Hugo Houle, Karol-Ann Canuel claim time trial titles at the 2015 Global Relay Canadian Championships

The 2015 Global Relay Canadian Championships got off to a strong start yesterday in St.-Georges, Que., with Hugo Houle and Karol-Ann Canuel both earning titles in the Elite time trial races.

Elite Men

With a time of 57:13, Houle took the red and white jersey after completing the long, intense 42 km course. It’s a taste of victory to which the rider is well accustomed, too, having previously been Canadian Champion in both U23 and Junior categories. But at this level, the stakes were different. With his win on Thursday, Houle now takes the coveted Maple Leaf jersey to the UCI WorldTour, where he’ll be wearing the maple leaf across Europe and the globe as he competes — a privilege of representing Canada, he says, that was the result of taking advantage of the opportunities presented to him at the time trial.

“I am really proud to represent Canada,” he said afterward, looking back on his win. “The fact that Svein (Tuft, 9-time Canadian Champion) was not here was a great opportunity. I had a target on my back today, and I wanted to rise to the challenge. I self-imposed myself a great deal of expectations today, and I am happy I delivered.”

“This title is the fruit of the many years of training and hard work with my coach Pierre Hutsebaut. I stepped up this year, with many good results.”

Next up for Houle, of course, is the Pan Am Games in Toronto in July, an event that will see Houle riding in the time trial and road race. “I’ll work on that objective this coming month,” Houle said, “and I think that I can come out even stronger. This will be a great objective of mine this season, to show that on the road we are still very strong.”

Ryan Roth of Silber Pro Cycling, meanwhile, took second in the Elite men’s category. Christian Meier of Orica GreenEDGE came in third.

Elite Women

For Karol Ann Canuel, who won the Elite women’s time trial, the day brought another strong performance. Finishing the event’s 30 km course with a final time of 45:05, Canuel took the red and white jersey by an impressive, powerful margin, finishing 1:17 ahead of Optum’s Jasmin Glaesser, her nearest challenger. Leah Kirchmann, the defending Canadian Champion in the Elite women’s category, crossed the line in third place, 2:03 behind Canuel.

Canuel’s title win is an inspiring bookend to a trying, difficult twelve months for the rider from Amos, Que. Last June, she suffered a broken back, among other injuries; in September, it was a broken pelvis. “The rehabilitation process was slower than I had wished for,” she recalled. “The neck injury healed a bit faster than expected, but the pelvis fracture was a bit longer. I am only starting to find my feelings on the road.”

Those challenges — hardships, really — made her time trial victory all the more satisfying.

“This title was a big objective for me this season, and I am really thrilled to be Canadian Champion in the time trial,” she said, soaking up the win. “My progression really took off when I joined Specialized-Lululemon last year and Velocio-SRAM this season. I took part last year in the team time trial at the World Championships, which we won.”

The 2015 Global Relay Canadian Championships continue today with the women’s road race. On Saturday, it’s the men’s turn.

Podium – Elite Men
1. HOULE, Hugo (AG2R La Mondiale) 57:13.63
2. ROTH, Ryan (Silber Pro Cycling) 57:39.59 +25.96
3. MEIER Christian (Orica GreenEDGE) 58:19.69 +1:06.06

Podium – U23 Men
1. CATAFORD, Alex (Silber Pro Cycling) 1:00:49.46
2. DE VOS, Adam (H&R Block Pro Cycling) 1:01:16.78 +27.32
3. JEAN, Emile (Équipe du Québec) 1:01:29.69 +40.23

Podium – Elite Women
1. CANUEL, Karol-Ann (Velocio-SRAM) 45:05.22
2. GLAESSER, Jasmin (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits) 46:22.51 +1:17.29
3. KIRCHMANN, Leah (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits) 47:08.40 +2:03.18