With the warm weather now upon us, especially on Canada’s west coast it’s only fitting that we get the bikes out of the shed, pump up the tires, adjust the seat and hit the road for fun and enjoyment.
I am now hearing that Canada’s National Para-Cycling team has Canada has selected it’s team members, 12 in total all world-class Athletes that will head to the first round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup.
The event will be held in Ostend, Belgium taking place this upcoming weekend (May 3-6) and this will be the first event during the qualifying period for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
This officially marks the beginning when riders and competing nations begin to collect ranking points that will determine country quotas for the Games.
Canada’s National team is headed by T1 Women World champions Shelley Gautier (Toronto) and C2 Men’s Tristen Chernove (Cranbrook), C3 Men Michael Sametz (Calgary) in addition to Tandem Women former world champion Robbi Weldon (Ottawa) and her pilot Audrey Lemieux of Montreal.
Sebastien Travers, Canada’s Head Coach for Para-Cycling at Cycling Canada
UCI Paracycling Track Worlds, Los Angeles, CA, March 2, 2017, (Photo by Casey B. Gibson)
mentioned “The Para-cycling program is looking forward to its first 2018 Road World Cup.”
He continued “As this is the first road event in the Tokyo Paralympic qualification process, we have gathered a team that is able to perform at high level, as well as score a high level of UCI points.”
He continued “this World Cup marks the debut for some members of the new IST staff to better service our athletes once they have seen them race.”
Racing will begin May 3rd with the finals set for May 6th with the individual time trials for all categories.
The road races will be held May 5th and 6th – Saturday and Sunday.
The second World Cup this year will take place at Emmen in The Netherlands August 6 to 8 and this venue will stage the 2019 Para-cycling Road World Championships.
Baie-Comeau in Canada will host the concluding event of the three round World Cup from August 15 to 19.
Women
Nicole Clermont (C5) St-Denis-de-Brompton, QC
Shelley Gautier (T1) Toronto, ON
Marie-Claude Molnar (C4) St Hubert, QC
Robbi Weldon (Tandem) Ottawa, ON
Audrey Lemieux (Tandem Pilot) Montreal, QC
Men
Tristen Chernove (C2) Cranbrook, BC
Matthieu Croteau Daigle (Tandem) Sherbrooke, QC
Benoit Lussier (Tandem Pilot) Montreal, QC
Joey Desjardins (H3) Hawkesbury, ON
Alexander Hyndman (H3) Morpeth, ON
Charles Moreau (H3) Victoriaville, ON
Michael Sametz (C3) Calgary, ABSe
Thanks to Cycling Canada
Karine Bedard Cycling Canada l 438-884-877
