The Canadian cycling contingent came away with three bronze medals at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The team got off the to a roaring start winning two bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s Team Pursuit on the opening day of the games and the first of the cycling events at the Anna Meares velodrome in Brisbane.
The team of Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, Annie Foreman-Mackey and Steph Roorda took the bronze medal against England, with a time of 4:21.493. “The goal was to win the bronze medal, and we reassessed and improved on some stuff from the first ride, which was positive. It’s pretty great to get the first cycling medal,” said Roorda of Vancouver, BC. The men’s team of Michael Foley, Derek Gee, Adam Jamieson and Jay Lamoureux won their bronze medal race against Wales and recorded a time of 4:00.440.
Caves from Vancouver, BC, and the only rider returning from the 2014 team, said “Third feels amazing; to come back four years later with a new group of guys is incredible.” and Lamoureux from Victoria, BC added, “The Team Pursuit was my proudest moment. Bringing home a Commonwealth bronze is a very exciting achievement for myself and the team. Our recent results gives me lots of hope for the future.”
Canada’s third medal in cycling came shortly after the track events with Haley Smith winning the bronze medal in the women’s Mountain Bike competition at Nerang Mountain Bike Trails, just west of Gold Coast. Emily Batty was fourth and Leandre Bouchard sixth in the men’s race.
“This is a very different event [from world championships]; this is a major Games, but it is a smaller field. There are some top international performers here, and I didn’t really know what to expect of myself, and I don’t know I can compare it to a world championships. But I’m really happy, and this is something I will have for the rest of my life. I feel very proud and humbled, and fulfilled,” said Smith.
Cycling at the Commonwealth Games concluded with the road races for women and men, at Currumbin Beach, south of Gold Coast. Annie Foreman-Mackey was the top Canadian finisher for the day, in 17th place in the women’s 112.2 kilometre competition. The men’s nine lap, 168.3 kilometre race, began with immediate attacks, which split the field. Michael Foley was the only Canadian rider to survive the attacks and finish the race, ending up 48th in his first international road race.
“For the road events we didn’t really have any targets; we were just going to see how the athletes would do. It was important for athletes like Michael Foley – guys who are going to be part of our program for a long time – to get that Games experience under their belt. ” said Kris Westwood, Canada’s Team Manager for Cycling at the Games.
Jay Lamoureux summed up his experience at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games with this comment, “The whole experience so far has been amazing. The atmosphere here with so many of the world’s best athletes is intense. The village is buzzing every moment of every day. The fans are passionate about their sports, even checking the starting orders to call out riders names; such a great host nation for the games.”
