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Team Canada announces roster for GP Gatineau

Canada's top riders set to contest 2016 edition of the UCI 1.1 GP Gatineau

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Join us for live coverage of the GP Gatineau on June 2, at 5:00pm

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau is the highest level UCI-sanctioned women’s road race in Eastern Canada and attracts teams and competitors from more than a dozen countries. The high level of racing at the event attracts local development teams as well as some of the worlds top racers. Five riders will represent Teaam Canada in the UCI 1.1 GP Gatineau road race on June 2 and two will wear Team Canada skinsuits at the UCI 1.1 Chrono Gatineau time trial on June 3.

Karol-Ann Canuel, Leah Kirchmann, Alison Jackson, Stephanie Roorda and Katherine Maine will wear the Canadian colours in the 111-km road race. Combined, the team have an impressive palmarès. Canuel was a member of the world champion winning team time trial squad in 2016 and is now part of the WorldTour leading Doels-Domans sqaud. Leah Kirchamann finished third in La Course by Le Tour de France in 2014 and has earned top places in big Europeans races in 2016 with her Liv-Plantur team. Stephanie Roorda has earned multiple medals on the track at the world championships and Katharine Maine is in her first year as a proffesional with Rally Cycling.

Kirsten Wild celebrates her 2015 win at the GP Gatineau
Kirsten Wild celebrates her 2015 win at the GP Gatineau

 

In 2015, Kristen Wild (Hitec-Products), one of the fastest sprinters in the women’s peloton, took the win at the GP Gatineau ahead of Joëlle Numainville.

Katherine Maine and Ariane Bonhomme will represent Canada in the 19-km Chrono Gatineau individual time trial which tackles a new course that features more climbing in 2016. The other riders will be competing in their professional team colours.

Members of Team Canada at the 2015 edition of the GP Gatineau
Members of Team Canada at the 2015 edition of the GP Gatineau

 

In an Olympic year, the GP Gatineau has increased emphasis for members of Team Canada as it will be used to gauge form ahead of the Olympics. “On top of having a national team entered in both the road race and time trial events in Gatineau, this will be the last opportunity that I’ll be able to assess how some of our top Canadians are tracking before riders are nominated to the women’s Olympic Road Team,” said Denise Kelly, national women’s road coach. “The races will give us a good indication of where our riders are at this point in the season and where some of our competition are sitting, in stand-alone, non-stage race events. These races provide a platform for Canadian riders to shine on home soil.”

The events are also extremely important for the development of women’s cycling in Canada. Kelly continued, “The GP and Chrono Gatineau are very important races for Canadian riders. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of riders from different countries competing which provides a higher quality of competition while remaining very accessible for the development teams, giving them a taste of what it takes to race with the best. The race was upgraded from UCI 1.2 to 1.1 designation so the riders are able to garner valuable UCI points within our own country.”

Leah Kirchmann has done every edition of the GP Gatineau and finished second in the Chrono in 2014 saying, “It’s one of my favourite races of the season because it’s not that often that you get to race a big UCI race in Canada. To have all the big teams come to your own country, it really is fun.”

Kirchamnn added, “The roads are beautiful in Gatineau. Being able to race in the park adds a new element and I feel racing in Canada I have a little advantage.”

Last year the course featureed one lap in Gatineau Park. A second lap has been added for 2016. “It changed the completion of the race a bit because people were unsure how things would unfold.” Kirchmann said. The addition of the climbs in the park also add an additional obstacle to the course. “It makes it more challenging than just the circuit laps where overpasses are the biggest climbs.”

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