September 13/12 12:26 pm - Canadian Road Worlds Team Announced

Posted by Editoress on 09/13/12
 

With less than a week to the start of the UCI Road World Championships held in Limburg, the Netherlands, Cycling Canada is pleased to announce those who have been selected to represent Canada at the event.

Racing starts on September 16th with the newly added Team Time Trial for professional cycling teams, and closes on September 23 with the marquee Elite Men's Road Race.

The Elite Men's team is headlined by World Tour veterans Ryder Hesjedal (Victoria, BC/Garmin-Sharp) who won the 2012 Giro d’Italia and represented Canada at the Olympic Games, François Parisien (Repentigny, QC/Team SpiderTech p/b C10), seven-time Canadian Time Trial Champion Svein Tuft (Langley, BC/Orica-GreenEDGE) and David Veilleux (Cap Rouge, QC/Team EuropCar). Tuft will also be racing the Time Trial.

“We have more depth than ever to select our teams for major international events. This is a great sign that cycling in Canada is moving in the right direction, and is growing rapidly in popularity. The team we have is experienced competing against the best in the World. We are travelling to Limburg to be competitive and have a shot at winning,” said Gord Fraser, who will be heading the Elite Men team at this event.”

In women’s action, Canada is sending five riders for the road race. The squad is headlined by Olympians Joëlle Numainville (Montréal, QC/Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies) and Leah Kirchmann (Winnipeg, MB/Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies). Lex Albrecht (Barrie, ON/Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies), Véronique Labonté (La Guadeloupe, QC/CSM Epinay sur Seine) and Karol-Ann Canuel (Amos, QC/Vienne-Futuroscope) have also been selected to race at the World Championships. Rhae Shaw (Amherstburg, ON/Team Exergy Twenty12) will compete in the time trial where she rode to an impressive top 10 in 2011. Numainville will also compete in the individual time trial.

For the Espoir (U23) category, Canada has a strong team of riders participating in the road race. Hugo Houle (Ste-Perpétue, QC/Team SpiderTech p/b C10), David Boily (Québec, QC/Team SpiderTech p/b C10) and Canadian U23 Road Race Champion Antoine Duchesne (Blainville, QC/Garneau-Québecor-Norton Rose) will all be racing the road race. Both Houle (2012 Canadian U23 Time Trial Champion) and Boily will also be racing the time trial.

“Our riders will be very competitive in Limburg. The course suits their abilities, and they have proven their skills throughout the past season. Houle came in second at the challenging Tour de Beauce, while David Boily made history last season by sporting the Yellow Jersey at the Tour de l’Avenir for five days,” said Luc Arseneau, coach of the development program at Cycling Canada. “We have made some smart decisions in preparing for these World Championships, and we have three riders on the start line compared to one last year.”

In the junior categories, Canada will be represented by some young riders who have excelled at National and international races this season. Ariane Bonhomme (Gatineau, QC) and Saskia Kowalchuk are headlining the women’s junior team as the two Canadian Champions. Audrey Labrie (Prévost, QC) and Allyson Gillard (Beaupré, QC) will be joining the team. On the  junior men’s side, both Canadian Champions in the Road and Time Trial men junior races Chris Prendergast (Winnipeg, MB), and Nigel Ellsay (Courtenay, BC) will also be on the start lines in the Netherlands and will be joined by Benjamin Perry (St. Catharines, ON).

Junior Men
Ben Perry (ON)
Christopher Prendergast (MB)
Nigel Ellsay (BC)y

Junior Women
Allyson Gillard (QC)
Ariane Bonhomme (QC)
Audrey Labrie (QC)
Saskia Kowalchuk (ON)

U23 Men
Hugo Houle (QC)
David Boily (QC)
Antoine Duchesne (QC)

Elite Women
Joelle Numainville (QC)
Lex Albrecht (QC)
Leah Kirchmann (MB)
Veronique Labonté (QC)
Karol Anne Canuel (QC)

Elite Men
Ryder Hesjedal (BC)
Svein Tuft (BC)
Francois Parisien (QC)
David Veilleux (QC)