June 09, 2012 (Urt, France) – The Canadian Para-Cycling is proving to the world it’s a serious contender for success at the upcoming 2012 Paralympic Games in London, UK. With a great start to the UCI World Cup season just last week, the team has been victorious in all the event it has taken part in, whether it’s a internationally-sanctioned race or a UCI World Cup.

This weekend, the team is taking part in the P1 International Paracycling Tour in Urt, France, and after two of three stages completed, many Canadian para-cyclists are in a good position for a podium performance.

Yesterday, the team started the stage race with a criterium on a 4-km loop. Four Canadian athletes won their respective races, the tandem of Geneviève Ouellet and Emilie Roy the tricycle stars Marie-Ève Croteau and Shelly Gautier, as well as Robert Labbé, taking the provisional lead in the general classification of their disciplines.

With a new day today, the time trials were featured for this second of three stages. Both Robert Labbé and the women’s tandem of Ouellet/Roy maintained their composure and form to take the solo victories, and still lead the general classification in their respective categories.

Marie-Ève Croteau suffered the first loss of her season, taking the second place in the mixed category, racing against men, but managed to keep the overall lead in the general classification.

Mark Beggs, who finished fourth in yesterday’s criterium, took the second place in today’s time trial, and jumps to third place of the general classification, with one stage left in the three-day race.

Tomorrow, the Paracycling crews will race another closed-circuit criterium in Urt, France, to conclude this 2012 edition of the International Paracycling Tour.