Emerging from a year of little racing, in which Red Truck athletes found new ways to push themselves and make big gains without the start lines, the team is pleased to announce their lineup for the much anticipated return to racing. The high performance program is entering its 27th year with a long time focus on developing young cyclists both on and off the bike.
On the women’s side, we are excited to welcome back five of the 2020 members, while adding two strong new additions to the mix. Returning riders are elite provincial road race champ Brenna Pauly, U23 provincial road race champ and elite national bronze medalist on the track Holly Simonson, and Sarah van Dam, who had many standout performances at BC Superweek in 2019 and was recently named to Cycling Canada’s Nextgen track endurance program. We also welcome back Holly Henry, who cleaned the field in some of the few events we got to partake in this past year, such as the Burnt Bridge Gravel race, and Jenna Nestman, who is keen to race with the team on the road after transitioning from elite track racing.
New additions are young Annabella Stoll Dansereau, multi-time junior provincial champ and recently discovered virtual racing phenom, and Fiona Majendie, who made the switch from division-1 tennis to cycling in recent years and has already claimed podiums for Red Truck while guest riding. Majendie is also in her first year of med school at UBC, one of the many team members who are currently pursuing degrees and showing that ambitious academic achievement is possible while pursuing athletic dreams.
Returning riders on the men’s side include long time Red Truckers and all-rounders Kyle Buckosky and Al Murison. 2020 addition from Vancouver Island Cole Glover returns alongside fellow Victoria local Chris Macleod. 2021 also sees the return of Alex Fraser-Maraun and Jake Cullen, known to be GC and climbing specialists, respectively.
New recruits are breakout junior rider Tom Terblanche, Declan Kelly, a TT specialist who recently ascended the cycling ranks, and Amiel Flett Brown, experienced track and crit specialist who has been named to the Nextgen track endurance program along with van Dam. Clarke Lind is on board for another season as a mentor to the men’s team.
While we look ahead at a new season full of hope for some safe and fast racing, we must also take a moment to look back, as Red Truck has done so many amazing things over the years. One of these team accomplishments is the development of hopeful local athletes into pros, with many Red Truckers having gone on to race at the top level of the sport. One of these athletes, who spent two years on the team and then four years as a professional with Rally Cycling and with the Canadian national team, is Sara Bergen. Reflecting on her career, Sara said:
“Red Truck was this amazing place for me to learn and hone my skills as a professional both on the bike and in life. The most valuable thing I learned in my time on the team was if you are smart, if you work hard, and apply yourself both on and off the bike, there truly is no limit to your possibilities.”
Sara has made the decision to retire from the pro ranks after a very fulfilling career, and we are wishing her the best for whatever she tackles next. Congratulations are also due to another Red Truck Alumnus, Riley Pickrell, who has recently signed with the Israel Start Up Nation Pro-Continental team.
As always none of this would be possible without our amazing network of sponsors and friends. They allow the team to provide an environment of support for young athletes so they can compete at the highest level and still maintain their educational pursuits, and we can’t thank them enough.
The Full 2021 Roster
Women:
- Holly Henry
- Fiona Majendie
- Jenna Nestman
- Brenna Pauly
- Holly Simonson
- Annabella Stoll Dansereau
- Sarah van Dam
Men:
- Kyle Buckosky
- Jake Cullen
- Amiel Flett-Brown
- Alex Fraser-Maraun
- Cole Glover
- Declan Kelly
- Clarke Lind (Mentor)
- Chris Macleod
- Al Murison
- Tom Terblanche
Follow the team on Facebook (Red Truck Racing) and Instagram (@redtruck_racing) to see more upcoming announcements and keep up with our season.