January 15, 2018 (Ottawa, ON) – Cycling Canada is pleased to announce the team of six athletes who will represent Canada at the fifth round of the Track Cycling World Cup on January 19-21 in Minsk, Belarus.
The team will consist of five women and one man, and will be led by two world champions – 2017 Junior Points Race women’s world champion Maggie of Maple Ridge, BC, and 2016 Junior 1000 metre Time Trial men’s world champion Stefan Ritter of Edmonton.
The five women are all members of Canada’s NextGen track endurance development program, and will compete in the Team Pursuit, as well as individual events.
Jenny Trew, Women’s NextGen Track Endurance Coach at Cycling Canada, said, “The women have been training hard and are ready to have their first crack at World Cup racing. Inspired by the strong performances of the Elite program, specifically this season, the athletes are ready to maximize this learning opportunity as we pave the way to future Canadian success.”
Ritter, who is returning to competition after injury derailed the early part of his season, will be competing in the Sprint and Keirin events, as he builds towards the world championships at the end of February.
Jacques Landry, Chief Technical Officer – Head Coach at Cycling Canada, said, “The fifth and final Track World Cup before world championships in Holland will be one where we will witness the fruits of the great work done with our NextGen athletes. The present World Cup format enables us to focus on acquiring podium performances through some events, and amassing valuable racing knowledge in others.
In Minsk, it is anticipated that our Women’s Track Endurance NextGen riders, along with sprinter Stefan Ritter, use this event to gain experience whilst striving to reach their individual performance goals.”
– Erin Attwell – Victoria, BC [Team Pursuit]
– Maggie Coles-Lyster – Maple Ridge, BC [Team Pursuit, Points Race, Madison, Alternate – Omnium]
– Devaney Collier – Edmonton, Alberta [Team Pursuit, Omnium, Alternate – Madison]
– Sara Giovannetti – Mississauga, Ontario [Alternate – Team Pursuit]
– Laurie Jussaume – Contrecoeur, Quebec [Team Pursuit, Madison]
– Stefan Ritter – Edmonton, Alberta [Sprint, Keirin]
