2023 Bridge The Gap Canadian Cup final standings
More riders in the list as the rankings come out for second year in a row
The Global Relay Bridge The Gap Canadian Cup standings were announced on Friday. There has not been a ranking system for the road in years, so in 2022, BTG began one.
BTG leverages the Canadian Cup as a platform for identifying emerging talents—those poised to become the future stars of Canadian cycling. The winner in each category receives not only the prestigious Canadian Cup champion’s jersey but also a $1,000 BTG athlete grant as recognition of their potential and dedication.
In 2023, each category experienced a notable surge in the number of competitive riders. The overall count of ranked athletes reached 655, marking a significant 28 per cent increase from the previous year. Notably, the junior category witnessed a substantial rise, with more than 200 junior riders securing rankings—junior women demonstrating a commendable 21 per cent, while junior men experienced an impressive 40 per cent. Among the total rankings, 246 were women, and 409 were men across all age groups. Despite these shifts, the proportional representation of juniors and women in relation to the overall number of ranked riders remained relatively stable from 2022 to 2023. This upward trend in participation signals a flourishing and diverse landscape within the cycling community.
According to BTG, the riders who made the biggest rise up in the rankings (within a category) from one season to the next. Were Nora Linton, Ethan Powell, Holly Simonson and Carson Miles.
Furthermore, riders demonstrating top-10 ranking consistency (within a category) included Anabelle Thomas, Eloise Camire, Matthew Ney, Alexis Bouchard, Sasha Renaud-Tremblay, Laury Milette, Phil Jacob, Warren Muir and Laurent Gervais.
Bridge The Gap grant winners
The winners, who will receive a $1,000 BTG athlete grant are:
Eloise Camire, Que., Espoirs de Laval. junior women
Holly Simonson, B.C., LA Sweat. elite women
Matthew Ney, B.C., Red Truck Racing. Junior men
Carson Miles, Ont, Toronto Hustle. Elite men
BTG pointed out that although Alison Jackson is listed first in the women’s ranking, she didn’t receive a grant. True, however the grant goes to the first athlete eligible according to BTG’s granting criteria. That is as follows:
1. Be Canadian
2. Be a development rider (so, not already a pro)
3. Be under 25 (men), under 29 (women)
4. Not be a TikTok superstar or Paris-Roubaix winner
Jackson even commented on the results. “I’m happy the grant rolls down to the next best rider. I love coming back to Canada to race and I want to see more young riders come up through the ranks into the pro levels like I did,” the Vermilion native said.
Detailed analysis by BTG shows that the 2022 Canada Games had a big effect on last year’s rankings and that may change in 2024 and 2025.
The Canadian Cup has helped BTG spot and work with riders in Saskatchewan, Yukon, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Historically some of Canada’s best riders have come from parts of the country outside the Big-4 (Alta., B.C., Ont, Que). “In the end, the Canadian Cup is as much or more about connecting communities as spotting talent,” concluded BTG’s report.
To see the complete final rankings (and further analysis), go to GrBridgeTheGap.com
