We have seen many highlights throughout the summer, with Canada Cups in full swing, Canadian Champions being named, young riders gaining experience through various training camps and seeing our national team athletes conquer races around the world. Most recently, it was Hugo Houles Stage 16 win at Le Tour de France that has stuck with us the last few weeks.
Most of those on racing at Le Tour would be thrilled to race, let alone have a stage win. For Houle, the victory was a little more emotional than most. After his brother passed away at the beginning of his professional career, he made a promise that he would win a stage of the Tour de France for him, and did just that.
While the emotional moment captivated us at home, we also cant help to think of all the work he and so many other riders put into getting to those kinds of special moments that will be engrained into peoples minds. Athletes like Houle a strong presence on the national team, but getting athletes to that high level is no easy feat: with years of training getting to that moment including development camps and giving young riders exposure to training, international race experience and cultivating a team around them to harness great racing, learning environments and support is all part of what is a long, hard yet rewarding path to help them succeed.
At Cycling Canada we are so lucky to have a great team of dedicated coaches and staff who know the importance of development camps and teams. By honing in on young talent and fostering a positive training environment allows the athlete to see their full potential and chase their dreams and goals no matter how big they are. Believing in all of our athletes gives those who work both directly with athletes and behind the scenes motivation for them to be able to anything from representing their country at World Cups or Championships, or give them the chance to turn their passion into their jobs and racing at a professional level. We are excited to see so many more generations of talent come through and cross the finish line with pride.
MITCHELL ON MEDAL STREAK AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Olympic Champion, Kelsey Mitchell, has been on a podium streak at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Mitchell, along with teammates, Sarah Orban and Lauriane Genest won Canada’s first medal of the Games with silver in the Team Sprint before Mitchell went on to win her individual medals in the women’s Time Trial and Sprint. You can stream all racing on CBC Gem.
MOLLY SIMPSON WINS SOLE BRONZE AT BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At BMX World Championships in Nantes, France, U23 rider, Molly Simpson, won her first World Championship medal to take home bronze in the category, just behind the leader Malene Sorensen from Denmark by 0.81 seconds. Simpsons World Championship medal comes off the heels of a fantastic World Cup season where she won three medals one of each colour showing her depth as an athlete and strong competition as a rider. Full results from the World Championships can be found here.
SIX JUNIOR RIDERS REPRESENT TEAM CANADA AT 2022 TOUR DE LABITIBI
Earlier last month, Cycling Canada was excited to announce the six-athlete squad to the Tour de lAbitibi Junior mens stage race after a two year absence. Gavid Hadfield of the Team Canada squad was the top finisher 679-kilometre race where he just missed the podium to come in fourth spot. It was great to have the race back at home especially with the rich history that the event has. Full results from the race can be found here.
CANADIAN PARA SQUAD BACK ON HOME SOIL FOR THE UCI WORLD CUP & THE UCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
After two rounds of the Para-cycling World Cup in Europe that saw athletes bring home medals, the squad is now heading back home for the last World Cup of the season in Quebec City, QC on August 4-7, before heading to Baie-Comeau, QC for the UCI World Championships taking place on August 12-15. Canadian athletes are looking forward to racing on home soil and in front of a home crowd to showcase their talent. Full results for the World Cup will be posted here and a livestream of the World Championships will be available, details coming soon.
NEW NATIONAL TITLES AWARDED AT MASTERS ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
24 Canadian titles across 8 male and female categories were awarded at the 2022 Canadian Masters Road Championships, which were held from July 1-4 in Victoriaville, Quebec. Over 300 participants aged 35-65+ from across the country competed in the Time Trial, Road Race and Criterium, with individuals also taking part in the 7th edition of the Appalachian Classic. The event was part of the Gran Fondo World Series (GFWS) and gave Masters athletes a chance to qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in both the Time Trial and Road Race events. Click here for full results or visit the Velo.Victo.Fest website for more information on upcoming events.
OVER 25 NATIONAL TITLES WON BETWEEN DOWNHILL AND CROSS-COUNTRY AT MOUNTAIN BIKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Athletes from across the country raced for the coveted maple leaf jersey on both west and east coasts of Canada. Downhill athletes took to the mountains in Golden, British Columbia where six national titles were awarded with over 40 athletes competing for top spot in downhill racing. The Downhill races also had the addition of the adaptive category after its inaugural year in 2021 at the national championships with riders racing the Dunbar Summer series across both mens and womens categories. In Oro Station, Ontario 20 new national champions were named over two days of racing in both XCO and XCC races. Full Downhill and Cross-Country results for all categories are available.
Women’s Team Sprint silver medal at Commonwealth Games
Photo: Rob Jones
Other National Team Updates:
- Jackson Goldstone and Gracey Hemstreet continue to dominate at the DH World Cups winning gold in Snowshoe along with Tegan Cruz winning silver
- Three Canadian women, Magdeleine Vallieres, Simone Boilard and Olivia Baril are all racing in Le Tour Femmes
- Hugo Houle, Guillaume Boivin and Mike Woods all raced a scorching Tour de France with Houle winning Stage 16
- Mountain Bike rider, Carter Woods continues his success winning two consecutive World Cup medals including a gold in the men’s U23 category
- Campbell Parish won Stage 6 of the Tour de l’Abitibi in a breakaway finish while Jerome Gauthier also had a stage win.
CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES 2023 CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS CALENDAR
The 2023 Canadian Championship calendar has recently be released as we look forward to watching athletes in Road, Track, Mountain Bike, Para-Cycling, BMX, Esports and Cyclo-cross athletes compete for the maple leaf jersey. The complete schedule can be found here.
Commonwealth Games
July 28 August 8
Birmingham, UK
Crankworx Enduro World Series
August 4 7
Whistler, BC
UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup #3
August 4 7
Quebec City, QC
UCI MTB World Cup XCO/XCC #8 & DH #7
August 5 7
Mont-Ste-Anne, QC
Diamond BMX Canada Cup
August 6 7
Warman, SK
Canada Summer Games
August 6 21
Niagara, ON
UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships
August 11 14
Baie-Comeau, QC
Kentville Canada Cup XCO
August 13 14
Kentville, NS
Crankworx Canadian Open Downhill
August 14
Whistler, BC
Dieppe Canada Cup XCO/XCC
August 18 21
Dieppe, NB
Tour de lAvenir
August 18 28
France
Vuelta a Espana
August 18 September 11
Spain
Okotoks BMX Canada Cup
August 20 21
Okotoks, AB
UCI Junior Track World Championships
August 23 27
Tel Aviv, Israel
UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
August 24 28
Les Gets, France
2022 BMX Championships & Canada Cup
August 27 28
Calgary, AB
Canadian men at the Tour de l’Abitibi
Photo: Velo Magazine
REGISTRATION FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
With Canadian national jerseys on the line, there is still time to register for your chance to be named a 2022 Canadian champ! Coming up is registration for both the BMX Canada Cup and Championship racing in Calgary. You can register online until August 22. Make sure to check out Events page on our website for any and all registration and upcoming events.
We are proud to be part of a dynamic and outstanding cycling community whose many achievements and contributions go beyond performances on the bike. In an effort to recognize some of these many noteworthy achievements, Cycling Canada would like to highlight the following individuals and accomplishments:
- Montreal has been named the best city to ride in within North America for its accessibility, community and quality of riding in an urban center!
- 65 young riders from across Canada attended the Future Champions Camp in British Columbia last month to learn skills, tactics and get some great experience from some of the best cyclists in Canada.
- Local bike collectives across Canada are inviting and celebrating more women to take on the sport and break barriers when it comes to riding. Womens only clubs have been the first step to having a more inclusive sport and we love to see it.
- After hosting the first Canada Cup of the year, Silver Star Bike Park is officially open for cyclists to come ride and try this summer.
- A family affair for the St-Onges with Charles-Antoine, Maxime and Marie-Fay all representing Quebec at the Canada Summer Games.
- One Mountain Bike Program is trying to help decolonize mountain bike trails through single track trials that lead Indigenous and non-Indigenous riders toward moments of reconciliation and opening up the conversation.
- Rio 2016 Womens Team Pursuit medallist, Georgia Simmerling and Pilot, Ed Veal, are teaming up for a ride to raise money for mental health initiatives on September 25!
- We would like to shout out two Canadian commissaires, Steve Head and Josee Bedard who are currently at Commonwealth Games.
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CYCLING CANADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the opening of the annual nomination process for positions on its Board of Directors which is elected by provincial and territorial cycling association. The role of Cycling Canadas Board of Directors is to provide overall strategic direction, leadership and stability for the organization with its mission of organizing key governance-related activities. Candidates interested in applying or learning more may refer to the Nomination Form and the Cycling Canada by-laws and governance policies.
We would like to time and thank all of our sponsors and suppliers who have ben fantastic at supporting our athletes. From equipment, to nutritional needs and everything in between. Having you along for the ride as we continue to see success of our athletes at home and around the world is nothing but special!
Make sure to follow us on social media for any partner contest giveaways!
The Shifting Gears blog provides a platform for our staff, athletes, board and community members to write about interesting topics and ideas. Last month we explored all the places you can add to your climbing bucket list this summer. From east to west coast, there’s plenty to discover.