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It was a great year for Canada’s paracyclists

Bring on 2022

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon

Despite the ups and downs of 2021, Canada had some great rides in paracycling. Here’s just a few highlights from the year that was.

AMTB makes its debut at Dunbar Summer Series

Adaptive mountain biking isn’t new, but it’s growing rapidly. The sport notched a major milestone in 2021 when its inclusion at Dunbar Summer Series marked the first occasion aMTB had its own, non-exhibition category included as part of an existing series. And aMTB wasn’t just included, it was centre stage. The adaptive athletes took on three downhill races, including two Canada Cups and DH nationals, racing largely the same course as the able-bodied athletes.

Cameron Lochhead takes fifth.

Marie Claude Molnar and Shelly Gautier’s golden year

Marie Claude Molnar scored her first road cycling world championship win in 2021. She dominated the women’s C4 time trial, with a time gap of 2:07 over French runner-up Katell Alencon. The 37-year-old Longueuil, Qc., cyclist, even though she’s come close to the top of the podium before with a second place finish in the 2013 paracycling world championships road race.

Canadian Marie-Claude Molnar wins gold at UCI Para-cycling road world championships

Gautier extended Canada’s gold medal streak at the 2021 UCI Para-road world championships on Friday. The two-time Paralympian won her 9th T1 individual time trial gold medal. “This race was my first international race in two years,” Gautier said after the race. “The planning of where to cycle in the wind was tricky, as was staying small. My coaches Guillaume Plourde, Eric Van Den Eynde, Sébastien Travers and Cycling Canada helped me put in the hard work to make winning this World Championship possible. I am very proud of the result. I now have nine ITT rainbow jerseys and I am very proud of that!”

Tristen Chernove retires

Canadian cyclist Tristen Chernove withdrew from the Tokyo Paralympics early, ending an incredible career. He won three medals at his Paralympic debut five years ago at the Rio games, including a gold in the road cycling C2 time trial, as well as a silver in track cycling’s C2 3,000 m individual pursuit.

He did ride one event In Tokyo, going up against world-record holder Mikhail Astashov ending up with the silver.
Last year he set a record at the BC Epic 1000, and there’s rumours that may be the direction he’s headed. Time will tell…

Kate O’Brien

In her Paralympic Games debut Kate O’Brien took the silver medal in the C4 500-metre time trial in Tokyo. She definitely had her hometown of Calgary behind her the whole time as well–before she left for the games she was celebrated with an interactive installation.

Keely Shaw

Shaw won Canada’s first medal of the Paralympics in Tokyo, a bronze in the women’s C4 3,000-metre individual pursuit. At the 2020 world track championships in Milton, Ont. Shaw raced the women’s C4 individual pursuit, finishing just 75 milliseconds off of a bronze medal. At her return to racing she was able to move up one position, putting herself on the podium at her first ever Paralympic event.

The return of the nationals

After a year off due to COVID-19, the 2021 road paracycling Canadian champions received their maple leaf jerseys in Beauce, Qc. 20 racers took on damp and drizzly conditions to fight for their national titles, including the Alberta/Ontario duo Lowell Taylor and Ed Veal.  Not only did riders get a chance to win titles, but it shows there’s a whole new generation of future paralympians for Paris 2024.