Canada tied for 14th in new nations category at UCI road world championships

Canada’s team at the recently held Richmond, Virginia UCI road world championships tied Lithuania for 14th in the new nations competition. The Netherlands was the top squad.

UCI president Brian Cookson explained the new competition on the website of cycling’s governing body: “Inspired by the Olympic medal table, this ranking will reward the group performance of the entire team. It will no doubt be an additional motivation for riders and countries taking part in the UCI’s most important road event of the year.”

Points only counted in the individual races, where Gillian Ellsay’s 8th in the Junior women’s time trial was Canada’s best placing. Adam de Vos’s 9th in the U23 men’s road race was also a high mark for Team Canada.

The Netherlands were very consistent in winning the nations ranking, with Anna van der Breggen’s double silver in the elite women’s chrono and road race no doubt strengthening its position.

France placed runner-up in the category, having won the U23 men’s road race and putting three other men on podiums. Australia was third with two podium spots.

Canada and Lithuania–the latter with Ramūnas Navardauskas on Sunday’s elite men’s road race podium–were edged out for 13th by Switzerland but both nipped Sweden in 15th.

2015 UCI Road World Championships Ranking by Nations
1) The Netherlands 545 points
2) France 430
3) Australia 425
4) United States 424
5) Italy 349
14) Lithuania 140
14) Canada 140