December 16/03 12:42 pm - Olympic Pre-selection Underway, Bridge Closures Possible
Posted by Editor on 12/16/03
Olympic Pre-selection Underway
The COA (Canadian Olympic Association) has released the list of Canadian cyclists who have met the preliminary criteria for making the Athens Olympic team. The process is complicated, consisting of three "Schedules". Schedule A is the criteria set by the national sports federation (NSF), Schedule C is the criteria set by the international sports federation (the UCI for cycling), and Schedule B involves the actual nomination of athletes to the Olympic team (this is the last part of the procedure, and won't happen until after the deadlines for nation rankings and Schedule A events ends).
The CCA has informed us that Schedule A criteria have been submitted to the COA, but are not published yet. Schedule C criteria from the UCI are published, and you can read them Here (a PDF). Briefly, the UCI criteria breaks down as follows, for Canada:
Track - for the Men, it comes down to high placings at the Worlds, World Cup and "B" Worlds. For many events, it requires a top-10 finish at Worlds, especially in the Team Sprint. For the women, it is the same events, but the criteria are directed more towards individual events (Sprint, 500m TT, Individual Pursuit and Points Race). Our chances are very strong to qualify at least female one rider (Lori-Ann Muenzer), and possibly a second (Mandy Poitras), since both these riders have met the Schedule A criteria. For the men, we are more likely to get a last minute spot, such as Jim Fisher received in 2000.
Road Race - for the Men, if we stay in the top-30 countries as of April 30, 2004 we can qualify up to 3 riders in the road race. If we are out of the top 30, then if we have a rider in top 300 of UCI individual rankings, we can qualify that one rider. Currently, Michael Barry fits that criteria, but there are a lot of high level races before May 1st next year. The CCA is planning on sending teams to a number of early season races to garner enough points to remain in the top-30 nations, however, so are many other countries. On the Women's side, we need to stay in the top 16 nations as of April 30, 2004 to keep three starting positions; below that we drop to two spots. Hopefully, we should be able to do this. The CCA has informed us that they have told the COA that Manon Jutras has met their criteria, but no mention of Genevieve Jeanson. The current list, shows Lyne Bessette and Sue Palmer-Komar as having met Schedule A commitments, and Michael Barry and Eric Wohlberg on the men's side.
Time Trial - in the time trial Canada needs to move into the top-25 nations fo qualify for one entry in the Men's event, or our only hope is to pick up a last minute spot (like in 2000). The Women should qualify two spots - one automatic for Genevieve Jeanson's 5th place in Hamilton, and one as a top-15 ranked country. We do not have an answer as to why Genevieve Jeanson is not included on the list of qualified athletes below, except that she is still possibly missing some of the Schedule A requirements (however, she should show up as having met Schedule C).
Mountain Bike - the nation ranking for this event closes December 31, 2003, and it is pretty much decided: Canada will receive three spots for women (top-3 ranking), and two for men (6-15 ranking). Alison Sydor is the only rider to have met both the Schedule A and C criteria, while Marie-Helene Premont, Chrissy Redden and Kiara Bisaro have all met Schedule A. Roland Green, Geoff Kabush and Seamus McGrath have met the men's Schedule A qualification, and the CCA informs us that Ryder Hesjedal's name has been submitted for the next update.
| Athlete | Gender | Town, Province, Event | Schedule A | Schedule C |
| Barry, Michael | M / H | Toronto, ON Ind. Road Race - M / Course ind. sur route - H | X | |
| Bessette, Lyne | F / F | Knowlton, QC Ind. Road Race - F / Course ind. sur route - F | X | |
| Bisaro, Kiara | F / F | Courtenay, BC Cross Country - F / Cross-country - F | X | |
| Green, Roland | M / H | Victoria, BC Cross Country - M / Cross-country - H | X | |
| Kabush, Geoff | M / H | Courtenay, BC Cross Country - M / Cross-country - H | X | |
| McGrath, Seamus | M / H | Milgrove, ON Cross Country - M / Cross-country - H | X | |
| Muenzer, Lori-Ann | F / F | Edmonton, AB 500m Time Trial - F / 500m contre la montre - F | X | |
| Palmer-Komar, Susan | F / F | Hamilton, ON Ind. Road Race - F / Course ind. sur route - F | X | |
| Poitras, Mandy | F / F | Langley, BC Points Race - F / Course aux points - F | X | |
| Prémont, Marie-Hélène | F / F | Château-Richer, QC Cross Country - F / Cross-country - F | X | |
| Redden, Chrissy | F / F | Campbellville, ON Cross Country - F / Cross-country - F | X | |
| Sydor, Alison | F / F | Victoria, BC Cross Country - F / Cross-country - F | X | X |
| Wohlberg, Eric | M / H | Levack, ON Ind. Road Race - M / Course ind. sur route - H | X |
Athletes meeting both Schedule 'A' and Schedule 'C' criteria will be nominated for inclusion on the Olympic Team based on the NSF's Internal Nomination Procedures (Schedule 'B'). / Les athlètes qui réussissent à la fois les critères de l'Annexe " A " et les critères de l'Annexe " C " seront nommés pour insertion au sein de l'équipe olympique selon les procédures de nomination internes (Annexe " B ") de la FNS.
Cycling Access to Queenston-Lewiston Bridge Threatened
Courtesy Tim Whittle
There is a very good possibility that cyclists could lose access to cross the Canada/USA border on the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission is in the midst of an Environmental Assessment for the reconstruction and upgrading of the Queenston Plaza. The proposed plan calls for closing all access to and from the Niagara Parkway which would put cyclists on Hwy 405, a controlled access highway. Although the bridge commission maintains that cyclists will continue to be accommodated the plan does not take cyclists or pedestrians into consideration. The sidewalks are to be removed to create a new truck lane apparently where cyclists could cross providing they are able to get to it.
There appears to be an alarming trend of limiting bridge access to cyclists, induding the Whirlpool Bridge and Bridges in Eastern Ontario. If cyclists are not taken into consideration during reconstruction, we stand to lose access to this border crossing forever. Please send your comments by December 30, 2003 to:
Mr. Mike Bricks
Ecoplans Ltd.
2655 North Sheridan Way
Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2P8
FAX: (905) 823-2699
| Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top |
