croteau Daigle (Sherbrooke, QC) and Benoit Lussier (Montreal, QC) was 12th.

September 1, 2017/by Communications