September 8/20 10:27 am - Cycling Canada Announces Road Worlds Team

Posted by Editoress on 09/8/20
 

Cycling Canada has selected ten road athletes to represent Canada at the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola, Italy, set to take place on September 24-27. Due to the global health situation, the championships were moved from their original location in Aigle-Martigny, Switzerland, to Italy, and will only include road and time trial events for Elite women and men.

The men's road race selection is headlined by 2018 World's bronze medalist Mike Woods (EF Pro Cycling), who is making a comeback from a broken femur he sustained in March and who is currently competing at Tirreno-Adriatico. He will be joined by Hugo Houle who is currently racing the Tour de France with Astana Pro Team, as well as Alex Cataford (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Guillaume Boivin (Israel Start-Up Nation) to form a versatile and experienced team for the challenging 259-kilometre race in Emilia-Romagna. Cataford and Houle will also be competing in the flat 32-kilometre time trial.

Mike Woods

Hugo Houle

Guillaume Boivin

Alex Cataford

"The route is going to be slightly easier than what was originally scheduled but I have a good chance of doing well," said Woods. "I think this course will play out a lot more like what we'd expect at the GP Quebec and Montreal, and I think it's going to be super challenging. Representing Canada is always a great source for pride for me, particularly in this crazy season wearing the maple leaf at the world championships is an honour."

The women's team will be led by national ITT champion Leah Kirchmann (Team Sunweb) and national road champion Karol-Ann Canuel (Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team), who will both compete in the road race and time trial. They will be racing the 144-kilometre road race alongside Alison Jackson (Team Sunweb), Sara Poidevin (Rally UHC Cycling), Marie-Soleil Blais (Team Cogeas-Mettler-Look) and first-year Elite Magdeleine Vallières-Mills (WCC Team).

Karol-Ann Canuel

Leah Kirchmann

Magdeleine Vallières-Mill

Marie-Soleil Blais

Alison Jackson

Sara Poidevin

Due to travel advisories during the pandemic, athletes were only eligible for selection if they were already in Europe as part of their competition program with UCI-registered trade teams. The Canadian team will be supported by Europe-based staff.

Elite Men [TT - Time Trial, RR - Road Race]
Guillaume Boivin - Montréal, QC [RR]
Alex Cataford - Ottawa, ON [ITT, RR]
Hugo Houle - Sainte-Perpétue, QC [ITT, RR]
Mike Woods - Ottawa, ON [RR]

Elite Women [TT - Time Trial, RR - Road Race]
Marie-Soleil Blais - Saint-Rosaire, QC [RR]
Karol-Ann Canuel - Amos, QC [ITT, RR]
Alison Jackson - Vermilion, AB [RR]
Leah Kirchmann - Winnipeg, AB [ITT, RR]
Sara Poidevin - Canmore, AB [RR]
Magdeleine Vallières-Mill - Sherbrooke, QC [RR]