July 03, 2017 (Emmen, Netherlands) – The Canadian Para-cycling team wrapped up a successful performance at Round 3, the final Road World Cup of the season in Emmen, Netherlands June 30-July 2 yesterday, bringing home a total of eight medals including three golds.

Canada brought 17 athletes to the event including a group of Next Gen athletes who were there to try to achieve top-10 performances as well as meet the national team’s A standard.

With the Para-cycling Road World Championships being held from August 31 to September 3 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the final round of the World Cup offered the Canadian team the opportunity to fine-tune their fitness against an international field.

During the time trial events on the opening day, Canadians saw great success, winning six medals. Shelley Gautier took gold in the 8.6km Women’s T1 Time Trial. Maire-Claude Molnar finished third in the 17.2km Women’s C4 Time Trail, while Nicole Clermont also finished third in the 17.2km Women’s C5 Time Trial.

Michael Sametz took the win in the 25.8km Men’s C3 Time Trial, while Ross Wilson finished second in the 17.2km Men’s C1 Time Trial and Charlse Moreau claimed third in the 17.2km Men’s H3 Time Trial.

Wilson, a double silver medalist at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, said, “It was my first World Cup of the 2017 season and it was great to be back racing as part of the Canadian national para-cycling team.  It was a wonderful opportunity to test myself, and I was very pleased to be standing on the podium. Unfortunately, it was second rather than first, but I think I’m in a good position for [the world championships] in August.

“After the Paralympics, I was on a bit of a high and continued to work and train with [national coach] Sebastien Travers, and go in a different direction from what I had done in the past.  I think we’ve seen some very good results and progress.  What also motivated me was the letter we received from Prime Minister Trudeau, encouraging the entire team to have great races and results. It was wonderful.”

On Canada Day 150, July 1, Gautier took home a gold medal in the Women’s 21.3km T1 Road Race bringing her medal count to two. Also on Saturday, Moreau finished third in the Men’s 63.9km H3 Road Race for his second bronze.

There might have been more medals if not for some bad breaks. Wilson was well positioned in the Men’s C1 road race going into the final 500 metres until a crash took him out of contention.  The multi-time medal winning women’s tandem team of Robbi Weldon (Ottawa, ON) and Audrey Lemieux (Montreal, QC) lost their opportunity in the road race also due to a crash.

Arnaud Litou, Para-cycling Manager, stated, “The Canadian para-cycling team won eight medals at the final Road World Cup in Emmen, and showed lots of character.  All the staff and athletes would like to dedicate these World Cup results to Sébastien Héroux [NextGen para-cycling athlete] who passed away this past Wednesday in Bromont-QC after losing a long fight with illness. In those hard moments for us all, we think about his wife and two children … as Sébastien always said:  ‘Pursue your dreams and live your life fully!’ He will always be with us!”

The results bode well for the upcoming Para-cycling Road Worlds, especially in the time trial disciplines.

With files from Cycling Canada

Results

Women’s T1 Time Trial Results.
Women’s C4 Time Trail Results.
Women’s C5 Time Trial Results.

Men’s C3 Time Trial Results.
Men’s C1 Time Trial Results.
Men’s H3 Time Trial Results.

Women’s T1 Road Race Results.
Men’s H3 Road Race Results.