The NextGen team of Erin Attwell (Victoria, BC), Maggie Coles-Lyster (Maple Ridge, BC), Devaney Collier (Edmonton, Alberta), and Laurie Jussaume (Contrecoeur, Quebec) qualified third on Friday in the 4000 metre event and set the third fastest time again on Saturday morning to make it into the bronze medal race against France in the evening. Canada was leading France after the halfway mark when the French team crashed out of competition. The United States won the gold medal ahead of Italy.
“We started out really smooth,” said Attwell, “and the plan was to focus on the technical aspects of our ride; executing well, staying on the black line and communicating. We did a really good job of working together as a team. It’s the first time that we have executed everything perfectly; we had such a smooth ride for all three [races], and every ride got better technically and we got faster in every ride. It’s exciting for the future.”
Jacques Landry Chief, Technical Officer – Head Coach for Cycling Canada, and Project Manager in Minsk, commented: “Saturday was a good day for the team. Our NextGen TP squad rode three great rides, on schedule, every time. The strategy was easy for them – it was to focus on their own race, communicate and strive for flawless execution. They met the strategic goals which led to a bronze medal; a bronze medal that may not have happened without the great preparation from NextGen coach, Jenny Trew, along with on-point in the field input from our physiologist, Emily Wood.”
“To cap off the day, Stefan rode a great Final which could have yielded a gold. Though his qualifier could have been better, with his legs firing on all cylinders, he rode a great repechage to put him back into the running. In the Sprint competition he had a strong qualifier but just came up against a more experienced rider in the heats.”
“Overall I’m really happy with how the Keirin went,” said Ritter. “I couldn’t have asked for more, to be honest. Considering this is the first time I’ve raced the Keirin at a World Cup, I’m really happy with silver. Except for the first ride, all my rides went really well; tactically, I feel like I made good decisions.”
In other competition, Devaney Collier of Edmonton competed in the four event women’s Omnium, finishing 14th overall, while Maggie Coles-Lyster competed in the Points Race but did not finish, and in the Madison with Laurie Jassaume, where the duo was 13th.
“The Madison was definitely a new experience,” admitted Coles-Lyster. “I think Laurie and I learned a lot; it was one of the fastest races I’ve ever done. It showed us everything we need to work on, and I know that we will get there. This was the second Madison we have done together, so we’ve made big progress since the [Junior] world championships, and I can see us making more progress now.”
Landry summarized the project: “The girls [NextGen Track endurance] really came into their own during this project; it’s a testament to their talent and the work done in the background from coaches and staff like Jenny and Emily Wood. They’ve not only learned a lot in the Team Pursuit, but also in the individual events like the Points Race, Omnium and Madison. Although Stefan Ritter may have made some mistakes in the 1/8th final, he definitely has shown he is world class. This is the Stefan we expect to see more of in the coming months and years.”
Source: Cycling Canada
Cycling Canada is the governing body for competitive cycling in Canada. Founded in 1882, Cycling Canada aims to create and sustain an effective system that develops talented Canadian cyclists to achieve Olympic, Paralympic, and World Championship medal performances. With the vision of being a leading competitive cycling nation by 2020 celebrating enhanced international success, increased national participation and world class event hosting, Cycling Canada manages the High Performance team, hosts national and international events and administers programs to promote and grow cycling across the country. Cycling Canada programs are made possible through the support of its valued corporate partners – Global Relay, Lexus Canada, Mattamy Homes, Louis Garneau and Bear Mountain Resort – along with the Government of Canada, Own The Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee.