Canada has quietly stepped as much as problem the standard Olympic biking powerhouse nations like Nice Britain, the Netherlands and Italy, qualifying the utmost variety of athletes in observe biking and a rider in biking self-discipline besides BMX freestyle for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Dan Proulx, Canada’s head biking coach, shared insights into this milestone and the preparations main as much as it in an unique interview with Cyclingnews.
Canada is considered one of solely a handful of countries which have certified riders for each self-discipline. Solely Nice Britain has been capable of enter the utmost variety of athletes in observe, MTB and street. Getting Canada to the identical stage as a powerhouse Olympic performer like GB is a results of exhausting work by the riders, eight coaches and supporting employees, and monetary help from Sport Canada.
“This help has made a big distinction over time, making certain now we have world-class programming, coaches, and employees,” Proulx mentioned. “It is raised the bar for everybody and helped us compete on the highest ranges.
“The one factor that’s actually distinctive about Canada is that we do not have the numbers that another international locations do in our growth pipeline. Biking will not be the tradition in Canada, hockey is within the tradition, for positive. So usually, we’re choosing riders from a really small expertise pool. So it is actually essential that we be sure that they’ll keep within the sport for some time, and that we’re maximising the expertise that we do have. It is a compact group, so now we have to have good relationships with everyone.”
“We’re very enthusiastic about it,” Proulx mentioned of maxing out the observe biking group. “To my information, that is the primary time Canada has ever achieved that. We hoped to qualify the utmost variety of spots, nevertheless it was by no means a assure till the final occasion. Earlier than Milton [the last Nations Cup], we had been optimistic and hopeful however by no means took it without any consideration.”
The observe biking group, introduced this week, consists of defending dash champion Kelsey Mitchell and keirin bronze medalist Lauriane Genest, who will likely be joined by Sarah Orban for the group dash. Erin Attwell, Ariane Bonhomme, Maggie Coles-Lyster and Sarah Van Dam will compete within the endurance occasions.
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However the greatest surprises got here from the lads’s dash programme, who narrowly made the minimize for the Olympics because of their closing experience in Milton.
“That one was a nail-biter,” Proulx recalled. “The actually cool factor is that these guys had been underneath stress and set a private greatest. We had been comparatively assured in regards to the group pursuit since we wanted to be within the prime 10, however all it might have taken was a contact of wheels, and that will have been it.”
James Hedgcock, Tyler Rorke and Nick Wammes will compete within the dash occasions in Paris. The group pursuit squad additionally made the minimize, with Dylan Bibic, Michael Foley, Carson Mattern and Mathias Guillemette being named to the group.
The qualification course of was difficult by the shortened Olympic cycle after the Tokyo Olympics had been postponed one yr because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas it left little time for growth and experimentation, Canada pulled off nice performances to qualify a big group, however that was not the principle purpose.
“The three-year quadrennial meant we did not get that yr post-Olympics to do a variety of growth work. We had been proper again into qualifying,” Proulx defined. “The coaches, employees, and athletes centered on the method and the way they carried out in every occasion. Our purpose is to carry out our greatest on the Video games, reasonably than simply qualifying for each occasion.”
Waiting for Paris, Proulx emphasised the significance of preparation and psychological toughness. “Like everybody, we’d like to see medals, however we actually can’t management that. We’re practising efficiency underneath stress and fatigue situations to make sure the riders are able to delivering their greatest on the Video games. The Olympics are a stress cooker the place athletes usually underperform, so our focus is on controlling the controllables and creating an setting conducive to the riders doing properly.”
A vital side of Canada’s success has been the distinctive teaching employees, together with Catherine Pendrell, a bronze medalist on the Rio Olympics, who now coaches the mountain bike group. “I believe that is an interesting story,” Proulx remarked. “She’s been a mountain bike coach for the final two years, doing a incredible job with our 2028-focused athletes. We may have mountain bikers on the Video games, however with our mountain bike group, that is extra of a rebuild and expertise Video games. Catherine shares her knowledge from a virtually 20-year worldwide profession with coaches from varied disciplines.”
Siblings Gunnar and Isabella Holmgren will characterize Canada within the mountain bike cross-country races. Isabella is the reigning junior world champion whereas Gunnar gained the lads’s MTB race on the Pan American Video games final yr.
On the street facet, Michael Woods and Derek Gee will fly the maple leaf flag on a Classics-style street course in Paris, whereas Olivia Baril and Alison Jackson will characterize Canada within the ladies’s street occasions.
Mollie Simpson rounds out the group in ladies’s BMX Racing.
“We now have some medal potential in a variety of completely different disciplines,” Proulx mentioned. “The thrilling half in regards to the street course is how difficult it’s. Our coaches, like Nigel Ellsay, have achieved recon on it, and now we have a powerful group to decide on riders from. We now have our work minimize out for us figuring out who will likely be greatest on the day.”
Canada’s preparations lengthen past bodily coaching. Collaborations with gear companions corresponding to Argon 18 and Louis Garneau have offered the group with cutting-edge gear and clothes. Nevertheless, Proulx burdened that mastering the fundamentals is essential. “The tactical facet, particularly in observe biking, is tremendous essential. We research our competitors and guarantee our athletes can compete in sudden methods. Technical points like perfecting begins and optimizing exchanges are additionally important. Each coaching session consists of video evaluation, energy evaluation, and aero testing.”
Psychological preparation additionally performs a big position in Canada’s technique. “We have invested within the psychological efficiency recreation, making a efficiency setting that’s gentle, shiny, and clear,” Proulx famous. “Our psychological efficiency coach, Sharlen Hoar, works with the athletes and coaches to create environments that convey out the most effective in folks. There’s an amazing vibe on the group proper now, which has come from funding and steady work.”
Workforce Canada for the Paris Olympics biking occasions
- Molly Simpson (BMX Racing, Girls)
- Isabella Holmgren (MTB, Girls)
- Gunnar Holmgren (MTB, Males)
- Olivia Baril (Street, Girls)
- Alison Jackson (Street, Girls)
- Derek Gee (Street, Males)
- Michael Woods (Street, Males)
- Erin Attwell (Monitor Endurance, Girls)
- Ariane Bonhomme (Monitor Endurance, Girls)
- Maggie Coles-Lyster (Monitor Endurance, Girls)
- Sarah Van Dam (Monitor Endurance, Girls)
- Dylan Bibic (Monitor Endurance, Males)
- Michael Foley (Monitor Endurance, Males)
- Mathias Guillemette (Monitor Endurance, Males)
- Carson Mattern (Monitor Endurance, Males)
- Lauriane Genest (Monitor Dash, Girls)
- Kelsey Mitchell (Monitor Dash, Girls)
- Sarah Orban (Monitor Dash, Girls)
- James Hedgcock (Monitor Dash, Males)
- Tyler Rorke (Monitor Dash, Males)
- Nick Wammes (Monitor Dash, Males)
