Ryder Hesjedal will not pursue 2016 Rio Olympics
The Victoria native announces decision via Twitter
On Friday, Ryder Hesjedal announced via his Twitter account that he will not be going to the Olympic Games in Rio this summer.
Been thinking long and hard about Rio and I've decided to take myself out of the selection. Long season ahead. Best of luck Team Canada!!
— Ryder Hesjedal (@ryder_hesjedal) June 3, 2016
In January, Hesjedal told Canadian Cycling Magazine that Rio was one of his goals. “I believe the Olympic course suits me. It would be really special to represent Canada for a fourth time,” he said.
The road race is expected to favour climbers. Its Grumari circuit features a seven per cent grade climb over 1.2 km and a 2.1-km climb with a maximum grade of six per cent. The other circuit has the Vista Chinesa, a 8.9 km climb the precedes a 6-km technical downhill.
RELATED 2016 Giro d’Italia Stage 14: Chaves takes exhilarating Dolomites stage, Hesjedal abandons
The 35-year-old pro competed in London 2012 in the road race (finishing 63rd) and time trial (28th), which followed his win earlier that year at the Giro d’Italia. In Beijing 2008, he also competed in both road events: finishing 15th in the TT and 55th on the road. In Athens 2004, the former mountain biker did not finish the men’s cross country race.
The reactions to Hesjedal’s post on Twitter have ranged from the troll-ish (a collection of syringe and pill emoji) to supportive (“go get that yellow jersey in France!”).
