December 5, 2005 – The CCA has seen quite a few changes this past year with the hiring of new CEO Steve Lacelle, Mike Adams as Director of Finance and Administration, and Kim Sebrango as Director of Marketing. Along with internal restructuring, the association hired six new coaches, obtained 2.8 million in additional funding for it’s High Performance Program and is making headway in other areas.
Change at the top was not expected but clearly the CCA delegates felt new leadership was in order and replaced outgoing president Bill Kinash from Saskatchewan with Quebec’s Pierre Blanchard. Blanchard has been the president of the Quebec Cycling Federation (FQSC) since 2002 and is quite familiar with CCA procedures, the current changes and progress, and the challenges that still face the association.
Blanchard began cycling in the 1970s racing as a cadet and continued to the senior ranks. He took a break from racing but continued training when he entered medical school but later while working as a GP in Abitibi he was bitten by the cycling bug again at the Tour de l’Abitibi and took a commissaire course in 1988. In short order he elevated himself to UCI levels and in the mid-90s worked at UCI events for MTB, road and track. He spent a year in France during this time and had numerous associations with Alain Rumpf, the current UCI ProTour co-ordinator.
In 1998 and 1999 there were opportunities to teach a UCI MTB commissaire course in France and Malaysia which he accepted and later Blanchard went on to become a UCI top level MTB instructor. He also achieved a senior level as a UCI Commissaire and has been a commissaire at many high level events including the Hamilton 2003 Road Worlds and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He also sat on the UCI MTB Commission for four years and during this time he met past and current UCI presidents, Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid. With his medical background he became a UCI Anti-doping and Medical Inspector as well and is also a UCI Medical Expert, serving in that capacity at the Tour de France from 2002-2004.
We sat down with Blanchard soon after he was elected as the new CCA President. He told us he was not thinking to run for office prior to the 2005 AGM, but received numerous phone calls from associates and friends encouraging him to declare his candidacy and run for president. Here’s what he had to say on a variety of topics discussed.
On International Relations
“For many years I was an international commissaire and was on the UCI MTB Commission for four years (2001-2005) so I have had a lot of exposure and experience with the UCI at the international level and feel I can do lots of good work for Canada in this sector. I know Daniel Bal, the current head of the MTB Commission quite well. We’ve made a lot of headway with MTB, and Canada has played an important role in this process and I’d like to see similar gains made with road cycling. The UCI needs to understand the situation here and realize the value of internationalizing the sport and the role of North America in the process. At the same time they need to recognize that North America is not Europe, and I’d like to see the requirement of five international teams for a UCI sanction lowered to two or three for North American races, and see calendar fees lowered as well. There’s been progress with the Pan American racing scene and we need to develop the partnerships as a whole and continue to mature the sport on an international level.”
On Doping
“I think Canada has to take a very strong position publicly on doping at the National level. There’s lots that still needs to be done and we need to support our athletes, teams and coaches with education and support at all levels. We need to lead and police ourselves as an organization and not rely on the Canadian Committee for Sport and Ethics for direction. I don’t want what happened at Hamilton 2003 to happen again.”
On Bilingualism
“I think it’s important to have a bilingual person in this position and I am able to conduct high level discussions in both languages. I told my wife recently that I’d like to take Spanish lessons again to refresh myself and Spanish is also important for cycling.”
On Canada’s National Calendar
“We need to work better with our US neighbours and create a more effective national schedule that allows athletes in both countries the opportunity to compete in more events in each country. There’s lots that can be done to improve the racing scene in North America.”
On Domestic Programs
“I have traveled extensively across Canada as a commissaire so I feel I have a sense first-hand of what’s going on in different regions. We need to strengthen our relationships with the PSOs (Provincial Cycling Organizations). We really need to support them and create more unity with our partners and I believe that I can build on our current relationships.”
On National Cycling Centres
“We need to improve and harmonize our National Cycling Centres by developing better outreach programs and our coaching networks both locally and nationally.”
On Recent CCA Office Changes
“We’ve made steady and good progress in many areas with our internal operations. There’s enthusiasm and we need to continue our progress but also ensure people don’t burned out. Communication is key and needs to be improved and further developed.”
On His Style of Leadership
“I’m a listener which is important. I’d like to see less politics and more active processes. I make decisions with no regrets and have a plan B and C ready if change is needed along the way. And I’m ready to make tough decisions.”
|
Photo: CCA/Mike Adams
New CCA President Pierre Blanchard
Photo: CCA/Mike Adams
|
