UCI world road championship quotas announced

The UCI has announced the number of riders countries can enter into the 2016 world road championships which take place in Doha, Qatar from October 9 to 16. Canada will field a roster of six riders in both the elite men’s and the elite women’s road races after strong seasons domestically and internationally by a number of Canadian riders.

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Ryan Roth of Silber Pro Cycling is the top ranked Canadian rider in the UCI American tour sitting in 13th. He won the White Spot/Delta Road Race in July, won the overall at the GP de Saguenay and took the win at the Winston-Salem Classic. Roth is also Canadian national time trial champion. Rob Britton of Rally Cycling is the next Canadian in 18th after strong performances at the Tour of Utah where he finished fifth, the Tour of California where he was 11th, his third place finish at the Tour of the Gila and seventh overall at the Tour de Beauce. Ben Perry of Silber is the second ranked U23 rider after taking a win, the points and young riders classifications, and second overall behind teammate Roth at the GP de Saguenay.

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Silber are the second ranked team in the UCI America Tour with strong performances throughout their roster. Kris Dahl took a stage win at the Tour of Utah while Alex Cataford, Matteo Dal-Cin and Nigel Ellsay all stood on the podium of stage races in 2016.

In the elite women’s field, Canada received four places thanks in large part to the incredible season Leah Kirchmann has so far enjoyed in her first year with Liv-Plantur. Sitting second overall in the UCI women’s WorldTour standings, Kirchmann’s win’s have been few but her consistency in the biggest races has seen her rack up points throughout the year. Joëlle Numainville has also had a good season and sits 29th in the UCI individual rankings. Canada is 7th overall in the overall women’s standings.

Canada will be able to field a roster of five riders in the under-23 men’s road race, four in the junior men’s road race and four women can be entered in the junior women’s race.

For the men’s and women’s time trials, Canada can enter up to two riders. Silber Pro Cycling are on the startlist for the team time trial.

The courses in Doha, Qatar are flat but take place near the windswept coast which will make the races unpredictable. The elite men race 257-km while the elite women race 134-km. In 2015, Peter Sagan and Lizzie Armistead claimed the road titles in Richmond, Virginia.