Among the elite group of cyclists nominated are Olympic medallists Tara Whitten and Jasmin Glaesser as well as retuning London 2012 team members Catharine Pendrel, Emily Batty, Laura Brown, Tory Nyhaug and Monique Sullivan. The team also includes Georgia Simmerling, who competed in alpine skiing at Vancouver 2010 and ski cross at Sochi 2014. She looks to become the first Canadian athlete to compete in a different sport at each of three Olympic Games.
“We have proven ourselves to be contenders for the top step of the podium at every competition we have attended since London 2012 and I fully expect us to be ready to challenge for the gold in Rio. Though most will only see the four riders on the start line, this team and our ultimate performance will be a testament to the relentless dedication on the part of our staff and partners that have worked tirelessly to provide us with all the tools and resources necessary to pursue our goals. I couldn’t be more proud to work with such a phenomenal team on and off the bike and it’s because of you that we will be able to take to the boards in Rio confident, knowing that our best is yet to come,” said Jasmin Glaesser, Olympic Bronze Medallist, Track Cycling.
“I am really excited to represent Canada for a third time at the Olympic Games. I am always proud to wear the maple leaf and will do my best to put it on the podium where it belongs. We have an incredibly strong and cohesive team headed to Rio. I know we will all give our best and make Canada proud,” said Catharine Pendrel, Two-Time World Champion, Mountain Bike.
The team is coached by Craig Griffin (track – endurance), Erin Hartwell (track – sprint), Adam Muys (BMX), Denise Kelly (road – women), Pierre-Henri Sauze (BMX) and Dan Proulx (mountain bike), all of whom are overseen by High Performance Director and Head Coach, Jacques Landry and High Performance Manager, Kris Westwood.
“I am very excited to participate in the biggest cycling event in the world. It is an honour for me to wear the Canadian colours for both the road race and the time trial. I accomplished my first goal of the 2016 season: to qualify for the Olympics. Now, the attention turns towards the final preparations to arrive in Rio at my peak,” commented Hugo Houle, 2015 Pan American Games Time Trial Champion, Road Cycling.
The athletes earned their spots as part of a two-year qualification process during which their accumulated ranking points qualified Canada for the Games in each discipline. After an extensive review of international performances, physiological data analysis and other determining factors, the High Performance Committee selected the nominated athletes to compete at the Games.
All of the Canadian cyclists will participate in various pre-Games preparation camps and competitions. These include the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne (QC), a Track Olympic training camp in Milton (ON), a BMX Canada Cup race in Toronto (ON), and various races for the road cyclists.
The Rio 2016 cycling competitions will take place at various venues. Road cycling will be held on August 6 and 7 at Fort Copacabana and August 10 in Pontal. Track cycling events will be held at the Rio Olympic Velodrome, August 11-15. The BMX competition will take place at the Olympic BMX Centre, August 17-19, followed by the mountain bike races August 20-21 at the Mountain Bike Centre.
At Rio 2016, Canada expects to field a team of more than 315 athletes.
“Cycling is obviously a sport that is close to my heart. We are incredibly lucky to have medal potential across the board. This group has a wide range of experienced athletes – some that have stood on the podium at every level in international events. Congratulations to everyone involved that has made it possible for us to be here today. We are looking forward to cheering you on,” said Curt Harnett, Rio 2016 Team Canada Chef de Mission.
“I’m very proud of what our athletes, coaches and staff have achieved in securing the highest number of Olympic quota spots for cycling in recent years. Thanks to our more centralized programs, where we’ve been able to optimize our daily training environments, I am confident that we have the systems and processes in place that will put our cyclists in the best possible position to generate top Olympic performances,” added Jacques Landry, High Performance Director and Head Coach.
“Cycling Canada has done a phenomenal job of preparing our athletes to compete for Team Canada and to push for the podium in all four cycling disciplines in Rio. On behalf of the Government of Canada, congratulations to our cyclistsnamed today to represent our country and good luck this summer at the Olympic Games,” concluded The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
The cycling team which will represent Canada at Rio 2016 includes:
Athletes
– Hugo Barrette (Îles de la Madeleine, QC) Track Cycling
– Emily Batty (Brooklin, ON) Mountain Bike
– Allison Beveridge (Calgary, AB) Track Cycling
– Léandre Bouchard (Alma, QC) Mountain Bike
– Laura Brown (Vancouver, BC) Track Cycling
– Karol-Ann Canuel (Gatineau, QC) Road Cycling
– Antoine Duchesne (Chicoutimi, QC) Road Cycling
– Raphaël Gagné (Québec City, QC) Mountain Bike
– Jasmin Glaesser (Vancouver, BC) Track Cycling
– Hugo Houle (Ste-Perpétue, QC) Road Cycling
– Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, MB) Road Cycling
– Kirsti Lay (Montreal, QC) Track Cycling
– Tory Nyhaug (Coquitlam, BC) BMX
– Kate O’Brien (Calgary, AB) Track Cycling
– Catharine Pendrel (Kamloops, BC) Mountain Bike
– Georgia Simmerling (West Vancouver, BC) Track Cycling
– Monique Sullivan (Calgary, AB) Track Cycling
– Tara Whitten (Calgary, AB) Road Cycling
– Mike Woods (Ottawa, ON) Road Cycling
Coaches
– Track, Endurance: Craig Griffin (Milton, ON)
– Track, Sprint: Erin Hartwell (Hamilton, ON)
– Road, Women: Denise Kelly (Smithers, BC)
– Head Coach: Jacques Landry (Ottawa, ON)
– BMX: Adam Muys (Maple Ridge, BC)
– Mountain Bike: Dan Proulx (Victoria, BC)
– BMX: Pierre-Henri Sauze (Cavaillon, France)
– Team Leader: Kris Westwood (Ottawa, ON)
Prior to being named to the final Canadian Rio 2016 Team, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations.
CYCLING CANADA NOMINATES 12 ATHLETES FOR SELECTION TO TEAM CANADA FOR RIO 2016 PARALYMPIC GAMES
12 para-cyclists chosen to represent Canada
Cycling Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced today the 12 athletes – six men and six women – who have been nominated for selection to Team Canada for this September’s Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
The group of 12 includes two medallists from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, five cyclists with Paralympic Games experience and four world champion cyclists.
“I am delighted with our para-cycling team selections for the Paralympic Games in Rio this summer,” said Jacques Landry, high performance director and head coach for Cycling Canada. “Our athletes were selected based on performances at international competitions and on their potential to perform in the Paralympic arena based on showings at selected races. Our team is comprised of athletes with Paralympic experience and also athletes we have recently identified who could surprise many.”
Daniel Chalifour of Ste-Thérèse, Que., notches a third career Games nomination while Marie-Ève Croteau of Quebec City, Shelley Gautier of Toronto, Ont., Marie-Claude Molnar of Lemoyne, Que., and Robbi Weldon of Thunder Bay, Ont., all competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Weldon won gold in the road race (with then pilot Lyne Besette) while Molnar won bronze in the time trial.
National team rookie and world champion Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, B.C. has taken the para-cycling world by storm this year with double gold at the world track championships in March and two victories at the World Cup road event in Belgium in May.
The four world champions on the team are Chernove, Weldon, Gautier and Croteau.
“Canada is fielding a large and accomplished team in para-cycling and we have a solid core of veterans to lead the way, along with talented newcomers,” said Canada’s Chef de Mission Chantal Petitclerc. ”The team’s training and experience should prove beneficial at the Paralympic Games.”
“On behalf of all Canadians, congratulations to our cycling athletes named today to wear the Maple Leaf this summer at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games,’’ said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. ‘’Cycling Canada has done a phenomenal job of preparing our athletes to compete and now it’s their time to shine in Rio. All of Canada is behind you.”
The athletes nominated to the Canadian Paralympic Team are as follows:
PARA-CYCLING TEAM for RIO 2016 PARALYMPIC GAMES
MEN
*Daniel Chalifour (Ste-Thérèse, Que.)
Tristen Chernove (Cranbrook, B.C.)
Jean-Michel Lachance (Quebec City): pilot for Daniel Chalifour
Charles Moreau (Victoriaville, Que.)
Michael Sametz (Calgary)
Ross Wilson (Edmonton)
WOMEN
Nicole Clermont (Laval, Que.)
*Marie-Ève Croteau (Quebec City)
*Shelley Gautier (Toronto)
Audrey Lemieux (Alma, Que.): pilot for Robbi Weldon
*Marie-Claude Molnar (Lemoyne, Que.)
*Robbi Weldon (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
*denotes past Paralympic Games experience
The nominated athletes will be supported by Head Coach Sébastien Travers (Bromont, Que.) and coaches Eric Van den Eynde (Longueuil, Que.) and Cam Jennings (Edmonton, Alta.).