Featured Stories

Antoine Duchesne and Hugo Houle Appeal New Cycling Canada Carding Policy Regarding Funding

by John Symon

December 14, 2014 (Montreal, Quebec) – Two Canadian pro riders, Antoine Duchesne (Europcar) and Hugo Houle (Ag2r La Mondiale), are asking for an exemption from new rules in order to continue receiving “carding funds” from Cycling Canada reports Radio Canada (CBC). At a hearing on Dec. 11, Duchesne presented his case before Cycling Canada to be exempt from a new clause stipulating that those who have signed with a Pro-Continental or WorldTour team are not eligible for Sport Canada AAP funding support.

Duchesne  ©  Pasquale Stalteri

At issue is whether the two riders will continue to benefit from funds from the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP), often referred to as “carding funds.” In the case of cyclists, these carding monies are channelled through Cycling Canada which plans to apply the new Pro-Continental/WorldTour ineligibility clause for the first time during the 2015 season.

Duchesne estimates his carding money at some 30-40% of his annual budget during a cycling season. “We still need to prove ourselves and still need that support. It allows us to be [financially] stable during our training camps, to pay travel expenses, and to help us develop. All that to be able to finish with a nice contract and to no longer have need for this support!”

Hugo Houle  ©  Pasquale Stalteri

A decision for Duchesne is expected within two weeks. Houle’s appeal will be heard next week; presumably with a decision following in about two weeks. Pedal has contacted the two cyclists and Cycling Canada for comment, but is still waiting to hear back.

Meanwhile, the UCI has declassified Team Europcar from a WorldTour team to Pro-Continental. Jean-René Bernaudeau, Europcar’s directeur sportif, is now openly musing about losing his star riders to other team as a result of this status downgrade as reported by French-based 100%Velo.com.

Both riders are fairly young to be riding at the WorldTour level. Duchesne, 23, signed with Europcar in November, 2013, essentially replacing now-retired David Veilleux as the lone Canuck on the French-based team; he was the 2012 and 2013 Canadian U23 road champ.

Houle, 24, just finished his second season with French-based Ag2r and previously rode for SpiderTech. He finished second behind Svein Tuft (Orica Greenedge) in the ITT at the 2014 Canadian Road Championships. He also won the U23 ITT at the 2012 Canadian Road Championships.

Athletes funded by AAP for living and training allowances etc. receive a monthly financial stipend as follows – Senior Card (SR/SR1/SR2) $18,000 annually; Senior (C1) and Development Card $10,800.

The Cycling Carding Criteria for Track and Road Nominations For the 2015 Carding Cycle defines the following categories for Non Eligibility:

“Road elite or U23 men athlete having signed a contract for the 2014 season with either a UCI sanctioned Pro-Continental or World Tour team are not eligible for Sport Canada AAP funding support

Athletes are also ineligible if they:
• Have made a false application and have been declared ineligible for AAP benefits by Sport Canada;
•  Have been ruled ineligible to participate in sport for two years or more as a result of an anti-doping rule violation and who have not, in the case of pre-2004 violations, subsequently been reinstated;
• Are serving an anti-doping rule violation sanction of less than two years of sport ineligibility at the start of the carding cycle; and
• Meet the carding criteria as members of the national team of another nation.

Athletes competing in World Championship events that are not on the Olympic program are not eligible for carding based on performances in those events. Other eligibility conditions are outlined in the Athletes Assistance Program Policies and Procedures available on the Sport Canada website.”

Radio Canada (French) here.
Cycling Canada’s Carding Criteria for Track and Road Nominations for the 2015 Carding Cycle here.





Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.


Pedal Magazine