August 18, 2008 (Beijing, China) РMartin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast) finally made it to Beijing as the third member of the Canadian Track Team, but a recent mechanical problem left him stranded without a bike just days before his Madison event as reported by Canadian Press late last week. Now thanks to the loan of a Cerv̩lo bike from the Danish team, Gilbert is back in business as reported by La Presse.

The loan of a Danish bike came after Gerard Vroomen, the co-founder of Toronto-based Cervélo Cycles Inc, contacted the Danish team that is sponsored by Cervélo, and now Gilbert is back on the track. The story underlines the ingenuity that Canadian riders must sometimes display to compete internationally.

Gilbert, of Chateauguay, Quebec, paid for a good part of his own expenses to compete at various track World Cup events without the support of a mechanic or soigneur. This March things looked bleak for Gilbert to get to Beijing after he and team mate, Ryan McKenzie, finished a heartbreaking 16th at the 2008 UCI Track Worlds in Manchester, England where they needed to finish 15th or better to clinch an Olympic berth. Gilbert then wrote a letter, with help from Mathieu Toulouse (EVA-Devinci), to Gilles Peruzzi, the UCI Sports Coordinator for Track explaining the difficulties that track riders from Canada are confronted with. The letter detailing the harshness of the Canadian climate and lack of indoor facilities was apparently approved by the CCA.

As we reported in May during the 2008 Pan Am Road and Track Championships a wild card Beijing berth was still possible, and soon after Canada was awarded a Madison berth. This eventually lead to Gilbert’s selection to ride with Zach Bell (Symmetrics) already attending the Games to compete in the men’s Points race (Bell placed 7th).

Gilbert’s situation is not unlike Lori Ann Muenzer’s situation at the 2004 Games in Athens. During the competition Muenzer’s coach, Eric van den Eynde, who is Gilbert’s coach as well, had to borrow wheels from the Australian and French teams to allow Muenzer to ride. Muenzer eventually won Olympic gold in the women’s sprint that year.

Gilbert, 25, is scheduled to ride in Tuesday’s Madison race in Beijing with team mate Bell. Let’s hope they both have similar success as Muenzer as well!

More on this story Canadian Press, and La Press (in French).