08.21.10 - Canadian Women Shine In Tandem Cycling At Para-Cycling World Championships

Two Canadians tandems on Women’s podium; Two Canadians in Fourth

(Baie-Comeau, QC – August 20, 2010) Two Canadian tandems stepped on the podium during the second day of Time Trial the 2010 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, QC, on Friday. The newly formed duo of Robbi Weldon and Lyne Bessette, with less than ten days of training together, won the silver medal while the experienced team of Geneviève Ouellet and Émilie Roy took the bronze medal in the Women’s tandem race.

Robbi Weldon (Thunder Bay, ON) and Lyne Bessette (Knowlton, QC) posted a time of 35 minutes 06.11 seconds, just 2.70 seconds behind the gold medalist Joleen Hakker of the Netherlands.

“It’s awesome racing. We didn’t leave a second out there, and we worked really hard. I have no regrets. Winning gold will be something to look for after a few more hours of training together! Lyne’s has an amazing experience in cycling and it’s only upward for us,” said Weldon, 35, after receiving her medal.

The silver medal for Weldon/Bessette is a sign of great things to come for the two cyclists as they have been training together for only a few weeks. The duo was formed last month at Para-Cycling Road Canadian Championships in Saint-George, QC, and met up once more for a pre-event training camp ten days before their initial race at the World Championships.

Robbie Weldon, a visually impaired cyclist, is a natural athlete. Weldon, who started cycling a few months ago, is also a competitive cross-country skier in the winter months. Weldon competed at the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, placing in fourth, fifth and sixth places throughout the Games.

“I enjoy both Cycling and cross country skiing. The two sports are a great combination and we’ll see how things go. At Nationals, we had about one hour practice together before the race, and we were fortunate to train and be coached in Bromont for ten days. Every day is getting better and better, so it’s a good feeling going into Sunday.”

Lyne Bessette, who accepted to pilot the tandem earlier this summer, has had a great career as a solo rider. The 35-year old stepped many times on international podiums, such as Pan-American Games and Commonwealth Games, and posted great results at Olympic Games competitions.

In the same race, the tandem of Geneviève Ouellet (Québec, QC) and Emilie Roy (Québec, QC), took the bronze medal. The veteran tandem raced well, somewhat disadvantaged in the downhill portions by their light weight. The duo posted a time of 35 minutes, 19.53 seconds, just 16 seconds behind the leader.

“This result means that it paid off to have worked hard all summer, to have trained at every opportunity and to have received all the support and infrastructure for the para-cycling program,” said Ouellet

“Right from the start, I felt we were riding well, riding fast. My feelings were really good throughout the race, and at every moment I asked myself if I was going as fast I as could in that moment. Emilie and I train together twice a week, in tandem, in Québec city, and we spent the last ten days going at it every day at the training camp.”

In the Men’s race, the tandem of Daniel Chalifour (St-Jérôme, QC) and Alexandre Cloutier (St-Antoine-de-Tilly, QC) came in fourth place, narrowly missing a place on the podium by just 0.17 second. The duo, who took both road titles at the Canadian Championships earlier this summer in Saint-George de Beauce and won bronze in the Time Trial at the 2009 World Championships, posted a time of 30 minutes 16.86 seconds.

In the afternoon race for the Men’s C1 category, Brayden McDougall (Calgary, AB) posted the fourth fastest time of 40 minutes and 31.64 seconds, followed closely by Jaye Milley (Calgary, AB) in sixth position.

In the C2 category, Paralympic hall of famer Arnold Boldt (Moose Jaw, SK), a dean of technology in a technical college in Saskatchewan, completed the race in seventh place, stopping the clock at 38 minutes 48.42 seconds. Boldt is the Canadian champion in both road disciplines. Matthieu Parent (Granby, QC) placed 10th, crossing the finish line with a time of 39 minutes, 43.37 seconds.

The 2010 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships continues tomorrow with road races and concludes on Sunday.

Full results of the World Championships can be found at: http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI1/layout.asp?MenuId=MTU5NDc&LangId=1

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2010 UCI Para-Cycling World Championships (Baie-Comeau, QC)
August 21 – H Men & Women (Road Race); C1-3 Men (Road Race; C4-5 Women (Road Race)
August 22 – C4-5 Men (Road Race; C1-3 Women (Road Race); T/B Men & Women (Road Race) H Team relay

Photos courtesy of Rob Jones, canadiancyclist.com

Women's Tandem ITT
Men's Tandem ITT
Men's C1
Men's C2
Men's C3
Men's C4
Men's C5