Canadian national team announced for 2022 UCI esports world championships
Race takes place end of February
There will be ten athletes will be competing for Canada at the second UCI Esports World Championships, scheduled for February 26 on the Zwift virtual cycling platform, Cycling Canada announced Tuersday.
On the women’s squad the team is composed of Esports specialist Esta Bovill, road and track athlete Adèle Normand, para-cycling pilot and Parapan American Games medalist Evelyne Gagnon, and Masters Canadian Road Champion Josée Rossignol. Additionally, Esports specialist Monilee Keller, who qualified through the Continental Qualifier, will join the squad.
The men’s team will have a mix of road and mountain bike riders. 2016 Olympian and current Canadian MTB champ Léandre Bouchard will join professional Esports athlete Thomas Thrall, who qualified through the Continental Qualifier. Rounding off the group will be mountain biker Noah Ramsay and road cyclists Oliver Dowd and Kris Yip. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be directed by four-time Paralympic medallist, and recently retired Tristen Chernove.
“I’m glad to have the opportunity to showcase my skills at the biggest Esports race in the world,” Bouchard said. “It’s exciting to be racing on a platform where I have spent countless hours training over the last years.”
The racing will be on Zwift’s New York course. Both races will be 54.9 km long with 944 mof elevation. The NYC course is a mix of rolling and steep terrain and will include the PowerUps that athletes can deploy strategically throughout the race.
Women’s squad
Esta Bovill – North Vancouver, BC
Evelyne Gagnon – Quebec City, QC
Monilee Keller – Redmond, WA
Adèle Normand – Chicoutimi, QC
Josée Rossignol – Victoriaville, QC
Men’s squad
Léandre Bouchard – Alma, QC
Oliver Dowd – Mississauga, ON
Noah Ramsey – Toronto, ON
Thomas Thrall – Nashville, TN
Kris Yip – Prince George, BC
