Cycling Canada announces strong junior track worlds team
Roster of 13 athletes from four provinces to compete in Aigle, Switzerland.
On July 20 to 24 the world’s ambitious junior track stars will be competing at the 2016 UCI junior track world championships in Aigle, Switzerland. Following an exciting Canadian junior track championships that saw numerous national records broken, a team of 13 athletes has been selected.
Five women and eight men from four provinces will represent Canada in Aigle competing in endurance and sprint events including the women’s madison, a new event for the world championships. Ian Melvin is Cycling Canada’s men’s NextGen track endurance coach will accompany the team and prepare them at a training camp in Milton, July 2 to 14 before they travel to Switzerland.
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“We have a complement of five men and women each for endurance and three male sprinters, said Melvin. “The primary focus is very much in line with the elite national team and is focussed on Olympic events first and foremost. This means the team sprint and team pursuit will be the basis of our focus.”
At nationals, Maggie Coles-Lyster earned six national titles, Stefan Ritter collected three titles in sprint events and numerous Canadian records were broken. The group of 13 athletes is the biggest group Canada has ever taken to junior track worlds in many years and it’s a reflection of the work that has been going on at the provincial level said Melvin.
He added, “However, we are also excited about the potential of some of our athletes to ride very strongly in some of the individual events. In both the omnium and individual pursuit we have strong contenders. Both Erin Attwell and Maggie Coles-Lyster on the women’s side, and John Willcox and Cameron Fitzmaurice for the men, will be riders to look out. As well, Stefan Ritter for the men’s Sprint will be one to watch.”
Cycling Canada announced that specific event participation will be determined at a later date
Junior Track Cycling World Championships, Aigle, Switzerland
Endurance – Women
Erin J. Attwell (Victoria.)
Maggie Coles-Lyster (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
Devanney Collier (Edmonton)
Laurie Jussaume (Contrecoeur, Que.)
Ali Van Yzendoorn (Orillia, Ont.)
Endurance – Men
Cameron Fitzmaurice (Vancouver)
Tristan Guillemette (Trois-Rivières, Que.)
Jordann Jones (Jerseyville, Ont.)
Félix Pelletier (Québec City)
John Willcox (Victoria)
Sprint – Men
Adam Lefebvre (Oakville, Ont.)
Stefan Ritter (Edmonton)
Nick Wammes (Bothwell, Ont.)
