Canada’s Para cyclists conclude successful world championships in Scotland

GLASGOW, Scotland – They earned one medal more than last year and head coach Sébastien Travers is excited about the prospects of his Canadian Para cycling squad heading into a Paralympic year following the conclusion of the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Canada combined for 11 medals (two gold, three silver, and six bronze) in the Para track and Para road races over the past 10 days. That’s its highest total from the track and road worlds combined since also winning 11 in 2018. Last year Canada, took 10 – seven at the road worlds in Baie-Comeau, Que. and three at the track worlds in France.

On Sunday in the team’s final event, the Canadians showed incredible grit once again in the 15 kilometre open relay handcycle road event finishing seventh, coming back from a flat tire earlier in the race.

‘’We had a very successful worlds,” said Travers. ‘’A lot of good results in terms of placings and many athletes reached career highs here and also showed improvement in power and sprint speed. At this point in the quadrennial we are in a good place.”

With those strong results, the Canadians also accumulate valuable points for Paralympic Games quota spots. The points at worlds are worth double what is earned at World Cups.

In Sunday’s relay held in the streets of downtown Glasgow before throngs of spectators along the route, France won the gold medal in 25 minutes and 35 seconds. Canada with Alex Hyndman of Morpeth, Ont., Joey Desjardins of Hawkesbury, Ont., and Matthew Kinnie of Riverview, N.B. were seventh in 27.58.

Each rider did three laps of the course. The highlight for Canada was Desjardins posting the second fastest time on his first lap.

‘’I’ve never been part of something so big,” said Kinnie about the experience. ‘’It was pretty cool being part of the big show and the spectators yelling and cheering us on. That’ll be one of the big highlights of my cycling career for sure.’’

Heading into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games next year, Canada has a solid mix of established veterans and rising newcomers. Second year national team member Nathan Clement won the gold in the men’s T1 (tricycle) gold medal in the road time trial on Wednesday as well as bronze in the road race. He’s the first Canadian male Para rider to win a worlds road gold since 2018.

Victoria’s Mel Pemble, also a newcomer in this quadrennial, was a triple medallist (one medal of each colour) on the track, a first for a Canadian female rider since 2017. She also showed strong form in both the road race and time trial on the road.

There was also the return of two-time world champion and 2016 Paralympic medallist Mike Sametz of Calgary to the national squad. He took bronze in the time trial on Wednesday.

“’It was a long road for Mike to get back to this level and we are so delighted he is on the team again,” said Travers. ‘’Never mind the medal, just to deliver an incredible performance like this just a year before the Games deserves a lot of respect after all he’s been through.”

“Mel’s performances on the track were sparkling,” added Travers. ‘’At only 23, she definitely has a great future on our team.”

Other Canadian medallists were Shelly Gautier of Toronto with bronze in both road races and Keely Shaw of Midale, Sask. with silver in the track individual pursuit and road time trial.

These were the first UCI world championships to combine all the able-bodied and Para cycling disciplines. Dubbed the Super Worlds, it attracted more than 8,000 riders and 190 world champions were crowned.

‘’The level of complexity of this event was staggering,” said Travers. ‘’Our entire Cycling Canada staff was very stretched and did an incredible job with the planning and logistics through great teamwork.

‘’For Para, an event like this brings a much higher level of exposure to the public and media. To see able-bodied and Para unite in performance also brings an enlightenment to what Para riders can do and for that it was a complete success.”

In 2024, the able-bodied road worlds and Para road worlds will be one event in Zurich, Switzerland while the track worlds will be separate.

Full results: https://www.tissottiming.com/2023/pcrdwch?day=221

Canadian Para cycling medallists at the UCI World Championships

GOLD (2)

Nathan Clement, West Vancouver, men’s T1 time trial (Road)

Mel Pemble, Victoria, women’s C3 Omnium (Track)

SILVER (3)

Kate O’Brien, Calgary, women’s C4 500-metre time trial (Track)

Mel Pemble, Victoria, women’s C3 scratch race (Track)

Keely Shaw, Midale, Sask., women’s C4 individual pursuit (Track)

BRONZE (6)

Nathan Clement, West Vancouver, men’s T1 road race (Road)