October 16/18 11:17 am - Canada Sends Derek Gee to Opening Round of Track World Cup

Posted by Editoress on 10/16/18
 

The 2018-19 UCI Track World Cup opens in one week at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, site of the 2015 world championships, and Canada will send one rider:  Derek Gee of Ottawa.

Derek Gee

Canada will only participate in the Men's Omnium, with Derek Gee.  Zach Bell, a world championship silver medalist in the Omnium will provide his expertise and experience as Team Manager.  The majority of the Canadian squad will continue preparing for Round 2 of the Track World Cup one week later at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre, in Milton, Ontario.  Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, BC, was selected but isn't ready to return to competition as she continues to recover from her crash at the National Track Championships at the end of September.

"We have to play a strategic game to maximize our chances of Olympic qualification," explains Kris Westwood, High Performance Director at Cycling Canada.  "Part of this strategy is targeting the Omnium, which is very important because it gives us an alternate rider for the Team Pursuit.  The points we score in Paris will directly count for Olympic qualification, and will also help make sure we qualify for the World Championships this season and next season's World Cup.  On top of that, with Olympian Zach Bell lending his experience trackside, it's a great development opportunity for Derek."