May 3/07 8:23 am - Canadian Para-cyclists Undefeated

Posted by Editor on 05/3/07
 

Canadian Para-cyclists Undefeated
Courtesy CCA / Sportcom

Five Canadian athletes went undefeated at the inaugural Calabogie International Para-Cycling competition on Wednesday. Mark Breton, Rico Morneau, Stéphane Chaput and tandem riders Daniel Chalifour - Alexandre Cloutier all posted victories in the time trials and road races in their respective categories.

This was the first time Canada's top Para-Cycling racers competed at MotorSports Park. The riders enjoyed the course lauding the quality of the road and the challenging hills and turns.

In the tandem events, Chalifour and Cloutier, in their first season together, showed they'll be a threat this season. Triple champions at last week's Défi Sportif, they placed first overall. Stéphane Côté and Pierre-Olivier Boily were second in both races while Gene Della Siega and Craig Deveers were third.

''We have similar strengths and we pedal fast,'' said Cloutier, returning to Para-Cycling after piloting at the 1996 and 2000 Paralympics. ''As soon as we joined forces we clicked. I was a bit surprised. I didn't expect we'd go so fast in the time trial.''

In the road race, Côté and Boily built a gap early on leading by as much as a minute. However they were caught near the end and lost in a sprint finish.

''We tried a different tactic and our goal was to win,'' said Boily. ''We rode on our own for 45 kilometres before being caught. Stéphane was very motivated and joked 'today you'll have some rear-wheel drive.'''

In the amputee division, Breton finished 52 seconds ahead of Éric Bourgault in the overall standings. Greta Neimanas of the U.S., was third. The cyclists were respectively 1-2-3 in both races as well. Breton rode on a regular bike, since his adapted bike was broken. Therefore the Quebec rider could not change his rear gears during the races.

In overall standings in the CP3 and CP4 (cerebral palsy) divisions, Mike Farrell of the U.S., won both races for first spot. Sébastien Bouchard was second, seven seconds ahead of Jean Quévillon. Bouchard was also second in the road race and third in the time trial, five seconds behind Quévillon.

In CP1, Stéphane Chaput of Gatineau, Que., was the sole entry.