December 16/15 8:35 am - Accent Inns/Russ Hays Announces 2016 Roster - Dearden Retires

Posted by Editoress on 12/16/15
 

The Accent Inns / Russ Hay's Cycling Team has announced its roster for the 2016 cycling season. With a stronger emphasis on amateur development, the team has signed young promising cycling talent who have the potential to transition to the professional ranks.  At the same time, team member and former Canadian champion Curtis Dearden has announced his retirement.

Recently, 2015 Team member Danick Vandale made a successful transition to the Professional Ranks by joining the HR Block Pro Cycling Team for 2016. Alumni racer, Jacob Schwingboth had made a similar move the previous year after some impressive results racing for the Accent Inns / Russ Hays Cycling team in 2014.

"Over the last 4 years, we have morphed from a local BC trade team into a respected Canadian cycling development program," explains General Manager Jon Watkin. "We are now well positioned to provide a fully funded turnkey platform for some of Canada's top amateur racers who have aspirations to reach the very top levels of the sport."

Later in 2015, the team was added to the National Sports Trust fund and is now able to accept tax deductible donations.

Curtis Dearden at 2015 Road Nationals

The team's star athlete, former Canadian National Time Trial Champion Curtis Dearden, will be stepping back from cycling to devote his time and energies to his family and working career. In looking back at his cycling achievements, Curtis is reflective. "I've been with the team since the start and I'm proud to see what it has become as we've grown together, racing across the continent winning Provincial and National titles. This makes it even tougher for me to leave a network of support and teammates who have meant so much to me, but I will still be involved in my own way, and I am excited to see what the youth of the team can accomplish as I take a step back to watch from the sidelines."

Cody Canning winning at 2014 Sprint Challenge Pro

Cody Canning (27)
Cody returns as Team Captain and brings many years of North American Pro/Am racing experience.  He is the reigning BC Criterium Champion and former BC Road Cycling Champion.  Cody is known for his well rounded abilities and has one of the fastest sprint finishes in the Country.  He gained fame by winning the 2014 GP Challenge Pro Sprint in Quebec City against some of the top World Tour Professional Sprinters.

Oliver Evans at 2015 CX Nationals

Oliver Evans (18)
Manitoba Junior Criterium / Time Trial Champion, Western Canada Summer Games Silver Medalist, and former Junior National Cyclocross Champion Oliver Evans, will also return to the team and make Victoria his permanent home as he continues on a wave of success as one of Canada's top U19 road and cyclocross racers.

Isaac Leblanc (26)
BC Premier Road Series champion, Isaac Leblanc, who experienced a breakthrough year in 2015 with impressive Cat 1/2 results as a solo athlete, will be a new addition.  The former speed skater revealed his versatility as a sprinter and also a "rouleur" by winning the 2015 Jeremy's Roubaix and finishing 4th at the BC Road Cycling Championships.

Kurt Penno (17) & Mitch Ketler (18)
Joining Oliver will be fellow U19 Manitoban racers Kurt Penno and Mitch Ketler.  Penno won the Western Canada Summer Games road race this past year. He was also 4th at the Tour de la Releve du Rimouski - Stage 2 Road Race (2015), 2nd U17 Cross Nationals (2014), and 1st at the Manitoba Provincial U17 Time Trial (2015).  Ketler was 1st in the Manitoba Grand Prix of Cyclocross (2015) and 5th at the Western Canada Summer Games Time Trial (2015)

Isaac Niles at 2015 CX Nationals

Isaac Niles (20)
Calgary's Isaac Niles will add to the team's U23 firepower and will be putting his focus on a solid road season for 2016. Isaac was recently 3rd at the U23 Canadian National Cyclocross Championships.  He has represented team Canada in both mountain biking and cyclocross and was 4th overall at the Western Canada Summer Games.

Devon Moonie (22)
Devon Moonie from Kamloops BC will add some depth as one of the team's promising U23 racers.  Moonie's major results include 8th at the Tucson Bicycle classic Cat 1/2 (2015), 12th at the Whistler Giro (2015), 9th BC Provincial Championships Cat 1/2 (2015), 2nd Revelstoke Steamer HC (2014) and 8th Stage 1 tour of Walla Walla Cat 1/2 (2015)

Ameil Flett-Brown (22)
Vancouver's Amiel Flett-Brown is a rising star in BC as a new addition to the team and will also be one of the top U23 racers to watch next season.  In 2015 he was 5th at Jeremy's Roubaix: 5th, and finished 3rd overall in the Burnaby Velodrome Feature Friday Night Series: cat1/2 men.

Dylan Cunningham at 2015 Tour de Beauce

Dylan Cunningham (24)
As a long standing member of the team, Dylan will be lending his hill climbing abilities for key races.  2015 was Dylan's best year to date with a 3rd place at BC Road Championships, and a win at the queen stage 3 of the Mutual Enumclaw Stage Race.  He also participated in the Taiwan KOM challenge and finished 19th overall.

Raph Lalumiere, (35)
As the team's dedicated Cyclocross racer and guest racer for road, Raph proves that one can become faster with age.  In 2015, Raph secured the overall Cross on the Rock Series by winning 3 of the 7 races and finishing no lower than 3rd in the remaining races.  He also finished an impressive 3rd place at the BC Cyclocross Championships.