Canadian team is ready for the Pan Am track cycling events

Tuesday afternoon, the Canadian track cycling team arrived ready to race in the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games. Development of the Canadian track cycling program has resulted in a large team ready to race across a variety of disciplines in both sprint and endurance events.

The women’s team pursuit has been the shining start of the Canadian track program, and enter the games as defending champions. Changes to the race format mean that the women will now race 4000m instead of 3000m and with four members to the team, not just three. The change in the race brings the event in line with the men’s race.

“I’ve really embraced the change,” said Jasmin Glaesser who will also race in the Omnium. “We have a lot of depth in Canada, so we’ve been able to add a fourth member to our team. I think that’s really shown we can go the full distance.

“On a personal level, it’s really satisfying to have that equality with the men in that event.”

Glaesser first represented Canada in international competition at the Guadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games, and along with Laura Brown helped the team win a gold medal.Since then, the team has become one of the best in the world, winning bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as many medals at World Cup events in the years since.

“Guadalajara was so special,” said Brown. “It was my first games for Canada, and the first team pursuit for Canada and we won gold. We had success leading up to those Pan Am Games, and since then it’s been up and up.”

LOOK at all those track bikes! Day by day our @MattamyVelo is getting into @TO2015 games mode. #NowOrNever #CanuckUP pic.twitter.com/uPbEISMX1G

— Laura Brown (@laurakatbrown) July 12, 2015

Now, Glaesser and Brown are the more experienced leaders on the team, which includes former long-track speed skater Kirsti Lay and Allison Beveridge.

“I was pretty lucky to come to the team at a time when they were already successful on the international stage,” said Beveridge. “As a team we’ve evolved and find our groove and work together.”

 

“We had a completely different lineup at the London Olympics, and being able to bring new athletes into the program… has been really a testament to the depth of our team and program,” said Glaesser. 

The women’s program has also seen a return of the sprint program. Back to the team is Monique Sullivan, who will race in the individual and team sprint events, as well as the keirin.

“We’re all really excited to have a velodrome at home and to be competing at home,” said Sullivan. “For most of us, it’s the first time to wear the maple leaf at an international competition here at home.”

Joining Sullivan is Kate O’Brien, who has been part of the Canadian bobsleigh program. In the 12 months that O’Brien has been part of the cycling program, she has made big strides in performance but remains modest about her expectations at the games

“This is not only my first major games on a bike, but my first major games at all, and it’s at home,” said O’Brien. “The transition to cycling was made really smooth by the two federations. I split my time last year between the two world cups. This year, I’ll be focusing purely on track cycling looking ahead to Rio.”

The men’s program is also a mix of experienced athletes and newcomers. New to the Canadian team is the development of a men’s team pursuit squad. Results have not yet matched those of the women’s team, but team coach Ian Melvin says the whole team expects medals from the competition in the Milton Velodrome.

The Team Pursuit roster is led by Rémi Pelletier-Roy, who made his games debut four years ago in Guadalajara. Upon his return to the track program 18 months ago, Pelletier-Roy was really encouraged to see the talent pool that was being developed. He will also race in the Omnium.

“In Guadalajara, I was there more as a spectator. I was racing, but I was really there to gain experience,” said Pelletier-Roy. “When I came back to the program 18 months ago, I could see a new energy for the team. I’ve never seen so many endurance male riders. To be able to work with these guys and see how they have improved in such a short time span is really encouraging.”

The team includes newcomers Adam Jamieson and Sean MacKinnon who joined the program a year and a half ago. Moving to the endurance program is Eric Johnstone. Toronto local Ed Veal is also on the team. Only four of the five will take to the track on race day, and no announcement was made as to who Team Canada plans to put in the saddle.

“Seeing a lot of the volunteers and the friendly faces out there make this a dream come true,” said Veal, who is comfortably the eldest member of the team. “A lot of my leadership happens off the bike, but the truth is Rémi is our leader on the track. We all work together and learn from each other.”

MTE boys after our afternoon session today @smackinn @rem_la_creme @theRealRockyJ @The_AdamJ @CyclingCanada @TO2015 pic.twitter.com/LukXswNQL1

— Ed Veal (@RealDealVeal) July 11, 2015

Jamieson, MacKinnon and Johnstone all benefitted from involvement with NextGen, a program designed to identify and support future talent. Inclusion in the program manifest in trips to Europe for a variety of races garnering the team excellent international experience.

Three riders make up the sprint side of the men’s program. Joseph Veloce represented Canada at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and living in Fonthill, Ontario, relishes the boost he’ll have from the many friends and family who will be on hand to support the team’s efforts.

“It really is a special experience [to race at home],” said Veloce. “After the London Olympics, I had a bit of an injury that set me back, but I’m back up to form and looking forward to a good result here at Pan Ams.”

Hugo Barrette will join Veloce during the individual and team sprint competitions as well as the keirin. New to the roster is Evan Carey, who a year ago would not have expected to be representing Canada on home soil.

“Winning the national championships gives me a lot of confidence coming into the games,” said Barrette. “It was a big boost, and a prelude to what’s to come in the racing at the Pan Am games.”

The track cycling program begins on Thursday and runs to Sunday at the Milton Velodrome.