Hughes to race World Championships

After time trials between the four eligible riders on the track in Apeldoorn, Netherlands earlier this week, Clara Hughes was named to the women’s team pursuit roster for the 2011 Track Cycling World Championships being held on the track Thursday. The Canadian Cycling Association made the announcement ahead of the start of the World Championships today.

Based on the time trials, the three riders selected for the race by head coach Richard Wooles were Tara Whitten (Edmonton, AB), Laura Brown (Vancouver, BC) and Hughes (Glen Sutton, QC). The fourth rider, Stephanie Roorda (Vancouver, BC) will serve as the alternate.

“The fact that we are now in a position to choose the best athletes on the moment shows a lot of strength and depth in WTP in Canada. It’s always tough when a rider is left out, but it is great to see new blood in the team,” said Wooles. “Clara Hughes’ selection to the starting order brings in a new dynamic and an unknown quantity; we are all excited to see the team compete at the upcoming World Championships in Apeldoorn.”

“We are currently in a position where we never have been before. Conducting time trials prior to a competition in order to select a team is certainly a great situation in which to find ourselves. This is one of the many signs that testifies to the strength of the Canadian track program led by Richard Wooles,” said Jacques Landry, High Performance Director for the CCA. “The four women that vied for a spot on the World Championship squad are all elite athletes with the potential and the ability to compete successfully at this high level.”

The 2011 World Track Championships will signal a return to competitive cycling for Clara Hughes. Her last major cycling race dates back to the 2003 Pan American Games, but she feels her progress has been steady, and sees the World Championships as an opportunity.

“As the saying goes, it’s just like riding a bike, albeit faster and a little bit more stressful with no brakes and in the team pursuit formation. This is a new event for me and it’s been awesome learning the nuances of it from Steph, Laura, Tara and Coach Tanya Dubnicoff, as well as Head Track Coach Richard Wooles,” said Hughes.

World Championships Schedule
March 23 – Men’s Team Sprints
March 24 – Women’s Team Pursuit; Men’s Sprints
March 25 – Men’s Sprints; Women’s Sprints; Men’s Omnium I, II, III
March 26 – Men’s Omnium IV, V, VI; Women’s Omnium I, II, III; Women’s Sprints
March 27 – Women’s Omnium IV, V, VI