Pilote-Fortin and Caron’s new DNA Cycling squad has greater ambitions for 2015

DNA Cycling presented by K4 has taken on two Canadians as it looks to expand its calendar in 2015. Canadian U23 road race champion Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin and Joanie Caron, who pilots a tandem bike in UCI Paracyling events, join the USA Cycling Domestic Elite-registered team to make up a quarter of the roster.

DNA took its first 2014 win at the Tour del Sol in Utah in late March and had sixteen more victories over the season. For 2015 the squad will start their racing February 18 at the UCI 2.2-rated Trust House Women’s Tour of New Zealand. DNA will have the women’s races at the Tour of California, Tour of Utah, and the USA Pro Challenge in its sights for 2015.

Pilote-Fortin was the only Canadian on a mostly French Poitou-Charentes Futuroscope 86 team in 2014. Known as a climber and GC contender, she was fifth in the Elite women’s road race at the Canadian national championships to take the U23 title. Pilote-Fortin was third in the U23 time trial as well, as Jasmine Glaesser took the honours.

Caron plied her trade for Garneau Factory last season. The sprinter was on the Canadian national team from 2010 to 2012 and was all-around women’s champion of BC Superweek in 2012 when she was with Team Colvita. Caron placed second to Leah Kirchmann in the criterium of the national championships.