Cycling Canada has been hosting its Canadian Road Championships for the last two years in the region with Lac-Mégantic greeting both the Elite Championships in 2012 and the Para/Junior/Masters Championships in 2013.
Running from June 26-29, the event in Lac-Mégantic will feature the gruelling time trials, the traditional road race and the fast-paced and exciting Criterium for the Elite, U23 and Para-cyclists. Several hundreds of road cyclists and their support teams are expected to converge to the Lac Mégantic region with the hopes of becoming the newest Canadian Champions.
At stake during any Canadian Championships is more than results, but the opportunity to win the honour of wearing the coveted Maple Leaf Jersey throughout the world as the reigning Canadian Champion.
In conjunction with these Championships, the Challenge Sprint will be held on the final day. The top two finishers of this short race, about 400m in distance, will be selected to race for Canada at the Challenge Sprint Pro event in September, during the 2014 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.
The event is organized by Événements Sportifs Région de Lac-Mégantic with Denis Bolduc at the helm, in collaboration with La Corporation du Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce. The local committee combined with the Tour de Beauce organization are highly experienced in the delivery of road cycling, having hosted amongst many other races the famous Tour de Beauce for the last 29 years, Canada’ longest-standing international stage race.
“We are honoured and pleased to host the Elite and Para-Cycling Championships in Lac-Mégantic. The region offer a great competitive platform with roads that will certainly attract Canada’s top cyclists, and crown the best,” said Denis Bolduc. “Every year, we host a stage of the Tour de Beauce in the Lac-Mégantic area, with the famous climb of the Mont-Mégantic. We were all immensely saddened following the incident, with close members of our organizing committee directly impacted as a result of the derailment. Using cycling and tourism participate in the rebuilding efforts is a testament to our commitment to the region, and its future.”
The event is supported locally by an array of partners, including the Towns of Lac Mégantic and Val Racine, the Sûreté du Québec, the Ministère des Transports du Québec, the Groupe Canam, Caisse Desjardins de la MRC du Granit, iClic, Tafisa, Tourisme Région de Mégantic, St-Georges Toyota, Le Georgeville and Alex Coulombe Ltée.
“Lac-Mégantic in Quebec is known to be a great place for cyclists. It is with great joy that the council and I have agreed to host the event. It’s always a great privilege to receive these elite athletes and admire their performance,” said Collete Roy-Laroche, mayor of the town of Lac Mégantic.
Following the disaster in 2013, the cycling community and Cycling Canada jointly fundraised over $14 000, which was presented in person to the mayor of the 6000-resident town, Colette Roy-Laroche.
Jacques Landry, High Performance Director, is also pleased with the venue selection: “The region of Lac-Mégantic offers a diverse range of challenging terrain for all cyclists competing in these Canadian Championships. Given how hard the courses will be there is no doubt that the riders crowned as Canadian Champions will truly be the strongest in their field. For some entered in these championships, it’s an opportunity to confirm their high level of competitiveness while for others, this event will be an chance to showcase their talent in front of National Team coaches with the hopes of being selected for future national team projects.”
Greg Mathieu, Chief Executive Officer of Cycling Canada, had no doubts about approving the selection of Lac-Mégantic to host its races. “Hosting a sporting event of the magnitude of a Canadian Road Cycling Championships can have a significant financial impact to a region, no matter where they are being held. For Cycling Canada to return to Lac-Mégantic is a testament of our ongoing commitment to help in the rebuilding efforts of the cycling-friendly town, a town that has welcomed us for the last two years. We always feel welcomed in the area, and it’s a great pleasure for all our community to race the roads of Lac Mégantic for this prime event.”
More information, including registrations and route details, can be found here.
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