May 20, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is pleased to announce the six athletes selected for the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup in Segovia, Spain, held from June 10th to June 12th, 2011. Canada will send a limited team to the event as it secured enough qualifying points at the World Cup event in Sydney, Australia earlier this month. Three news faces will be introduced to their first Para-cycling World Cup competition: Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal, QC, Marie-Ève Croteau of Québec, QC and Karen March of Victoria, BC. In addition to the rookie athletes, Marie-Claude Molnar of Sainte-Adèle, QC, Shelley Gautier of Toronto, ON and Brayden McDougall of Calgary, AB will make the trip overseas to race.

Chantal Petitclerc, a prolific wheelchair racer with 21 Paralympic medals including 14 Gold medals in five Paralympic Games, will race for the first time wearing the Canadian uniform. Petitclerc, a companion of the Order of Canada and Golden Jubilee Medal recipient, is excited at to renew her love for sport with the sport of para-cycling.

“I discovered the sport since training with Eric Van Den Eynde. It’s a new passion for which I am discovering! Going to the UCI World Cup in Segovia is a chance for me to see where I stand amongst the world’s elite, and to live a neat experience,” said Petitclerc, winner of the Laureus World Sports Award and first female Paralympic athlete to receive the Lou Marsh Award.

Petitclerc raced on a hand bike in the H3 category at the Defi Sportif in Montréal, and surpassed the National Team standards. Petitclerc objectives are clear, and they are short term.

“I don’t have as an objective to compete in para-cycling at the Paralympic Games in London. Competing in Spain is way for me to help Canada earn those coveted UCI points for Paralympic qualification,” continued Petitclerc, holder of five World records and five Paralympic records in athletics. “I was quite shocked, and happy, to have met the standards at the Défi Sportif in Montréal, QC.”

Another new face joining the team is Marie-Ève Croteau, in the T2 category. Hailing from Québec City, Marie-Ève Croteau shattered the National Team standards and could be a medal contender in her opening race in the Tricycle category (T2). At the recent Défi Sportif in Montréal, Croteau raced to 140% of the National Team standards in the time trial race, and won the road race amongst an international attendance.

Also competing internationally for the first time in para-cycling is Karen March of Victoria, BC, the reigning Provincial Champion in the time trial race. March is racing in the H1 category. Like Petitclerc, March is also a convert from the sport of athletics. At the 2004 Paralympic Summer Games in Athens, she raced in the 200m and 400m, events in which she finished 8th and 10th respectively.

Segovia is a medieval city in the center of Spain with more than 2000 years old. In 1985 the UNESCO named to Segovia as a World Heritage Site. Segovia is renowned for its Roman Aqueduct and for its castle name Alcazar. A Real Orden issued in a remote October the 11th of 1884, named the Aqueduct Monumento Histórico Artístico (Historical-artistic monument). This honourable name was given, as years passed by, to several monuments of the city.

Canadian Delegation, 2011 Para-Cycling Road World Cup, Segovia, Spain
– Marie-Ève Croteau – T2 (Québec, QC)
– Shelley Gautier – T1 (Toronto, ON)
– Karen March – H1 (Victoria, BC)
– Brayden McDougall – C1 (Calgary, AB)
– Marie Claude Molnar – C4 (Sainte-Adèle, QC)
– Chantal Petitclerc – H3 (Montreal, QC)

Schedule
– Friday, June 10 – Individual Time Trial (all categories)
– Saturday, June 11 – Road race (B, H)
– Sunday, June 12 – Road race (C)

More information on the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup in Segovia can be found online here.