September 11, 2013 (Ottawa, ON) – Cycling Canada is proud to announce the cyclists selected to compete for Canada at the upcoming 2013 UCI Road World Championships to be held in Toscana, Italy, from September 22 to 29, 2013.
The women’s elite field is headlined by Joelle Numainville of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, the 2013 Canadian Road Champion in both the road race and time trial. Denise Ramsden of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, who represented Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games alongside Numainville, will also be racing at World Championships. 2011 Canadian Champion Véronique Fortin of Pasta-Zara will also suit up for Canada, as well as Leah Kirchmann from Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, Karol-Ann Canuel from Vienne-Futuroscope and Lex Albrecht from Now of Novartis.
In the espoir (U23) men category, two-time reigning espoir Canadian Road Champion Antoine Duchesne of Bontrager Pro Cycling Team will represent Canada as the lone rider for Canada in the road race, Duchesne is fresh off a strong performance with the Canadian National Team at the Tour of Alberta, and will suit up in that same uniform for the upcoming Grand Prix cycliste de Québec et de Montréal. Current Canadian time trial champion, Alexander Cataford of Garneau-Quebecor cycling team, will take on the world in the time trial. Cataford is also enjoying a strong season, fresh off a stellar performance at the Tour of Alberta, finishing as the second best Canadian rider thanks to an astonishing solo effort in the third stage finishing in Drumheller.
In the junior category, four girls will be wearing the maple leaf with Kinley Gibson of Edmonton headlining the crew. In the men’s junior race, six boys will be heading over to Italy to race, notably Hendrick Pineda of Montreal, Jack Burke of Toronto and William Elliot of Barrie. Canada secured five starters for the men junior road race. Jack Burke will only race the time trial.
“We have a solid team in place for these World Championships, a team that has proven to be successful from the beginning of the season on roads all across the World,” said Jacques Landry, High Performance Director and Head Coach at Cycling Canada.
Both Joëlle Numainville and Karol-Ann Canuel are enjoying success close to the World championships, both winning a stage at the Tour de l’Ardèche in France. Earlier this season, Canuel took the fifth place at the World Cup race in Plouay. Lex Albrecht also won a medal at the Jeux de la Francophonie, in France, on the weekend.
Three coaches will be heading to Florence to manage these athletes, with Gord Fraser leading the men elite group, Denise Kelly managing the women elite and junior riders, while Luc Arseneau managing the junior and espoir men group.
The Elite men selections will be announced at a later date.
The 2013 UCI Road World Championships will be broadcasted on television in Canada on SportsnetOne and live on the UCI YouTube Channel. Check your local listings for more information on the television broadcast.
Canadian Delegation – 2013 UCI Road World Championships – Toscana, ITA
Junior Women
– Kinley Gibson (18 – Edmonton, AB) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
– Marie-Ève Poisson (18 – Trois-Rivières, QC) [Road Race]
– Dafné Theroux-Izquierdo (17 – Ste-Thérèse, QC) [Road Race]
– Tessa Pinckston (17 – Vancouver, BC) [Road Race]
JUNIOR MEN
– Jack Burke (18 – Toronto, ON) [Individual Time Trial]
– Adam Jamieson (17 – Barrie, ON) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
– William Elliot (18 – Barrie, ON) [Road Race]
– Hendrick Pineda (18 – Montreal, QC) [Road Race]
– Félix Lapointe (16 – St-Lambert-de-Lauzon, QC) [Road Race]
– Sean MacKinnon (17 – Hamilton, ON) [Road Race]
ESPOIRS MEN
– Alex Cataford (20 – Ottawa, ON) [Individual Time Trial]
– Antoine Duchesne (21 – Blainville, QC) [Road Race]
ELITE WOMEN
– Joëlle Numanville (25 – Laval, QC) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
– Denise Ramsden (22 – Yellowknife, NWT) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
– Lex Albrecht (26 – Montreal, QC) [Road Race]
– Véronique Fortin (33 – Gatineau, QC) [Road Race]
– Leah Kirchmann (23 – Winnipeg, MB) [Road Race]
– Karol-Ann Canuel (25 – Amos, QC) [Road Race]