August 7/03 10:31 am - Road World's Selections Update, Mississauga Midweek

Posted by Editor on 08/7/03
 

Road Worlds Selection

It looks likely that Canada will have four spots on the start line for the Elite Men's road race at the Worlds this year. Canada is currently in 30th place in the UCI national rankings, entitling us to 2 spots, however, as the host country we automatically get bumped to the next level, which is 4 spots. The cutoff date for the rankings is August 15th, and Canada should maintain 30th position, since lower ranked countries are not likely to be able to move ahead in the remaining time. Canada should get a further boost in points this coming weekend with the UCI sanctioned Louis Garneau Quebec-Montreal race. Canada will receive 6 spots in the Elite Women's road race, and 2 spots each in the Elite Men's and Women's time trials.

Now the speculation turns to who will be on the team? For the Men, Dominique Perras and Eric Wohlberg are pre-selected, by virtue of their national titles. There is a second spot for the time trial open, with Roland Green and Svein Tuft the strongest candidates. In the road race there are 2 spots available, with Michael Barry and Mark Walters most likely to get the nod. However, Charles Dionne, Svein Tuft and Cory Lange should not be forgotten. Green is the strongest contender for the time trial position, since he is the only Canadian to have beaten Wohlberg at a time trial in recent memory (at Langkawi). According to the CCA, Green followed proper protocol in applying for permission to the Selection Committee to miss the Road Nationals (he was racing at the Mont Ste Anne World Cup).

In the Women's category, Lyne Bessette and Genevieve Jeanson are automatic, and Sue Palmer-Komar is virtually assured a position, with her strong and consistent season. This leaves one time trial position (Bessette is the automatic as national champion), and 3 road race spots. Jeanson, Clara Hughes and Anne Samplonius are vying for the time trial position, and add Cybil DiGuistini, Sandy Espeseth, Nicole Demars, Amy Moore and Manon Jutras (if she is recovered from her broken collarbone) to the road race pool.

Jeanson wants to do both the road race and the time trial, but is not necessarily the best choice, since the course is more suited to power riders (like Hughes and Samplonius) than a climber like Jeanson.

The final selection will likely not be made until mid-September.


La Bicicletta Midweek Handicap Criterium
Courtesy Peter McCaffery

53 km
Av. Speed (scratch) 43.4 kph
Humid and calm

Results for Wed. August 6th
1. Peter Morse (Midweek CC - S1), 1:12:53
2. Dan Lefebvre (Gears Racing - S2)
3. Thorben Wieditz (Thornhill Saab - S1)
4. Ed Makarchuk (KHS - MA)
5. ?. (?)
6. Dave Fry (Midweek Elite - S1)
7. Robert Mann (KHS - MA), all s.t.

55 starters

Welcome back to Rick Froner (Spidey). He looked pretty good out there tonight!!!

Six of the handicap group bridged to the scratch group and four of them stayed there. However, since they were explicitly instructed that this was not allowed, they do not appear in the results.

Thanks to Ann Wilson, Duncan Jackson, Kit McCaffery, Maureen Neskar and Mo Ewanchuk.

Series Points to date