August 25/14 12:36 pm - Team Canada Roster Announced for Quebec & Montreal WorldTour Races

Posted by Editoress on 08/25/14
 

In September of 2010, the world's best cyclists gathered on Canadian soil for the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes (GPCQM); the first ever stop of the UCI WorldTour race series in the Americas. Five years later, the event continues to attract the best cyclists in the world while giving Canada's top riders an opportunity to show their talent in front of home crowds. Cycling Canada has selected a strong lineup of professional road cyclists for the fifth edition of the GPCQM and Canadian cycling icon Steve Bauer will be the manager.

"I am keen to return to the GPCQM to direct the Canadian National Road Team," said Steve Bauer. "I look forward to work with the athletes I have previously directed and see how they have progressed as well as mentoring our younger men that will have their first experience in WorldTour competition. These fall classics are the best opportunities for them gauge their talent against the best pros in the world on challenging world championship level race courses."

The team includes some of Canada's top cyclists from Pro Continental and Continental UCI registered teams, notably Ryan Anderson (Vancouver, BC) of Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies and former Canadian Champion Ryan Roth (Cambridge, ON) of Team Silber Pro Cycling. Anderson and Roth both raced the 2013 edition of the GPCQM.

Climbing specialist Michael Woods (Ottawa, ON) of Team 5-Hr Energy, who had some impressive results at the Tour de Beauce this year, will be racing his first WorldTour race. Also of Team 5-hr Energy, Bruno Langlois (Québec, QC), will be racing in front of his family and friends in Québec City. In 2012, Langlois took the King of the Mountain jersey at the Québec City Grand Prix Cycliste racing with the Canadian National Team.

Set to perform in front of his hometown fans, sprinter Pierrick Naud (Québec, QC) of Team Garneau-Quebecor will be looking to impress. The 2013 Canadian criterium Champion excelled in the inaugural Grand Prix de Saguenay in the spring. Multiple Canada Games medalist Matteo Dal-Cin (Ottawa, ON), of Team Silber Pro Cycling, will be racing his first WorldTour race. After spending a week at the Tour of Alberta with the Canadian National Team, both Garrett McLeod (Wolfville, NS) and Canadian U23 Champion Benjamin Perry (St. Catharines, ON) will also participate in the GPCQM.

Even today, the GPCQM remain the only two events on the American continent on the UCI WorldTour calendar. The arrival of the GPCQM certainly contributed to the globalisation of the discipline, in addition to being an exceptional showcase opportunity for riders at home.

"The organization is very proud to have extended an invitation to the Canadian National Team since 2010 and to have contributed to the rise of Canadian cyclists on professional Teams. Since its inception, the GPCQM have also been quick to attract the world's elite for whom the GPCQM week has become a must," said Marcel Leblanc, Executive Vice President of GPCQM.

The organization also announced last week that Jean-Christophe Péraud (2nd in the 2014 Tour de France, currently fifth in the UCI WorldTour) was listed on the official entry form from ProTeam AG2R La Mondiale for its events. The organization will unveil other headliners in the coming days.

Ryan Anderson (Vancouver, BC) [Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies]
Matteo Dal-Cin (Ottawa, ON) [Silber Pro Cycling]
Bruno Langlois (Quebec, QC) [5-hr Energy]
Garrett McLeod (Wolfville, NS) [Team H&R Block]
Pierrick Naud (Quebec, QC) [Garneau-Quebecor]
Benjamin Perry (St. Catharines, ON) [Team NCCH p/b DEC Express]
Ryan Roth (Cambridge, ON) [Silber Pro Cycling]
Mike Woods (Ottawa, ON) [5-hr Energy]

Courtesy Cycling Canada