The Canadian National Cycling Team won its first medals at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, GBR, on Aug. 4 with two silvers and two bronze in mountain bike (MTB) downhill and the Gran Fondo. Athletes also took part in track and para-cycling track events.
Three Junior Men in the MTB Downhill Top 10
Bodhi Kuhn (Rossland, BC) won Canada’s first medal of the week with a time of 4:31.145, just 0.418 seconds behind the Junior Men winner Henri Kiefer (GER). Tegan Cruz (Pemberton, BC) and Dane Jewett (Squamish, BC) both joined Kuhn in the top 10, placing sixth and ninth respectively. Sophi Lawrence (Whistler, BC) was Canada’s top contender in the Junior Women category, placing 14th.
Bodhi Kuhn (CAN), Henri Kiefer (GER), Leo Abella (FRA)
Photo Credit: Michal Cerveny/SWPix
Eight Canadian riders secured their ticket for tomorrow’s final in the Elite field. Gracey Hemstreet (Sechelt, BC) and Emmy Lan (Comox, BC) will be lining up on the women’s side, while Finn Iles (Pemberton, BC), Mark Wallace (Duncan, BC), Anthony Poulson (Bromont, QC), Forrest Riesco (Gibsons, BC), Kirk McDowall (Port Moody, BC) and Jakob Jewett (Squamish, BC) will represent the maple leaf on the men’s side.
Women Team Pursuit Gears up for Round 1
Erin Attwell (Victoria, BC), Ariane Bonhomme (Gatineau, QC), Maggie Coles-Lyster (Maple Ridge, BC) and Sarah Van Dam (Victoria, BC), came eighth in the Women Elite Team Pursuit Qualifier with a time of 4:19.208, 8.875 seconds off of leader Great Britain. They will race against Italy in tomorrow’s Round 1. Coles-Lyster lined up again in the evening to race the Women Elite Scratch Race, where she earned another eighth place.
After placing sixth in their qualifiers on Thursday, the Men Elite Team Pursuit won their heat against Germany but their time of 3:50:079 was not enough to bring them to the finals, ultimately putting them in sixth place.
Pemble and Dahab on a Mission for the Omnium Title
Mel Pemble (Victoria, BC) was first to stop the clock with a time of 13.138 in the Women C3 200m Sprint, in which she set the world record in 2022, while Tarek Dahab of Beloeil, QC, scored the third best time in the Men C2 200m Sprint. Counting towards the Omnium cumulative results, these times put both athletes in good position for a shot to earn the world title.
“I’m super happy with the placings and how it earned me some good points for the Omnium,” Pemble told the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “I was super excited for this event and the legs were a bit shaky. I’ll try and keep the stress and energy level down over the next day before my next race on Sunday.’’
Three Medals for Canada in the Gran Fondo
Gran Fondo riders Esta Bovill (Women 45-49), Pascal Herve (Men 55-59) and Michelle Gagnon (Women 19-34) added three medals to Canada’s count, winning a silver and two bronze respectively. Also earning top-10 finishes were Bruce Bird, who placed fifth in the Men 55-59 Gran Fondo, and Nathalie Champagne, who placed seventh in the Women 55-59 Medio Fondo.
Full results from the second day of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships can be found here and detailed information about the event can be found here.