April 11, 2006 – The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is proud to present one of Canada’s major cycling events in cooperation with event management firm Podium Québec: the Tim Hortons Canadian Road National Championships, to be held in the Québec region from June 29 to July 2, 2006.

“The CCA is delighted to team up for the first time with the professional team at Podium Québec to present this new edition of the Road National Championships, back in the Québec region after more than 15 years,” said CCA President Pierre Blanchard. “Thanks to our partner Tim Hortons, which has been supporting National Championships events for 10 years now, we are pleased to present a very challenging event for all athletes in this UNESCO World Heritage city, which will be offering outstanding views for spectators.”

Great names such as Charles Dionne, currently competing in Europe with the Saunier Duval-Prodir Team, or Lyne Bessette, 2004 Canadian Road National Champion of Cowansville, QC, or Dominique Perras, 2003 Canadian Road National Champion from Napierville, QC, as well as the elite of Canadian cycling will take part in the Tim Hortons National Championships event in Québec. This event will be decisive in determining the team that will represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships in Salzburg, Austria, in September.

Looking forward to the 2006 National Champion title, Quebecers Lyne Bessette and Dominique Perras, who were attending today’s press conference, are very pleased to be taking part in this event in front of their home fans.

“It is such a good idea to be hosting the National Championships in Québec, I was very happy to learn that I will have the opportunity to ride at home. Québec City is a beautiful city and the course will be very technical, which is great for me,” said Lyne Bessette, of T-Mobile Team, who will be eager to repeat her 2004 victory, despite the injury she has been suffering from lately.

Dominique Perras, of KodakGallery.com/Sierra Nevada Team, 2005 National Championships bronze medallist, said: “I’m getting ready to repeat my 2003 performance, and I’m really happy to be competing in the province of Québec for the first time since the 1999 Canadian Championships in Sherbrooke.”