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Canada leads with three wins on Day 1 of Milton International Challenge

Three wins for Canadian riders as competition continues on Friday and Saturday

Riders from 11 nations gathered for the Milton International Challenge powered by Lexus at theMattamy National Cycling Centre. The event opened on Thursday, September 29, with four countries recording victories lead by three wins for the host nation. Six medals were awarded as seven nations were represented on the podiums.

The first medals of the Challenge were awarded in the women’s elimination race. Team Canada went one-two as Kinley Gibson outsprint teammate Ariane Bonhomme for the win. Trine Schmidt of Denmark was third. In the men’s elimination race, Canadian omnium champion Aidan Caves (Team Canada) outpowered American Zachary Kovalcik (Black Lodge Cycling). Ryo Chikatani racing for the Japanese national team finished third.

Rio Olympian Laurine van Riessen of the Netherlands was the only rider to break 36 seconds in the women’s 500 m time trial. Van Riessen, who amazingly rode on the wall of the Rio velodrome to avoid a crash in the women’s keirin, is a former speedskater who took home a bronze medal from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She posted a time of 35.869 to take the win with Robyn Stewart (Glasgow Sprint Track Cycling) in second and Lauriane Genest (Équipe du Québec). Scotland’s Jonathan Mitchell (Billy Bilsland Cycles) won the men’s 1000 m time trial. Mika Simola of Finland took second and Canada’s Bayley Simpson (Team RaceClean) was third.

Next, the junior sprint competitions got underway with Canada’s Charlotte Creswicke (Kallisto-FCV p/b Toyo Tires) taking the win in the women’s competition ahead of American Marcy Bardman (Sprinters Edge) in the final. In the men’s race, Trinidad and Tobago’s Je’land Sydney (Kallisto-FCV p/b Toyo Tires) won ahead of Canadian Nick Wammes (Kallisto-FCV p/b Toyo Tires).

Racing continues on Friday and Saturday. For more information and full results cyclingcanada.ca