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Video: Canada’s #NextGenU23 at work in Europe

Cycling Canada’s current project, #NextGenU23, has a dispatch from Europe: a sharp video clip by one of its members.

Back in March, Cycling Canada announced the new, under-23 crop of cyclists being brought up in anticipation of the Tokyo Olympics, happening in 2020. Among them include names such as Aidan Caves (B.C.), Alexander Cowan (Alta.), William Elliott (Ont.), Adam Jamieson (Ont.), Eric Johnstone (Alta.) , Sean Mackinnon (Ont.) and Edward Walsh (N.S.). In Ireland this week, the group is gaining some valuable experience.

As reported, it’s the “culimation of 12 months of work,” to quote men’s endurance track coach Ian Melvin. “We sold the vision to these kids. We have worked closely with these athletes over the last few years and they firmly believe in the vision we’re selling to them, and we firmly believe in them as athletes.”

It’s a sky-high goal, no doubt: through the NextGen program, the plan is to foster world championship and Olympic-status athletes who compete at the professional level, putting Canadian cyclists firmly in the starter’s position. Judging from this video, made by Johnstone, the team is well on its way.

Currently, Canada’s under-23 crop of talent is competing at An Post Rás, an eight-day stage race around Ireland. The race finishes this Sunday, May 24.