(Ottawa, ON – February 13, 2015) Canada is ready to compete and win some medals at the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.

Canada’s women team pursuit is in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, with only one objective: bring back home some medals. The team will depart Canada on Wednesday, competing from February 18 to 22 in the five-day competition featuring the world’s top track cyclists.

“Canada is ready to leave a mark at this World Championship. Our women’s team pursuit program has shown that it can unequivocally stand on the podium while our team sprinters continue to gain some critical international experience while improving their rankings. We feel that we can and will be strong competitors at this event,” said Jacques Landry, High Performance Director at Cycling Canada.

The Canadian women’s squad has had plenty of success in the team pursuit event in previous editions of this cycling sport, winning medals the last three years. Canada’s team will be represented by Jasmin Glaesser, Stephanie Roorda, Kirsty Lay, Alison Beveridge and Annie Foreman-MacKey. Of the team, only Glaesser was part of the team that won the Olympic bronze medal in London. The final composition of the team will be announced at a later date.

Glaesser is also expected to perform well in the individual pursuit, where a medal is within her reach.

In the sprint events, the rising duo of Monique Sullivan and Kate O’Brien continue to improve in the women’s team sprint international rankings. With Sullivan enjoying the best season of her career and O’Brien off to a roaring start in her rookie season on a bike, the duo could score some important Olympic-qualification points for Canada. The team will look to finish in the Top 8.

Joseph Veloce, Hugo Barrette, and Evan Carey will represent Canada in the men’s team sprint race.  The threesome excelled this season in World Cup action, showing consistent progress on a regular basis as the season unfolded. The three-man team is also looking to rack up some important points on their Olympic qualification journey, hoping to end the current season with a Top 12 performance.

TEAM CANADA – 2015 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Jasmin GLAESSER (22, Coquitlam, BC) [Team Pursuit, Individual Pursuit]
• Stephanie ROORDA (28, Vancouver, BC) [Team Pursuit]
• Allison BEVERIDGE (21, Calgary, AB) [Team Pursuit, Scratch]
• Annie FOREMAN-MACKEY (23, Kingston, ON) [Team Pursuit]
• Kirsti LAY (26, Montreal, QC) [Team Pursuit]
• Monique SULLIVAN (25, Calgary, AB) [Sprint, Keirin, Team Sprint]
• Kate O’BRIEN (26, Calgary, AB) [Team Sprint, Time Trial]
• Evan CAREY (20, Victoria, BC) [Team Sprint]
• Joseph VELOCE (25, Fonthill, ON) [Sprint, Team Sprint]
• Hugo BARRETTE (23, Cap-aux-Meules, QC) [Sprint, Keirin, Team Sprint]

Veloce rises to the occasion to win Keirin at inaugural Milton International Challenge

(January 11, 2015 – Milton, ON) The inaugural Milton International Challenge came to an end on Sunday, with riders from nine countries taking to the boards of the brand new velodrome in Milton, ON.

The last day of competition featured the keirin races and the remaining three races of the omnium.

Jasmin Glaesser and Rémi Pelletier-Roy started Sunday’s competition as leaders of the men’s and women’s omnium. Glaesser took the third place in both the time trial and the flying lap, and entered the points race with a strong lead. Despite a strong challenge from her national team teammates Stephanie Roorda and Allison Beveridge, Glaesser defended her lead and finished the omnium with 230 points, 19 points ahead of Roorda and 23 points over Canadian Champion Beveridge.

“More than anything I was really excited to race. I wanted to be aggressive from the start, and not simply defend the lead. I really wanted a good race, and put in 100%,” said Glaesser. “Looking back at some of my international races, I tend to wait too long to start fighting in the race. At the World Cup in London, I finished second (in the points race) by just one point, and I think that came down as not going for points early enough and always have to catch up. For me, today was a practice going into the points race at the upcoming World Championships.”

In the men’s omnium, Pelletier-Roy had a six-point lead entering the last day of competition. He increased his lead in the time trial and took third place in the flying lap. Heading into the points race he had a slim four-point lead. Right from the start, he went on the attack by lapping the field for 20 points, and followed every ensuing attack to secure the victory. Pelletier-Roy finished the 120-lap race with an impressive 50-point lead over Ed Veal in second place.

“When I try to race defensively, it’s never a good outcome. I came into the race with the mentality of it being a standalone Points Race. Of course, I was watching a few guys… but I wanted to race just like any other race,” said Pelletier-Roy, the Canadian Champion in the event.‎ “I am on my journey to accumulate UCI points and race the World Cup next year and maybe qualify a spot for Rio‎.”

The men’s keirin final featured Canada’s two best sprinters, with Hugo Barrette and the keirin Canadian Champion Joseph Veloce in the final for the gold medal. Veloce took the lead position in the opening five laps. When the sprint launched, Barrette immediately attacked to lead the 6-man group with Veloce right behind. In the last lap, Veloce turned on the engines, overtook Barrette and rode away to the gold medal.

“Wearing the National Champion jersey, I went in to do the jersey justice. I wanted to win this race. I raced aggressively and stood on top of the podium,” said Veloce.

“During an attack, a lot of things come into play. When someone is coming over the top of you, you have two choices: you can let him pass you, or keep him on your hip. Once I knew he had a good dig to do a good effort coming over top, I decided to let him go and set up the rush. At the front, you work a lot harder at top speeds. Coming out of corner four, I saw Hugo turned his head a bit and jumped at the opportunity to pounce. I went all out from there to take the win.”

Canada’s Monique Sullivan won silver in the women’s keirin. Sullivan, who won the sprint events yesterday, won each heat of the day to earn her spot in the final. In the ultimate race, the lone Canadian faced three Americans and two riders from the Netherlands. Right from the start, Sullivan took the front and maintained the lead position for the entire race. But in the final straight coming to the line, Yesna Rijkhoff of the Netherlands surged around the outside and edged Sullivan at the finish line.

Eva Burk of the United States won the junior women’s keirin gold medal, while Canada’s Nick Wammes came out on top of the men’s junior race.

The Canadian Track Cycling Team will now travel to Colombia to compete in the last UCI World Cup event of the season in Cali. The team will then prepare for the World Championships presented in Paris later in February.

Flash quotes: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/media

Full results: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/results

Canada’s Monique Sullivan and Hugo Barrette take sprint victories

(January 10, 2015 – Milton, ON) Day two of the Milton International Challenge featured the sprint finals and the first three races of the omnium event.

Canada’s Jasmin Glaesser currently leads the women’s omnium event, thanks to a perfect day on the track, with victories in all three races today: the scratch race, individual pursuit and the elimination race. With 120 points, she has a lead of eight points over Stephanie Roorda and 12 points over Canadian Champion Allison Beveridge.

“[The perfect omnium] would be nice, but would certainly be a tough go. Alli [Allison Beveridge] is very quick, and same with Steph [Roorda]. They both are in great form right now, and we have some strong international riders here. The 500m and the Flying Lap are definitely not my strongest events. I am really looking forward to the points race,” said Glaesser, who had to pull out of the omnium last week due to illness. “I was so disappointed last week, having to withdraw. It was a National Championship. I wasn’t at my best and had to pull out of racing. Since that day, I have been looking to bounce back and making amends in this race.”

Rémi Pelletier-Roy, the Canadian Champion in the event, raced to the second place of the scratch race, posted the fastest time of the individual pursuit, and took second place of the elimination race after being relegated in the last lap. Pelletier currently leads the men’s omnium by six points over his closest competitors, Ed Veal also of Team Canada and Zachary Kovalcik of Team USA both tied in second place.

“The first day is always a little bit more dangerous. Anything can happen in the scratch and the elimination races. I was pretty happy to finish second in both these races. In the pursuit, I don’t think I needed to go that fast, but I didn’t want to take a risk and I wanted to use that as a training ride. It was a really good day,” said Pelletier-Roy. He added: “The kilo and the flying lap aren’t my strongest events, but I can manage to do well, so I can stay on top of the standings. The points race is the race I have been excited about, and that’s where the omnium will unfold.”

In the individual sprint races, Canada’s Monique Sullivan took the titles with some solid and dominant racing throughout the entire day. Sullivan faced Netherland’s Yesna Rijkhoff in the gold medal duel, and easily defeated her opponent in two rounds to win her second victory at this International Challenge.

Canada’s Hugo Barrette, the reigning Canadian Champion, took control of preliminary heats. In the semi-finals he faced training partner Nijsane Philip of Trinidad who came fourth in the same event at the 2012 Olympic Games. Labeled as the “Clash of the Titans”, Barrrette did not disappoint in front the Canadian crowd. Barrette took the opening round in a nail-biting fashion, and repeated his feat in the second round, coming from behind while benefiting from the inside lane.

Canada’s Olympic sprinter Joseph Veloce qualified with the fastest time, and also dominated all the way to the gold medal dual, setting up an All-Canadian final and a repeat of the exciting sprint finals from last week’s Canadian Championships.

In the gold medal showdown, Veloce took the first of two heats, but made a critical mistake in the second round, and Barrette jumped at the opportunity to win, and force a decider. In the ultimate face-off for the gold medal, Barrette quickly accelerated to take the lead position, and never looked back resisting a fierce attack from Veloce, taking the gold medal.

Germany’s Christoph Schweizer won the points race by a mere point over Nicholas Roger of the United States, and four points over his brother Michael Schweizer. The women’s points race was won by American Colleen Hayduk with 24 points, while her teammate Kate Wilson finished second. In third place was Great Britain’s Amy Hill.

In junior action, Sei Daniel of Trinidad took the men’s sprint gold medal, and Charlotte Creswicke finished first in the women’s race.

Racing ends tomorrow with the final three races of the omnium, the keirin and the madison races.

Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

Flash quotes: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/media

Full schedule: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/schedule

Full results: http://www.toronto2015.org/CNC-MIC-test-event/results

TORONTO 2015 Games on Track and Gaining Momentum

MILTON January 9, 2014 — The Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome is off to a roaring start, with national competitions and the official venue opening marked by high-level international competitions. With just six months to go until the Opening Ceremony of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games, another key piece of the Games infrastructure is open and another sport test event is helping to finalize preparations.

“People in Milton have watched this unique structure going up in their community, and now they’re coming inside to experience this beautiful building. Not only will spectators watch top international athletes racing, but they’ll also see a truly impressive community space that they’ll be using for years to come,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015). “This international cycling test event is a great way to kick off 2015 — now that we’re in the home stretch to the Games, you can feel the excitement building in the Velodrome and throughout the region.”

The Velodrome saw its first athletes and spectators from January 3 to 6, at the Canadian Track Cycling Championships, presented by Cisco. From January 9 to 11, the Milton International Challenge, presented by Cisco, will welcome cyclists from around the world for a final push for medals and prizes in one of the last events on the calendar for the 2014-15 UCI World Cup season. Tickets are available at https://secure1.tixhub.com/velodrome/online/index.asp.

Events like these provide TO2015 with invaluable opportunities to test venue operations, athlete transportation, accessibility, timing and scoring competitions, as well as experience mobilizing volunteers and other critical functions. So far, the more than 45 test events have given sports fans and community members the chance to see live sports and become more familiar with the Games, including a chance to see 12 new and renovated sport facilities.

The Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome holds a 250-metre timber track, with two 42-degree banks, and is one of two facilities of its kind in the U.S. and Canada. The Olympic- and Paralympic-calibre training facility, will be the new home base for Cycling Canada, the Ontario Cycling Association and the Milton Cycling Academy.

The Velodrome, a legacy community recreation centre, will help Milton attract major national and international cycling events to the community for years to come. The oval-shaped, three-story, fully accessible Velodrome is also designed to operate year-round as a community centre. It includes three multi-use courts located on the infield and walking track located on the spectator level.

Momentum is building towards Games time with:

• The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Torch Relay team preparing visit 130 Ontario communities and five communities outside of the province.
• Lead Partner CIBC and more than 50 other partners and sponsors that have stepped up to support the Games.
• Artists, performers and diverse communities are getting ready to stage PANAMANIA, presented by CIBC, the five-week arts and culture celebration in Nathan Philips Square which will be open to the whole community.
• Plans for Aboriginal participation at a pavilion that explores the historic and future contributions of indigenous people of the Americas.
• A commitment to stage the most inclusive and diverse Games ever, including PrideHouseTO, a pavilion that will celebrate LGBT athletes and promote inclusion in sport.

Quote Sheet

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport:

“The opening of the Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome marks the beginning of a new era for sport in Milton. This amazing facility will make Milton a training and competition hub for track cycling that will benefit both current and emerging Canadian cyclists for a very long time. The events that have taken place here this week are just the tip of the iceberg for what is in store for sport enthusiasts during this Year of Sport in Canada, and I’m counting the days until the start of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.”

The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport):

“In six months, the focus of the sporting world will be on Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe, as we welcome athletes, coaches and fans to the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. During this Year of Sport in Canada, our Government is extremely proud to support these Games and the significant work done to date in building remarkable facilities such as the Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome. As Canada’s only indoor cycling facility, this venue will give our talented cycling athletes the opportunity to train and compete against the world’s best right here at home for many years to come.”

The Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games:

“Our government led the bid to pursue these Games because we knew they would leave a lasting legacy for Ontarians. Thanks to our leadership, Ontario will now be able to better serve our athletes and our communities with incredible world-class facilities like the brand new Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome. And with six months until the Games, I’m proud to say that these facilities are already in use.”

Indira Naidoo-Harris, MPP (Halton):

“The new Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome is an important win for our athletes, our economy and our local community. High-performance athletes are now training and competing in this world-class facility. I’m proud of our government’s investment in these Games and this facility which will benefit families, businesses and athletes right here in Milton for generations to come.” 

His Worship Gordon Krantz, Mayor of Town of Milton

“We look forward to welcoming the international cycling community to Milton for the test event this weekend, and the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games this summer. These events are an opportunity to showcase this amazing new facility, which will be a hub for competitive cycling and a community recreation facility to be enjoyed by all.”

Mark Collins, Vice President, Marketing, Cisco Canada

“The Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome is an exciting, unique facility that will put Canada on the international cycling map. This facility is a fitting symbol of Cisco’s partnership with TO2015 – a state-of-the-art facility bringing innovation and new opportunities to sport and the community. Together with TO2015, Cisco will connect this Velodrome to other Pan Am venues, the data operations centre, and to the fans to create the most connected Pan Am Games ever.” 

About TO2015

The TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10–26 and the Parapan American Games August 7–15. The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors. 

The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) is tasked with managing and delivering the Games. It is working to bring some of the world’s best athletes and artists to the City of Toronto and Greater Golden Horseshoe region, giving Ontarians a unique chance to be part of the action, and making the region a hub for sport.

For more information about the Games, please visit TORONTO2015.org or follow @TO2015, @TO2015_fr (French) or @TO2015_es (Spanish).