Ottawa, ON (June 24, 2024) – Canadian talent in the U17, junior, elite and para categories converged on St-Georges, Quebec, from June 21 to 24, to vie for one of 30 coveted titles at the 2024 Canadian Road Cycling Championships. For the first time in history, Canadian titles were also on the line for U17 athletes.
In torrential rain, athletes competed in the road race, time trial and criterium on the hilly roads of Beauce.
A first Canadian title for Woods
In the elite category, Pier-André Côté made his mark by winning the Canadian time trial title and taking second place in the road race, just behind his Israel-Premier Tech teammate Michael Woods. Although known internationally for his prowess at the Tour de France 2023, among others, this was the Ottawa-born rider’s first-ever Canadian title.
“It’s certainly a life goal, a career goal,” said Woods. “I was lucky enough to have Pier-André Côté in the breakaway with me. It was thanks to him that I was able to win today. I knew I had to attack in the hard moments, and I chose the most difficult parts of the climbs to attack as much as I could, which resulted in a perfect situation for us.”
In the criterium, victory went to Matisse Julien (Vélo Studio Toguri) in the combined U23 and elite category.
On the women’s side, triathlete Paula Findlay did it again, winning her third consecutive Canadian time trial title, Olivia Baril (Movistar) was 24 seconds behind.
“The course was a little more hilly than last year in Edmonton,” said Findlay. “It works in my favor to have a hilly course that isn’t technical, so I climbed the hills well and was able to relax on the descents. It was interesting to ride in last position, because I could see ahead of me, and I was using the riders in front of me as extra motivation.”
Baril, meanwhile, stood out in the road race, taking top honours in a sprint against silver medallist Magdeleine Vallières-Mill (EF Education-Cannondale), whose powerful attacks were felt throughout the race and whose performance in the criterium was enough to earn her the win.
Roldan triumphs in the U23 category
Taking the top step of the podium in both the time trial and the road race, Mara Roldan (Cynisca Cycling) had a near-perfect weekend in the U23 women’s category, finishing third in the overall road classification combined with the elite women, just behind Baril and Vallières-Mill.
“This weekend was special; I didn’t expect to take the top step twice,” said Roldan. “Some of these women I’ve watched on TV for the last five years of my life and to be able to run with them is an incredible opportunity.”
In the road race, it was Quentin Cowan (SCO-Dijon) who took the honors, while Jonas Walton (Ecoflo-Chronos) won the time trial title.
Volstad defends junior title
Alexandra Volstad (Team Alberta) once again proved her strength in road racing, winning a second consecutive junior title, her third in her career. On the final day of competition, she made her mark in the criterium, scoring a win in the combined U17 and junior category. She commented: “I was a bit nervous because I know there are strong girls on the hills and climbing is not my strong point, but I trained a lot to try and adapt to the course and it turned out well in the end.”
In both categories, several experienced track athletes, including Canadian track medalists Jayden McMullen, (road race), Sidney Swierenga (time trial), Alexandra Fangeat (road race) and Jake McLean (time trial) won in their respective categories.
Carl Truffer (time trial), Zachari Moreau (road race), Adam Smith (criterium) and Elly Moore (time trial) claimed their first-ever Canadian titles in their respective categories.
International Caliber in Para-cycling
Para-cycling competitions showcased Canadian talent, many of whom excelled in both time trial and road racing, including Paralympians Joey Desjardins (men’s H1-3) and Shelley Gautier (women’s T1-2), as well as Jessica Law (women’s C4-5), Maarten Duif (men’s H1-2), Katty Abran (women’s H3-5) and Benoît Lalumière-Cloutier (men’s tandem).
“Winning national championships in the time trial and road race is a testament to my dedication and preparation this season,” said Desjardins. “I feel strong and ready to take on all the challenges that lie ahead.”
The full results list can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian BMX Racing Championships, to be held in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC, on July 6. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Events Page of the Cycling Canada website.
Source: Cycling Canada
About Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is one of the oldest national sport organizations in Canada and has one simple purpose: to inspire Canadians to cycle. Cycling Canada administers programs to promote and grow cycling across the country, hosts national and international events and manages the National Team in all levels of international competition.