June 28/12 18:02 pm - Road Nationals: ITT Full results Juniors, Masters and ParaUPDATED

Posted by Editoress on 06/28/12
 

Junior, Masters and Para Cycling Nationals began today in Lac Megantic, Quebec and will run through Sunday, July 1st.

Para-cyclists, Juniors and Masters begin their Championships with Time Trials races

New Canadian champions were crowned today in Lac Mégantic as the 2012 COLD-FX Canadian Road Championships continued for the Junior, Master and Para cyclists.

In the junior women, the surprising Saskia Kowalchuk (Team CHCH) won top honors in the time trials, stopping the clock at 22:17 after 15 kilometres of racing. The young cyclist from Ontario was pleased with her efforts: “Being Canadian champion and to wear the Maple Leaf jersey is very surreal right now. It was quite unexpected. I missed my high school graduation to be here, so I had to compensate and do well here! I am quite happy to go home with the jersey.”

“The course is relatively flat, which benefited me because I am strong in these sections. I had therefore to make time during the flat sections. My coach Rick Lee and I worked a lot on motor pacing, and on the Computrainer to improve my wattage.”

“I must thank my coach Rick Lee, the team president Lloyd Fairbairn who lent me the bicycle on which I rode today, my family and friends and the entire team.”

In the Junior Men, it was Nigel Ellsay of Cycling BC team that climbed on the top step of the podium. Ellsay, who last year won the silver medal at these Championships, crossed the finish line after 30km race in a time of 40: 30.88.

“I have been working for the last six months. I am really happy to get it over with,” said Ellsay, who spent some valuable time in France earlier this spring. “I headed over to France in the March, and spent 3.5 months in a French club team. Midway through, a rider dropped out and I had the privilege to go race at a Nations Cup in Germany with the national team. I gained valuable experience and finished 13th in the General Classification. It was a good spring!”

“It’s a pure time trial course. I have been working really hard the last couple of months. It feels great to win the Maple Leaf Jersey. It’s a big relief, since I have been working towards this objective for the last two months. Last year, I was second and I really wanted it. This year I finally got it.”

Young Marc-Antoine Soucy (Team CC IAMGOLD) finished in second place with a time of 40:49, while Adam Jamieson (Team CHCH) finished third, just one second off the second place.

In para-cycling, Arnold Boldt, won the C category. Boldt, a veteran Paralympian has had an outstanding athletic career, today's race proving he is still a force in the sport.

The leader of the World Cup tour and defending World Champion in T1 (Tricycle) Marie-Eve Croteau was the fastest among the tricycles, finishing ahead of rookie Dominique Mainguy, second, and the World Champion T2 Shelley Gautier, third.

Mark Beggs took top honors in the handcycle category. Beggs posted the fastest time, followed by Charles Moreau, who was the surprise of the day, and Mark Ledo.

In tandem, Daniel Chalifour along with pilot Alexandre Cloutier, Canada's top ranked men, were the fastest ahead of World Champion tandem of Robbi Weldon and pilot Lyne Bessette. Brian Cowie and Ed Veal finished third.

Cycling Canada press release