Inside the Milton Velodrome, at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre
The Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup is just about ready as more than 300 athletes from 50 nations flock to Milton.
Olympic sprint medalists Kelsey Mitchell and Lauriane Genest will be looking to gain valuable points to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alongside teammates Sarah Orban and Jackie Boyle. On the men’s side, multiple-time Canadian Champion James Hedgecock will be on the hunt for those crucial points with Olympian Nick Wammes and teammates Ryan Dodyk and Tyler Rorke.
Current Scratch World Champion Dylan Bibic will race in front of a home crowd, gearing up for the team pursuit alongside local riders from the Milton region, Carson Mattern and Olympian Michael Foley. They will be joined by Mathias Guillemette. On the women’s side, riders Erin Attwell, Maggie Coles-Lyster, Sarah Van Dam and Olympian Ariane Bonhomme will also show their strength on home soil.
“The Nations Cup is an opportunity to earn points for Olympic qualification,” says Dan Proulx, Head Coach at Cycling Canada. “It’s a battle just to qualify for the Games. Many of the best nations will be in Milton to take advantage of the fast track and timing of this event. Canada has a very talented and ambitious group of athletes and coaches who will be gaining a lot from this opportunity – performing under pressure and in the spotlight. The athletes have trained hard and are hoping to improve on the performances they did in the first two Nations Cup of the year.”
With a special focus on development riders, the team pursuit squad will be comprised of young riders looking to gain valuable experience in an international race. Penelope Primeau, Kiara Lylyk, Adèle Desgagnés and Devaney Collier will take on the women’s team pursuit, while Chris Ersnt, Daniel Fraser-Maraun, Campbell Parrish and Sean Richardson will represent the maple leaf for the men.
With all athletes on a mission to qualify for Paris 2024, this last round of the 2023 UCI Tissot Track Nations Cup series will see Team Pursuit World Champions Chiara Consonni, Martina Fidanza, Elisa Balsamo and Vittoria Guazzini from Italy as well as Madison World Champion, Benjamin Thomas from France. The lineup also includes former Omnium Olympic Champion, Elia Viviani and former Points Race World Champion Corbin Strong, of New Zealand.
Tickets are still available to witness the strength of some of the best cyclists in the world. General admission, family packs and VIP tickets can be purchased here. Important information, schedule and program for the event are available here.
The Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup will run from Thursday, April 20th – Sunday, April 23rd.
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