As we welcome a new year filled with possibilities and opportunities for our Canadian cycling community, this is also a time to reflect on the last 365 days and what we have been able to accomplish since the launch of our 10 year strategic plan.
While it may have been a year filled with ups and downs and constant changes, plenty of progress has been made across our different strategic pillars. We saw the return of domestic racing and new Canadian champions crowned at various national championships, as well as the introduction of new events on the race calendar. These events allowed us to witness new talents in action, while also celebrating some outstanding athletes who retired at the end of the season.
On the grassroots side, we launched the HopOn program in collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners and were able to facilitate 4,681 programs across 4 provinces/territories. The program is looking to expand to new provinces this year and to teach a record number of kids the basics of cycling. Programs such as HopOn wouldnt be possible without the generous contributions of our partners and members of Club 1882. In less than a year, Club 1882 has raised over $250,000 from 65 donors, with the funds helping to enhance current programs and develop new ones, while also investing in athletes, events, facilities and community initiatives that are critically important to the future of our sport and country.
Finally, who can forget about the amazing performances from Canadian athletes at all levels of the sport. Canadians performed on the world stage at countless world cups and world championships in all disciplines, on top of winning two Olympic and three Paralympic medals at Tokyo 2020. We also saw some of our Gracious Champions move into exciting new roles, with Olympians Catharine Pendrel, Laura Brown and Tanya Dubnicoff stepping into national coaching positions to help foster talent and inspire future champions.
Theres no doubt that 2021 has been a rollercoaster of a year, but through it all we’re looking forward to seeing even more achievements and milestones in 2022.
CYCLING CANADA HIRES FOUR NEW NATIONAL TEAM COACHES
Cycling Canada announced the addition of four world-class coaches to its National Team staff as the organization ramps up its investment and commitment to developing Canadian technical leadership and coaching expertise. Catharine Pendrel, Laura Brown and Richard Wooles have all joined as National Team Coaches, while Tanya Dubnicoff will be taking on the newly created role of Advancement Camp Coach.
SEVEN PODIUMS FOR CANADA AT 2021 PAN AM CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Canadian cyclists competed at the 2021 Pan American Cyclocross Championships in Texas, with athletes bringing home seven medals, including a Junior title for Ava Holmgren and a Masters title for Rob Orange. On the Elite side, former U23 Pan American champion Ruby West finished second to clinch a silver medal. Three additional silver medals were claimed by Tyler Clark, Ian Ackert and Jean-Franois Blais in the Junior, U23 and Masters men’s races, while Isabella Holmgren earned bronze alongside her sister Ava in the Junior women’s race.
Ava & Isabella Holmgren claimed gold and bronze in the Junior women’s category at the 2021 Pan Am Cyclo-cross Championships
Photo credit: Bill Schieken
2021 CANADIAN CYCLO-CROSS & TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED
As a result of continuously evolving public health guidelines, Cycling Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel both the 2021 Canadian Cyclo-cross Championships and the 2021 Canadian Track Championships for Elite & Masters, both scheduled in early January. For an up-to-date list of cancelled or postponed events on the national calendar, please consult our event list.
ZWIFT RIDER SURVEY
We’re looking forward to more rides and races with our community in 2022! As we head into the new year, we’d like your feedback on what you enjoy and what we can improve on. If you’ve joined a ride this season, please fill out our participation survey by January 14 to tell us how we’re doing!
Monday Weekly-Tune Up Ride (Mixed)
January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
8:05 p.m. EST
Zwift
Tuesday Weekly Tune-Up Ride (Women Only)
January 4, 11, 18, 25
8:05 p.m. EST
Zwift
Wednesday Night Race Series
January 5, 12, 19, 16
8:05 p.m. EST
Zwift
Cycling Canada Saturday Fundo
January 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
12:05 p.m. EST
Zwift
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #14
January 2
Hulst, Netherlands
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #15
January 16
Flamanville, France
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #16
January 23
Hoogerheide, Netherlands
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
January 29
Fayetteville, USA
COACHING COURSE: SKILLS AND TACTICS THEORY (ENGLISH)
Registration for our Skills and Tactics Theory (English Course) is now open, with sessions being offered on January, 17, 19, 21, 25 and 27th from 7:00-9:00pm ET.
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:
- Maghalie Rochette won her second consecutive European Cyclo-cross World Cup medal, sprinting to bronze in Val Di Sole, Italy.
- Two-time road Olympians Karol-Ann Canuel and Leah Kirchmann have joined the Global Relay Bridge the Gap program, which helps support aspiring riders reach international cycling success. Kirchmann was named Managing Director while Canuel will lead the Athlete Mentorship Program.
- Paralympic Games silver medallist Kate OBrien was nominated for the True Sport Award which is given to athletes who exemplify true sport values including fairness, excellence and inclusion.
- Four Canadians wrapped up the Track Champions League on December 5th, with Kelsey Mitchell finishing third overall in the womens sprint events, while Maggie Coles-Lyster was fourth overall in the womens endurance category.
- Following its launch in the spring of 2021, we are proud to report that our HopOn program was able to facilitate 4,961 programs across 4 provinces & territories with the help of 28 instructors and 4 learning facilitators. Stay tuned for more exciting updates & courses in 2022!
- Magdeleine Vallires-Mills and Sara Poidevin will be joining the newly-formed World Tour EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team. TIBCO-SVB has been aiming to develop North American riders for numerous years under the leadership of Hall of Fame inductee Linda Jackson.
- Downhillers Vaea Verbeeck and Bas van Steenbergen both landed wins at the Crankworx Summer Series in New Zealand after both being crowned King and Queen of Crankworx earlier this year.
- Throughout the month of January, we will be inviting our community to vote for the Event of the Year awards across all cycling disciplines. Check out our social media channels for more details!
- New year, new logo. Our HopOn program is kicking off 2022 in style with a brand new look.
- HOPON RIDE PRESENTED BY LEXUS
- The HopOn Ride presented by Lexus will be back for a second consecutive year on Sunday, February 20th, giving participants the chance to ride alongside Canadian cycling legends. As an added incentive to participate, Lexus Canada has committed to donating $1 to HopOn Canada for each participant on this ride, so rally your fellow Zwifters and make a difference! To make an individual donation and be automatically entered into a draw for some exclusive prizing, click here.
GARNEAU DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE CAMPAIGN
As part of its annual Don’t Text and Drive campaign, Garneau helped spread awareness & advocated for drivers not be distracted by texting in order to protect other road users. You can find more about the campaign here.
TRAININGPEAKS HELPING YOU REACH YOUR 2022 GOALS
Whether you’re a coach or an athlete, TrainingPeaks will help you achieve your goals this year. From now until January 11th, TrainingPeaks is offering a ‘Buy a Plan, Get One Month Free‘ discount for athletes who sign up for the premium program, while coaches can get 50% off the start-up fee along with a free TrainingPeaks University Introduction Course and Coaching Guide.
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 shared ways in which you can help support national team athletes during the holiday season, from becoming a member of Club 1882 to buying some artwork or ordering your exclusive pair of Garneau shoes.
If you are passionate about cycling and interested in contributing to the blog, please reply to this email.