From Cycling Canada:
(Saint-Georges, QC – June 25, 2015) The 2015 Global Relay Canadian Championships kicked off in Saint-Georges, QC with the presentation of the time trial races for all categories.
Hugo Houle blasted through the Elite Men group to earn his first Elite Canadian Championships title, earning the coveted Red and White Jersey thanks to a time of 57m13s on the lengthy and challenging 42km course.
Houle was sacred Canadian Champion in both the time trial and road race since his cadet years, including junior and U23 categories. “The only title I have not won is the Elite Road Race.
“The fact that Svein [a 9-time Canadian Champion] was not here was a great opportunity. I had a target on my back today, and I wanted to rise to the challenge. I self-imposed myself a great deal of expectations today, and I am happy to have delivered,” said Houle, who will represent Canada at the Pan-American Games this July. “This title is the fruit of the many years of training and hard work with my coach Pierre Hutsebaut. I stepped up this year, with many good results.”
Houle will take the Red and White Jersey to the highest road cycling platform, the UCI WorldTour. “It’s quite the honor to don the Red and White Jersey on the World Tour, in Europe and across the World. I am really proud to represent Canada. It will certainly add a little more pressure, but I’ll continue to work hard and progress year after year.
Houle now sets his eyes on the Pan-Am Games, in which he will take part in the time trial and road race. “The next challenge will be the Pan-American Games in Toronto. I’ll work on that objective this coming month, and I think I can come out even stronger. This will be a great objective of mine this season, to show that on the road we are still very strong.”
Ryan Roth (Cambridge, ON) of Silber Pro Cycling took the second spot, delivering another strong performance in the time trial. Notably this season, Roth clinched second places at the Redlands Classic and the Tour de Beauce. WorldTour rider Christian Meier (Sussex, NB) of Orica GreenEDE came in third place.
CANUEL TAKES TOP HONNORS IN WOMEN’S TIME TRIAL
The Elite women race was won by Karol-Ann Canuel (Amos, QC) of team velocio-SRAM, riding an impressive race with a final time of 45m05s, averaging a speed of 39.926 km/h. Canuel’s performance was exceptional, earning the Red and White jersey with a lead of 1m17s over her closest competitor, Jasmin Glaesser (Coquitlam, BC) of Optum-Kelly Benefits Strategies. The defending Canadian Champion, Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, MB), also of Optum-Kelly Benefits Strategies, took third place crossing the line 2m03s after Canuel’s winning time.
“This title was a big objective for me this season, and I am really thrilled to be Canadian Champion in the Time Trial. My progression really took off when I joined Specialized-Lululemon last year and Velocio-SRAM this season. I took part last year in the Team Time Trial at the World Championships, which we won,” said Canuel.
Canuel won the title just over one year after suffered multiple injuries – a broken back in June, and a broken pelvis suffered in September. “The rehabilitation process was slower than I had wished for. The neck injury healed a bit faster than expected, but the pelvis fracture was a bit longer. I am only starting to find my feelings on the road.”
The women’s course was 30 kilometers in length while the men’s race was disputed over 42km.
PARA-CYCLISTS SHINE WITH REPEAT AND NEW CANADIAN CHAMPIONS
The morning races saw the Para-cyclists attacking the very challenging course. Shelley Gautier (WT1) took the title in the T category, exceeding the National team standard. Mark Ledo (MH4) won the MH3-4 category adding to his National Title collection. Mike Sametz, the young up-and-comer from Calgary, took the title in the WC1-5 / MC1-3 category.
In the WH1-4 / MH1-2 category, Myriam Adam rode to the first place, while Sebastien Héroux won his first National title of the Men C4-5 category, achieving 73% of the National Team standard.
In the B category, the long-standing tandem of Daniel Chalifoux and Alexandre Cloutier took the men’s title while the newly formed tandem of veterans Robbi Weldon and Joanie Caron won the women’s title.
Friday, the women’s road race will be presented while the men will tackle their road race Saturday.
PODIUM – ELITE MEN
1. HOULE, Hugo (AG2R La Mondiale) 57:13.63
2. ROTH, Ryan (Silber Pro Cycling) 57:39.59 +25.96
3. MEIER Christian (Orica GreenEDGE) 58:19.69 +1:06.06
PODIUM – U23 MEN
1. CATAFORD, Alex (Silber Pro Cycling) 1:00:49.46
2. DE VOS, Adam (H&R Block Pro Cycling) 1:01:16.78 +27.32
3. JEAN, Emile (Équipe du Québec) 1:01:29.69 +40.23
PODIUM – ELITE WOMEN
1. CANUEL, Karol-Ann (Velocio-SRAM) 45:05.22
2. GLAESSER, Jasmin (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits) 46:22.51 +1:17.29
3. KIRCHMANN, Leah (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits) 47:08.40 +2:03.18
PODIUMS – PARA-CYCLING
WT1-2 / MT1-2
1. GAUTIER, Shelley WT1 (Team Ontario) 22:44.20 (101.95%)
2. CORRIVEAU JOLIN, Louis Albert MT2 (Équipe du Québec) 18:18.11 (84.89%)
3. WILSON, Ashley MT2 (Cyclemeisters/Bow Cycle) 20:06.80 (77.29%)
MH3-4
1. LEDO, Mark MH4 (Real Deal/Gears) 27:40.15 (80.92%)
2. BEGGS, Mark MH3 (Équipe du Québec) 28:39.00 (78.81%)
3. MORNEAU, Rico MH3 (Équipe du Québec) 29:49.23 (75.73%)
WC1-5 / MC1-3
1. SAMETZ, Michael MC3 (Team Alberta) 23:14.58 (90.49%)
2. MOLNAR, Marie Claude WC4 (Équipe du Québec) 27:59.88 (86.69%)
3. CLERMONT, Nicole WC5 (Équipe du Québec) 26:19.45 (85.35%)
WH1-4 / MH1-2
1. ADAM, Myriam WH3 (Équipe du Québec) 44:01.19 (70.52%)
2. CHARRON, Annik WH3 1:01:48.19 (59.00%)
3. LABBE, Robert MH2 (Équipe du Québec) 44:38.72 (58.05%)
MC4-5
1. HÉROUX, Sébastien MC4 (La Cordée) 54:19.66 (73.84%)
2. MURPHY, Jeff MC5 (Team PBR) 56:28.34 (70.14%)
3. AVSAR, Atilla MC5 1:03:31.67 (62.35%)
MB
1. CHALIFOUR, Daniel/CLOUTIER, Alexandre (Équipe du Québec) 42:51.25
2. CARRIER, Alexandre/LAFLAMME, Aroussen (Équipe du Québec) 44:30.34
3. CROTEAU DAIGLE, Matthieu/BOILY, Pierre-Olivier (Équipe du Québec) 45:52.24
WB
1. WELDON, Robbi/CARON, Joanie (Fort Langley Cyclery) 50:51.78
2. RYAN, Shawna/LEMIEUX, Audrey (Team Saskatchewan) 52:37.58
3. BOUCHARD, Annie/ TREMBLAY, Rachel (Équipe du Québec) 56:47.91
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: U23 & Elite Men
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: U23 & Elite Women
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: U23 Men
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: Para-cycling MC4-5
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: Para-cycling MH3-4
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: Para-cycling WT1-2, MT1-2
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: WB MB
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: Para-cycling WC1-5, MC1-3
2015 Road Nationals TT Results: Para-cycling WH1-4, MH1-2
For more information, please check out the event website at: http://www.
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