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

CYCLING CANADA PARTNERS WITH BLADE CARBON WHEELS ON ROAD TO RIO

(Ottawa, ON – March 30, 2016) Cycling Canada welcomes BLADE Carbon Wheels as a supplier of wheels for National Team road projects in 2016 and beyond. A Canadian company based in Barrie, ON, BLADE manufactures and distributes a wide range of hand-built full carbon fibre and carbon alloy wheels for the road and track cycling markets.

BLADE’s 50mm carbon clincher wheels, which received UCI certification in late 2015, will be used by Canada’s National Team program as well as other Cycling Canada road development projects.

“Support from Canadian companies in the cycling industry is crucial to the sustainability of Cycling Canada’s national team programs,” commented Cycling Canada High Performance Director Jacques Landry. “Thanks to the products these companies donate, our athletes and support staff benefit from having access to top-quality equipment and it frees up critical resources that can be better spent in other areas.”

“BLADE Carbon Wheels is excited about our new partnership with the Canadian Cycling Team,” commented Rob Milligan, President of BLADE Carbon Wheels. “As a Canadian company, we are proud of our athletes and look forward to working with them to reach their goals and wish all team members the best for the 2016 cycling season.”

In addition to supplying wheels for use by the National Cycling Team, BLADE has set up an online promotional offer that will raise funds for Cycling Canada. When purchasing a set of BLADE wheels use promo code “Cycling Canada” and receive $50 off your purchase. BLADE will then donate $100 to the national federation for investment in Canadian road cycling programs. Design your custom wheels at http://www.bladecarbonwheels.com/ and help support our athletes.

ABOUT BLADE CARBON WHEELS

BLADE Carbon wheels® are all about you, the customer! We have the most customizable wheels in the industry, allowing you to make your wheels one of a kind. We offer full Carbon Fiber and Carbon Alloy wheels in various depths and widths. All our wheels are hand-built with the highest craftsmanship. We are proud to be a Canadian company and proud to support our Canadian Athletes!

March 30, 2016/by Communications

NEXTGEN MTE PROGRAM EVOLVES INTO TEAM RACECLEAN

(Ottawa, ON – March 29, 2016) Cycling Canada’s men’s track endurance program continues to progress and will compete in 2016 as Team RaceClean.

The NextGen MTE program was launched two years ago with the goal of being medal contenders in the men’s team pursuit at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The team remains firmly on target to achieve that goal after the 2015-16 track season that included a top-10 World Cup result and a 12th-place finish at the UCI Track World Championships.

The foundation for this success has been in selecting an MTE group that trains and competes together throughout the year. For 2016, the program is stepping up to the next level by bringing together 10 riders to train and compete as a Cycling Canada trade team for the entire season.

The team will race under the banner of Cycling Canada’s RaceClean anti-doping program. The 10 young riders and staff strongly believe in the importance of fair play, clean sport, and the obligation racers have to compete within the rules.

“The objective stays the same: To develop our Track Endurance program to be competitive at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; that’s a given,” said Jacques Landry, Cycling Canada’s High Performance Director. “But along the way, if we can develop a rider to be placed on a World Tour or a Professional Continental trade team, we will be happy to let him go. We are also very happy these 10 young riders will develop and advertise a philosophy close to the heart of our organization.”

The team is kicking off its 2016 campaign with a 10-week road block in Europe, starting with a training camp in the south of Spain before moving to Cycling Canada’s base in Belgium for the competition phase. This is a similar program to other successful team pursuit nations including Australia and Great Britain.

“It was very important for us to create a team to enable our riders to enter more races in Europe especially,” said Cycling Canada’s road development coach, Luc Arseneau. “We now have more than 90 days of racing planned over the next few months. To be honest, it’s been a long-time dream.”

Team RaceClean, along with director Arseneau and physiologist Emily Wood will start the season on April 3, racing the Inter-Club Scheldeprijs. After this season opener, they will stay in Europe to attend the UCI Nations Cups, followed by a string of stage races. Team RaceClean will then travel to Canada to make its first appearance on Canadian soil, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay (UCI 2.2).

After some rest and racing the Global Relay Canadian Championships, Team RaceClean will head back to Europe for some high level Belgium races such as the Tour de Liège and the Tour de Namur. Depending on the development of the new UCI Track Calendar, further races will be announced on the team’s calendar.

This program would not be possible without funding and support from the private sector.

“On the equipment side, the team will be well equipped with Canadian made Aquila bikes, RealSpeed wheels, Shimano components, as well as Pioneer power meters,” said Cycling Canada NextGen MTE coach Ian Melvin. “Louis Garneau will ensure the team’s clothing is as fast and aerodynamic as possible. Private donations were made to the program to complete the budget. Several Toronto-based attendee’s at the 2015 Tour de Bleu created an Aeroplan Beyond Miles account and donated points to enable us to save a significant amount of money on flights. Many people are backing this program, and we thank everyone for their support.”

TEAM RACECLEAN

Willem BOERSMA – Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Evan BURTNIK – Edmonton, Alberta
Aidan CAVES – Vancouver, British Columbia
Alexander COWAN – Calgary, Alberta
William ELLIOTT – Barrie, Ontario
Adam JAMIESON – Barrie, Ontario
Jay LAMOUREUX – Victoria, British Columbia
Sean MACKINNON – Hamilton, Ontario
Bayley SIMPSON – Lindsay, Ontario
Edward WALSH – Halifax, Nova Scotia

Luc ARSENEAU – National Road Development Coach
Ian MELVIN – NextGen MTE Coach
Emily WOOD – Physiologist

SPONSORS

Aquila Bikes
Louis Garneau
Pioneer Cyclesports Power Meters
Real Speed Cycling wheels
Shimano

SPRING PROGRAM

Scheldeprijs, BEL – 1.IC
Tour of Flanders, BEL – 1.NCup
ZLM Tour, NED – 2.NCup
GP Affligem, BEL – 1.IC
Eschborn-Frankfurt, GER – 1.2U
Flèche du Sud, LUX – 2.2
Paris-Arras, FRA – 2.2
Tour de la Manche, FRA – 2.Nat
Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay, CAN – 2.2

March 29, 2016/by Communications

CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR 2016 GLOBAL RELAY CANADIAN ROAD CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Ottawa, ON – March 23, 2016) Ottawa, ON, and Gatineau, QC, will play host to Canada’s top road cyclists this summer as the National Capital region welcomes the 2016 Global Relay Canadian Road Cycling Championships from June 25th to 29th.

Action will kick off in Ottawa with the Road Race events on Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th. Starting and finishing in Tunney’s Pasture just west of the downtown core, the road races will feature a spectator-friendly 10.3km circuit along the scenic Ottawa River Parkway.

Racing will move to Gatineau on Tuesday, June 28th for the Time Trial events which will take the riders up and down a challenging and undulating course through Gatineau Park.

The Championships will conclude with the Criterium events in historic downtown Aylmer, Quebec, on Wednesday, June 29th. The six-corner course will feature an uphill sprint to the finish line situated in front of the famed British Hotel and in close proximity to numerous restaurants, bars and cafes.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, June 25 – Junior Women, Junior Men, Para and Elite Women’s road races
Sunday, June 26 – Elite men’s road race
Tuesday, June 28 – Junior Women, Junior Men, Para, Elite Women, Elite Men’s individual time trial
Wednesday, June 29 – Junior Women, Junior Men, Elite Women, Elite Men’s Criterium

In addition to racing, the road and criterium events will feature a variety of activities and attractions for spectators, family members and the local cycling and corporate communities. Details on this will be available on the event website within the next few weeks.

Event technical guides and registration information will be available in early May. For more information, including race distances please visit Cycling Canada’s website (https://cyclingcanada.ca/sport/para-cycling/events/type-of-event/canadian-championships/2016-global-relay-canadian-road-championships-eliteparajr/).

March 23, 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

CANADA QUALIFIES THREE SPOTS IN THE MEN’S ROAD RACE FOR THE 2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

After only qualifying one spot at the London 2012 games, Canada is once again well represented in the men’s road field

(Ottawa, ON – January 18, 2016) Cycling Canada just recently received confirmation from the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) that Canada has qualified three spots in the men’s road race for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Of the three spots awarded to Canada, one rider would be permitted to enter the individual time trial.

The three men selected would be part of a 145-rider field entered in the road race. The 256 km Rio Olympic road event, scheduled to be raced on August 6th, will be one of the harder Olympic races among recent Olympic Games due to the numerous climbs and cobble sections.

The race will start in Copacabana, and will send riders down the coast to ride four laps of the tough Grumari National Park circuit before heading back up the coast, towards Copacabana, to eventually hit the very hard Vista Chinesa circuit that runs through the Tijuca forest. Over the course of the three laps of the Vista Chinesa circuit, the men’s peloton will have to brave an 8.9km climb with gradients that vary from 4 to 10%. Once the Chinesa circuits are completed, the race will head along Ipanema beach to eventually come onto Avenida Atlantica on Copacabana beach for the finish.

On August 10^th, Canada’s lone time trialist will start his event in Pontal and head out to Grumari national park where he will ride two loops of the 24km circuit, before heading back to Pontal for the finish. The proposed Olympic circuit is not a typical time trial circuit as it is characterized by one 1.2km steep climb and another 2.1km, more gradual climb.

Canada was able to qualify three spots for the Olympic Road race as a result of its 2nd place ranking in the UCI America Tour as of December 31st. This strong result is due in part to the many Canadian Pro cyclists that performed this past season in North American UCI sanctioned events on their respective trade teams. Another reason for the high UCI ranking is due to Canada’s push, funded by the Bridge the Gap Fund, to compete and perform at the last road continental championships.

“It is great to claim back those three spots in the men’s road race that we had up until the Beijing 2008 Games. Due to our funding restrictions, we are not in a position to devote significant funding to our men’s road programs, but it is because of the North American trade teams taking on our best road riders and the support of some great organisations like Bridge the Gap and Global Relay that we have been able to secure these three spots”, said Jacques Landry, Cycling Canada’s High Performance Director. “Our job now will be to select the riders best suited to be competitive in both the men’s road race and the time trial, all the while being able to contribute to great team cohesiveness”, continued Landry.

“Establishing our quotas early gives us time to work more collaboratively with our top athletes and their professional trade teams to ensure we get the right guys to Rio, with the right build up race programs”, mentioned Kevin Field, Cycling Canada’s Men’s Elite Road Manager. “We anticipated this announcement – our riders are excited the courses will be challenging, we have guys who can be very competitive and the internal work is well under-way to narrow our selections to our best three riders,” added the Elite Men’s Road Manager.

The women’s road race, and time trial, quota will be announced on June 1st by the UCI, after the May 31st qualification deadline.

January 19, 2016/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