August 2/18 14:31 pm - Hyndman Wins First Para Road Worlds Medal for Canada

Posted by Editoress on 08/2/18
 

Canada opened the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships with a bronze medal on the first day of competition in Maniago, Italy. Alex Hyndman of Morpeth, Ontario, won a bronze medal in the men's H3 category individual time trial.

Hyndman's time for the 13.6 kilometre race against the clock was 21 minutes and 20.58 seconds, 12.95 seconds behind winner Federico Mestroni of Italy. Paolo Cecchetto of Italy took the silver medal.

"It was an achievement just to make it to Worlds after having an off year," said Hyndman. "Making the podium ... I don't know what to say. I was able to execute my strategy perfectly. As far as making the podium, I was hoping for a top-8. I crashed here last year in the rain, which made me hammer the brakes this year. The fact that I've been struggling to get within a minute of the top guys ... to finish within 12 seconds is a huge achievement."

Two other members of Team Canada raced in the H3 category on Thursday, with Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Quebec, finishing 11th despite crashing, and Joey Desjardins of Hawksbury, Ontario, finishing 12th. Moreau, who has won gold and silver medals at World Cup competition this season, skidded and crashed in roundabout on wet roads, and then suffered a puncture.  He had been leading by 33 seconds after the first intermediate split.

"Two or three other riders had the same thing happen," said Moreau.  "The line to pass the roundabout was not very aggressive and I arrived with reasonable speed because the volunteers were signaling us to slow down.  I could not react in time, and I made a spin, finding myself lying in the grass."

"My coach [Sébastien Travers] told me conservatively, I lost about 1 minute 45 seconds.  I'm pretty sure it was my best effort for 20 minutes.  The form is there and I should have finished the race with a comfortable lead of thirty seconds.  I felt that the rainbow jersey was at hand for the first time in my career."

On Friday, Canada will have three defending world champions competing in the time trial - Shelley Gautier of Toronto in women's T1, Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, BC, in C2 men and Michael Sametz of Calgary in men's C3.



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