Canadians win three rainbow jerseys at the Para-cycling World Championships

Canadians snatched three world championship titles at the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Championships in Rokslide, Denmark today. All triumphed in time trials.

The tandem of Thunder Bay’s Robbi Weldon and Lyne Bessette of Knowlton, Quebec took their first ITT jersey. The two are also current world road race champs, won last year in Baie-Comeau, Quebec. In arrears by 34 seconds was New Zealand’s Jaybe Parsons and Sonja Waddell.

In the T2 individual time trial, Canadian champion Marie-Eve Croteau put an exclamation on her phenomenal first season by finishing 31 seconds quicker than Australian Carol Cooke. The rider from Québec City also owns the 2011 UCI World Cup title.

Toronto’s Shelley Gautier was victorious in the T1 time trial event after two years of being denied the rainbow jersey because she was the only athlete in her category and the UCI demands that there be at least three contestants for a jersey to be offered. She completed the course more than 18 minutes faster than silver medalist Simona Matickova of Slovakia.