Canada concludes Para cycling road world championships with four gold medals

CASCAIS, Portugal – Shelley Gautier of Toronto and Marie-Claude Molnar of Longueuil, Que. each won two gold medals as the four-day Para cycling road world championships concluded on Sunday.

It was the first two career victories for Molnar at the road worlds as she placed first in the C4 25.2-kilometre time trial on Thursday and then topped the field in the 67.2-kilometre road event.

“Thank you to everyone who helped me win this race both close and afar,” she posted on Facebook after her road win.

Gautier, a two-time Paralympian, brought an already impressive career resume to 18 world titles in the T1 (tricycle) road events as she won her two showdowns against Yulia Sibagatova of Russia.

@ShelleyGautier https://t.co/R7Pvvo6bMP

— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) June 12, 2021

There were five more top-five finishes for Canada at the event, the first international race for the Canadians in two years. The competition did not have any bearing on Paralympic qualification, with the Canadian Para cycling team for Tokyo 2020 set to be named over the next month.

Hand cyclist Matthew Kinnie of Riverview, N.B. was fourth in the H2 time trial and fifth in the road race. Paralympic Games medallist Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Que. was fourth in the H3 time trial as was Marie-Ève Croteau of Quebec City in the T2 time trial. Kara Douville of Calgary added a fifth in the H4 road race and seventh in the time trial.

Tricyclist Louis-Albert Corriveau-Jolin of Sainte-Claire, Que., was seventh in both races.

️ days of racing and 4⃣World Champ titles

Congrats to all the Para-athletes who wrapped up their first race in nearly 2 years at Para Road World Champs pic.twitter.com/AGSS9TKAvp

— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) June 13, 2021