Canadian Track Team Update
Four Canadians are competing at the Beacon Cycling Festival in Trinidad.
Canadian track athletes are competing this week at the Beacon Cycling Festival in Trinidad. The Canadian squad is comprised of: Daniele Defranceschi, Jean-Michel Lachance, Adam Thuss, and Stephane Cossette.
Racing started on April 17 with Cossette riding to a second place in the 500m sprint. In the eight lap Scratch race, he rode to a third place finish and his second podium of the day. A great way to kick off this six day cycling festival.
The endurance athletes took the track at Skinner Park on the 17th as well. Lachance rode to a fourth place in the Miss&Out, and in the 12 lap scratch Defranceschi rode to a fifth place finish. Thuss worked hard for the team all day, dedicating himself to ensuring the team got into a good position. n the final 20 kilometer Scratch race, Canada was present in every break in the race, and rode impressively, but It was Franco Marvulli who got away with five laps to go, and the Canadians could not bring him back.
On April 18th, racing was moved to the Arima Velodrome, a long 500m Track. Cossette qualified second behind Roberto Chiappa from Italy, but finished fourth in the Sprint tournament. “I am content with my ride but would have liked to have been on the podium,” says Cossette.
In the 1500m scratch it was Thuss and Defranceschi getting Lachance into position to get the first podium for the endurance riders. The final event, a 25 kilometer Scratch race, saw the Canadians present in every move, but it was the Europeans and Argentinians who controlled the pace of the race. Unlike the first day, when Franco Marvulli look off with four kilometers to go and jumped out to a 15 second lead over the field, Thuss and Defranceschi went to the front and brought the gap back to about 4 seconds, with Lachance, jumping across the small gap and catching Franco Marvulli. but Again it was Marvulli winning the race, with Lachance finishing second in this feature event.
Defranceschi commented that “after two days of track racing, the people in Trinidad are saying this is the best they have seen Canadians ride in Trinidad since the days of Joceyln Lovell and Gord Singleton. A very nice compliment.”
