Success at Track World Cup V - an Update from Devaney Collier!

Juventus member Devaney Collier currently trains with Cycling Canada's NextGen Program. Canada used the fifth World Cup in Minsk, Belarus to give the group experience on the world stage. Experience indeed . . . congratulations to Devaney for Bronze in the Team Pursuit and competing well in the Omnium!

 

When I asked the team Canada mechanic, Dan, what to expect while in Minsk he said “Well, do you like vodka?”. That more or less sums up the country.

After a near 2 week prep camp in Milton, Sara Giovannetti, Erin Attwell, Laurie Jussaume, Maggie Coles-Lyster and I were primed and ready to take on our first world cup team pursuit. We were pretty confident in our counterclockwise oval riding capabilities, although it was a test of fortitude when our coach, Jenny Trew, had to opt out last minute due to a family emergency. Thankfully her son and our favourite fan, Camden, is on the road to recovery and progressing well.

Canada's NextGen Team puts together a smooth, fast TP at the 2018 World Cup V in Belarus.

Since our arrival in Belarus on Jan 16th, we have all been pleasantly surprised by the grandeur of the hotel, and ease with which everything has run. The Velodrome was decent and fairly equivalent to Milton in terms of speed and handling difficulty. I think 2 PB’s and a bronze medal are testament to that, but more so to the hard work of the athletes, staff and coaches over the past few months especially. We are proud of this achievement, but more excited by the progress our training has reaped. We're enthusiastic about turning our sights to the road in order to set up for bigger, better more badass results next season.

2018 World Cup V - Minsk, Belarus - Canada wins Bronze in Women's Team Pursuit!

Turning in a personal direction, I was anxious yet excited to race in my first international Omnium this past weekend! Jenny and I knew it was going to be a big day as the schedule was as follows:

Team Pursuit - round 1

OM scratch

OM tempo

OM elimination

TP finals

OM points race

Yes, it was ouchie. Those last 3 races occurred in about a total of 1.5 hours. Overall I would have to say I am not unhappy with the results. My goal was: find out how to race smarter, I can’t out-gun these women (yet), so I need to learn how to use my maximize my strengths through tactical decisions. I definitely learned what not to do! I look forward to doing many more Omniums in the future but really enjoyed (literally) rubbing shoulders with the best!

 

Devaney Collier competes in the 2018 World Cup V Omnium.

 

Till next time!

-Devaney

 

Juventus' Cheyenne Goh to represent Singapore at 2018 Winter Olympics!

Juventus junior, Cheyenne Goh (far right), spent a good deal of the spring and summer cycling; she was part of the Alberta Team (yes, that's Abbey McGill centre) that travelled to Ottawa, Ontario for Junior Road Nationals last June.

Cheyenne used the cycling training and competition to compliment her speed skating passion. After racing the ITT, road race, and criterium, Cheyenne returned home. In August she headed for Kuala, Lumpur for the South East Asian Games. She had outstanding success, earning a Silver in both the 500 m, and 3000 m relay, and a Bronze in the 1000 m race.

But there was more work and good news ahead . . . 

Since September, she has competed in four Short Track Speed Skating World Cups - in Budapest, Hungary; Dordrecht, Netherlands; Shanghai, China; and Seoul, Korea.

A few days ago, The International Skating Union released the qualified quota places for the upcoming 2018 Games in Pyeongchang,  South Korea, and Cheyenne's three best performances earned her enough points to qualify as Singapore's first Winter Olympian!

Goh, a recent Leduc high school graduate, is based in Canada. She will go to Singapore to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics held February 9th - 25th. 

Congratulations to Cheyenne on this exciting selection!!

Juve Juniors report from World Cup III!

Recently, Argyll Velodrome Racing Association (AVRA) Coach Alex Ongaro was invited to Milton for discussions with Cycling Canada's Development Pathway Coordinator. A nice bonus was that the trip was on the weekend of the Milton Track World Cup, and he was able to bring along Zac Lipinski, and Mikael Goh. All three had a fantastic 4 days; check out their report!

 

Captains Log Day 1 – Zac:

As we embarked on our journey, security believed that I seemed the most appropriate for the full strip down. After ten minutes, security finally deemed my pack of gum and calculator not a threat to the plane, and we were on our way. The three hour flight was action packed, from watching Atomic Blonde to the one wheel landing…. We arrived in beautiful Milton, Ontario: a rain jacket instead of parka would have been a good idea indeed!

Upsides:  It was interesting to be greeted by someone from Cycling Canada when we arrived. We also enjoyed being chauffeured around in one of their Lexus cars. On top of that, Mikael and I were given guest passes to go behind the scenes at the velodrome and see the everyday work of the staff.

Front and backstage passes!

Alex Ongaro and Curt Harnett

Downsides:  “no coffee?!?” -Alex

Interesting facts: They bag milk here in Ontario. Would not recommend adopting that. Very hard to drink out of a bag.

Day 2 - Mikael:  

Kinley riding in the Team Pursuit

After sleeping through my alarm and being awakened by an overly-aggressive Zac, we left to see the first day of racing. One of the highlights of the day included the Team Pursuit qualifiers, with the Canadian women’s team topping the leaderboard (yay Kinley!!).

Zac, Curt Harnett, and Mikael

We also had the opportunity to talk to Ari from Zizu Optics about a potential sponsorship deal. They have some really high quality sunglasses, and both Zac and I are very excited to work with them long term. Later in the day we got to watch the Team Sprint qualifiers and Points Races.

It was amazing to watch the world’s best compete up close, including Kristina Vogel and Francois Pervis. When the racing ended, the three of us met up with Stefan for coffee, and watched a movie.

Upsides:  Great racing, Meeting up with Zizu, finally coffee!!

Downsides:  Zac’s method of waking me up (body slam)

Interesting facts:  A small round piece of bread is known as a roll (Zac was unaware). “well Stefan calls them buns, and a World Champion is never wrong” -Zac  

Day 3:  Zac:

An interesting day of racing; we got to see Kinley and her pursuit team race to gold. It is a totally different experience to watch that in person.

As well, it was amazing to see the men’s team pursuit set a new Canadian record.

Mikael, never having been to this track, watched some of the greatest riders in world complete the 200 m qualifiers. He left this week with an abundance of match sprint tactics to work on in his upcoming events.

Mikael's face as he watches a Keirin crash!

Juventus at the World Cup

Day 4: Zac

It's pretty much a straight forward story. Getting ready to leave, we told Mikael to make sure that he had double checked his room and bag - to ensure that he had everything. We checked out, arrived at the airport, checked in for our flight, and continued to our terminal.

Mikael, being slow to respond and all, decided to check that he had everything at the terminal. He was shocked to NOT see a small black booklet called a passport in his bag!! We then scrambled for the next two hours figuring out how Mikael was going to get on the plane without any documentation - other than the still missing passport . . .

The face when your athlete is missing his passport . . .

So yeah, that was fun. But the rest was very cool!

Thank you Alex, and thank you Cycling Canada for this great opportunity!!

  

Good things - Gibson & team take Gold!

Sometimes all the hard work does pay off. The Canadian Women's Endurance Team put on quite a show in Milton, and in dramatic fashion, won GOLD in the Team Pursuit (TP). 

The event is comprised of three races: a qualifier to rank the teams; round 1 to determine which teams will race for gold & silver, and which teams will race for bronze; and then the Gold and Bronze FINALS.

Juventus' Kinley Gibson got the nod for the P1 (starter) position for the qualifier. She would be teamed with the same quartet that won Silver at the first World Cup of the season in Pruszkow in early November: Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, and Annie Foreman-Mackey. The group did not disappoint, turning in a best time.

Blasting out of the start gate is Kinley Gibson, with Allison Beveridge P2, Ariane Bonhomme P3, Annie Foreman Mackey P4. (photo by Peter Kraiker)

In Round 1, against 4th place qualifier Japan, coach Craig Griffin switched things up, putting in Steph Roorda as P1 (Allison was also racing the Omnium), Kinley as P2, and adding Kirsti Lay to rest Ariane. The team easily qualified for the Gold Medal Final.

New Zealand is very competitive in TP, and Canada knew they needed to perform! The team returned to their original line up, and got ready to race.

Riding in compact formation - smooth and fast! (photo by Rob Jones)

The stands were packed, and the crowd was ravenous for a victory. The countdown ended, and the two teams blasted from the line.

The Canadians felt the thundering power of home advantage. They lost all ability to communicate with each other: as they rode faster and faster, the crowd cheered louder and louder. They were propelled forward, and were able to catch New Zealand with more than a lap still in the race. GOLD!!! - and the first World Cup Gold Medal on Canadian soil since 1998. 

 

CLICK HERE and watch

Canada vs. New Zealand

in the GOLD Medal Final!!

UCI World Cup III was live-streamed around the world.

Women's endurance coach Craig Griffin gives feedback to the team. (photo by Rob Jones)

The cheering crowd was so loud . . . spurring the team forward, but preventing all communication in the line!

Craig Griffin urges the women onward!

You can see the joy of a rewarding effort beam from these Canadian women! There will be a bit of savouring the victory, a lot of thanking of the supporters behind the success, and then it's back to work . . . because the target is the 2018 world championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands at the start of March.

It's pretty nice when things go to plan! (Ariane Bonhomme and Kinley Gibson)  - photo by Peter Kraiker  

And this is what it feels like to win on home turf! - photo by Peter Kraiker (Ariane Bonhomme & Kinley Gibson)

Ariane Bonhomme, Kinley Gibson, Annie Foreman Mackey, Allison Beveridge after their Gold medal ride - photo Peter Kraiker

2017 World Cup III Milton, Ontario - photo Peter Kraiker (Kinley, Ariane, Annie, Allison)

Round 1 riders Steph Roorda, and Kirsti Lay share in the victory! - photo by Peter Kraiker

Kinley was interviewed by

Canadian Cyclist

after the podium in Milton. She is unable to stop beaming!

Day 3 of the World Cup, and it's Kinley's turn to cheer. Alex Ongaro, in Milton to observe top performers, took this picture of Mikael and Zac, who joined Meika and Stefan for the excitement.

Congratulations to Kinley on representing Juventus, and Canada so well!

Our 2017 AGM & Awards Dinner!

The Juventus AGM and Awards Dinner is a special event. It is our chance to reconnect after a season of training, racing, and good old riding for fun.  The Juventus AGM is the business end of things: it's when we get updated on the big picture; did we accomplish club goals?, were support dollars well spent?, and what should be our goals for 2018?

We are so fortunate. Our club membership is diverse. We have a beautiful clubhouse: we can use it to train so very diligently, but then gather for both serious business and celebration. Our strengths can be highlighted, and then we have the opportunity to refocus and set some new goals. 

Our club Treasurer, Jim Nelson,  presents his report.

Cranx Director, Carrie Wicklund, describes a new position available within the club - Juventus Trail Coordinator

Dinner by Chianti's was enjoyed by all. Ngaire seems pretty pleased.

At the 2017 AGM, we listened to our directors;  we heard a lot about success, a little about what can be improved, and how each was strategizing to make improvements for 2018. 

After considerable time dissecting, thinking, and collaborating, the executive's goal to draft new club bylaws came to fruition.

President Gail Wozny thanked both Lindsay Dodd, and David Embury for their wise counsel during this process. 

The bylaws were presented to the general membership, and after discussion, a motion to accept these bylaws as presented was passed. 

Juventus set some new goals for 2018, and then it was time to celebrate success.

Please enjoy the pictures of our 2017 Award Winners. Congratulations to everyone! (a few more pictures are yet to come)

Friendship and  camaraderie at the AGM . . . a group so bright, we had to darken the windows! Either that, or this is part of a future gym drill . . .

I'm not sure if Zac is buying what Mat is selling. But for sure, the dinner from Chianti's is great.

Alex Stieda mentors a few of our juniors and LAMP+ grads.

One of the things that makes Juventus so successful, is how regularly members give back to the sport they love. This most often means returning to coach Juventus youth, and assisting them with encouragement, and tricks and tips learned along the way. 

Samuel Beaudoin was integral to our LAMP+ program. Thank you Sam!

Ross Wilson is our 2017 Top Time Trialist.

Juventus member Ross Wilson had two stand out performances at this year's Para World Championship in Los Angeles. Ross's wins ensured the phrase 'Juventus member and current World Champion' was doubly relevant. Ross took gold in the 1 km TT, and then went out and dominated the 3 km Individual Pursuit. Congratulations to Ross - an easy choice for this year's Juventus Time Trial Award . . . the clubhouse World Championship jersey collection continues to grow!

Annie Wyminga Scott is our 2017 Top U15 Female. 

Lukas Bonkowski is our 2017 Top U15 Male.

Ngaire Barraclough is our 2017 Top U17 Female.

Alex Webb is our 2017 Top U17 Male.

Nikki McGill accepts on behalf of Sidney McGill - our 2017 Top U19 Female.

Sidney McGill - our 2017 Top U19 Female, and Top Mountain Cyclist.

Zachary Lipinski is our 2017 Top U19 Male.

Evan Burtnik is our 2017 Top Elite Male. 

Kinley Gibson is our 2017 Top Elite Female, Top Track Cyclist, and was recognized with our Dedicated Cyclist Award.

Gail Wozny is our 2017 Top Master Female. She is also our wonderful Juventus President.

George Irwin is our 2017 Top Master Male. George took some time to describe how much he enjoyed training and racing with the Juventus group.

Our master's coach, Bruce Copeland is probably planning next year's exploits - and Top Master Male George Irwin is in!

David Meurer is our 2017 Volunteer of the Year!

Cycling events and programs depend on the contributions of a horde of dedicated volunteers.

Many Juve members go above and beyond the norm, with wonderful benefits for everyone!  

Juventus chose to recognize David Meurer as our 2017 Volunteer of the Year.

 

Thank you David: your effort to assist the club and cycling overall with your thoughtful discussion, your support and interest in our youth, your assistance on team trips, and your overall attitude of volunteerism,  is extremely appreciated!  

Jeff recounts Most Improved Rider Lindsay's development . . . from falling off  the velodrome in neutral laps to Bronze at Master Track Nationals!!

Lindsay Somerset is our 2017 Most Improved Cyclist.

Mikael Goh is our 2017 Rookie of the Year.

Sean Germaine is our 2017 Top CX Rider.

Dave Embury, along with Gail Wozny, present Ngaire Barraclough with the 2017 Argyll Velodrome Association Scholarship.

Rich Sitter accepts his Scream Award - after James and George told the very crazy story of an epic ride of screams, and more screams. 

The Jim Horner Room at the Juventus clubhouse, and our Lap of Honour Award are named for this very special man. Many members knew and remember Jim with great fondness. Here are a few words that LAMP visionary and director Wayne Mackenzie wrote back in 2006.

Dan Nelson accepted the 2017 Jim Horner Award from Club President and kind heart Gail Wozny.

I did not know Jim for a long time like many of you, but his impact on me has been profound. It was Jim’s love of the bike and of youngsters who are just beginning to experience this love that made me promise him, that together we would work with the kids and ensure that they discovered their own love for the bike.

The Sprockids and Lori-Ann Muenzer Programs are offshoots of this promise and it has given me great pleasure to set things in motion to uphold this promise for years to come.

Without Jim’s encouragement and vision we would not be where we are today. I will do my best to be sure there are always smiles on the faces of, and bikes under, the kids that Jim loved to work with so much. Jim is no longer with us but his wisdom will continue.

Dan Nelson exemplifies the spirit of what the Jim Horner Lap of Honour Award is about! He was the perfect choice!

 

 

The GEORGE Award!!

And here you thought the George Award was forgotten. Not likely! This year's story was a tragic tale of woe involving one very expensive LOOK time trial bike. This bike needed transport from our candidate's home to the clubhouse . . . a ride down the ravine path, onto River Road, and up and over to Argyll. Hmmmm, that sounds like no problem . . . 

Dave accepts the George Award . . . and would you believe - the bike is fixed!

. . .  except, always wanting to use his time wisely, our candidate decided it would be prudent to ride his road bike, and use his spare hand to guide the LOOK to its destination. Mad skillz indeed!! - if only.

You guessed it - and IT happened along River Road, just as our candidate approached the LRT turn off - some sort of a glitch in the matrix, or super-jinx. 

Situation: maximum unhappiness.  Our candidate (OK, let's name him), Dave Embury (are you surprised?) somehow was tossed over his handlebars and landed on the LOOK. 

Broken top tube, broken down tube . . . and Dave with an unfortunate mess. Yes, this is certainly a well deserved George Award. Congratulations . . .??? 

Juve Women Pen About the Cycling Journey!

Recently, both Gail Wozny, and Kinley Gibson received unconnected requests to write about their cycling experiences.

Gail was asked by YEGFITNESS to write about her experience re-entering the world of competitive Master's racing. CLICK HERE to link to Gail's article.

Kinley was asked by CBC Sport to write about her experience moving from the NextGen program to the Olympic Performance Pool. CLICK HERE to link to Kinley's article.

Well done to both of you! 

News from Evan Burtnik!

Hey Juventus, 2017 is almost over, but somehow my season isn’t!

I just got back from Geneva, where together Aidan Caves and I raced the 4 Days of Geneva. The velodrome is 166 m and has the steepest banking of any velodrome in Europe! 4 days of straight Madison racing, where racing starts at 6 or 7 pm and finishes around midnight. It was a brutal and stressful 4 days, but some of the most fun I’ve ever had racing.

We finished 4th overall, and were improving in every single race. Aidan and I were unable to recover a lap lost to 2nd and 3rd, and it cost us 2nd overall. Twice - we were so close to gaining it back . . . but one amateur butchered exchange would tragically foil our plans. In the final race, on the final night, after many near death experiences and close calls, fate finally caught up to me. I got stuck behind an exchanging team and hit the deck with track burn all along my right side. Aidan covered for me, while I jumped up and down and yelled profanities at myself on the infield - before promptly getting back on the bike, thrown back into the race with my ass hanging out of my shorts, and won the next 2 sprints to a nice applause from the crowd!

Coming up, I’ll learn if I’ve been selected to the 2018 Commonwealth Games team in Australia, on The Gold Coast in April! My prospects at making it as a team pursuit rider are slim, but the addition of Madison to the Olympic schedule has opened up another pathway for me as a track cyclist. This is very exciting for me, as we build towards Tokyo 2020. The first race that counts for Olympic qualification will be the 2018 Pan American Championships, so the clock is ticking!

Right now I’m in Spain getting ready for my final race of the season in Grenchen, Switzerland. It’s a C1 track race where I’ll have the opportunity to earn myself UCI Points to qualify for future World Cups and World Championships. After that, I go home for Christmas - but then it's right back to Spain to begin the build for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships!

Juventus Recognition at City of Edmonton's Salute to Excellence!

The City of Edmonton Performance Awards honour individuals, groups, organizations or teams who have gained outstanding recognition at the national or international level in sport, or arts and culture. Devaney Collier, Gail Wozny, and Kinley Gibson were recognized for Individual Sport Performance.

In addition, Juventus member Lucas Waldin was honoured with a City of Edmonton Citation Award. Citation Awards honour those individuals or groups who have given significant service and inspiring leadership in in arts and culture, community service, and sports.

Lucas Waldin is an inspirational artist who has conducted the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra more than 150 times, and served as a guest conductor for prestigious orchestras across Canada and the United States.

A proven leader, he has served as a programmer and principal conductor for Symphony for Kids and other education concerts, and played a significant role in building an after school program for under-served young people - Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta Sistema.

Dedicated to ensuring music in Edmonton is accessible, Waldin has promoted inclusion by developing programming for children and families that reflect and celebrate Edmonton’s diversity.

Devaney Collier received an Individual Award for her Gold Medal performance in the Team Pursuit at the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships in Trinidad. Our Club President Gail Wozny received a Master's Individual Performance Award for her Gold Medal performance at the 2016 Canadian National Track Cycling Championships.

It appears that both Devaney and Gail got the memo about sporting patterned dresses and funky boots - clearly they were prepared to receive their awards in style! . . . and wasn't it kind of Gail's former Social Studies student to pose after the ceremony!

Kinley Gibson was recognized with an Individual Award for her Gold in the Team Pursuit & Silver in the Individual Pursuit, at the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships; and Gold in the Individual Pursuit at the 2016 Canadian National Track Cycling Championships. Kinley is currently training in Milton, and was unable to attend the ceremony. 

These honours recognizing our Juventus athletes are very impressive! Congratulations! 

Jeff - and 2017 Juve Track in Review

The easy to find black and whites of the Juventus track team put together another banner year in 2017!

The year started in Burnaby with the Western Canadian Challenge and 5 Juventus riders (Matt, Chris, Annie, Lukas and Zac) showing that even if your track is covered in snow, you can still go fast!

These young guns, along with Mikael, Alex, Ngaire, Jack, Sam N, Sam B, Nic, and Cheyenne (who was also selected for the World Cup Short Track Speed-skating Team!) did a lot of racing at our own Track League!, School's Out Dash, Trackfest, and Youth Provincials . This group is keen and growing! They are racing on the road/track and mountain - learning and enjoying the ride, with the successes, mishaps, and friendships etc. that come with the fun. Some are enhancing their Juventus training with an AVRA component.

The slightly more ‘seasoned’ group continues to develop, with many masters moving up the Track League! rankings. Nine Juve riders competed at Elite/Master Nationals and several had medal performances. Success inspires, and we continue to see more master age riders jumping over the rail!

Provincially we had a big crew in Calgary for the  Alberta Track Champs. Juniors in with the elites; masters racing elite - Gail raced with elite women and medalled, while Zac and Scott owned the Madison win! (link to article about Provincials) 

Of utmost importance was a total domination of the sportsman/fried chicken class at the TTT provincial super championships! In the process, Adam, Scott, Dylan and Jeff all put in one of their longest road rides of the year*..

Our national team athletes are continuing to progress well and work their way up the ladder!  Do take a minute and appreciate the breadth and depth of this…

• Evan - Team Race Clean, Nationals IP 4th, Madison GOLD!, Team Pursuit GOLD!, Omnium 8th. Geneva 4 day super fun1 with wins and placings.

• Stefan - Selected for his first elite racing - World Cup Cali. Developing, and has been seen going extremely fast. Crash issues, but is back at it and you will be seeing him on form soon.

• Ross Wilson - 2 x Para World Champion in March, Individual  Pursuit GOLD! & 1 km TT GOLD (butterdome starts for the Win!) . Ross was also to Road World Champs in South Africa, 2nd in ITT;  He is looking to Tokyo 2020

• Kinley - World Cup Cali Team Pursuit Bronze!; Pan Am Team pursuit GOLD!, Individual Pursuit SILVER!; World Cup Pruszkow Team Pursuit SILVER!, Madison 5th ; National Pursuit GOLD!, Omnium SILVER!, Team Pursuit SILVER!, Madison BRONZE.  Part of the Women’s endurance Olympic Pool. Watch for big(ger)  things in 2018!

• Devaney - NextGen, Pan Am Team Pursuit GOLD! (with Kinley, 50% Juve!); Nationals Omnium 6, Team sprint SILVER!.

• Adam and Scott - top class prep (50% of the sportsman superchampionship team of the world!)

Our Events!

Scott stepped up and held the Juventus Invitational Track meet, where everyone was invited. Lino Bovo and the Edmonton International City Championships ran concurrently this year, giving the younger folks a year end party, and the Elites&Masters some pre-nationals competition.

Now it’s back on the rollers through the snow season - Wednesday and Sunday!  The kids are getting faster… better hurry up!

See you at the track!

Greg Sowak provides a HUGE Cross Season Wrap-up!

Juventus regretfully bids farewell to another exciting Cyclocross (CX) season; as always, our Juventus CX racers performed extremely well during this year's campaign - across all age groups and all categories. 

From rookies to "senior citizens", our CX team raced hard, smart, and managed a good number of podiums along the way!  This is really saying something, considering Alberta CX fields are bigger, deeper, and faster than ever!

Here are some highlights and photos of our athletes from the 2017 CX season:

(Our thanks to intrepid photographers Nancy St.Hilaire, Bill Quinney, Doug Bristow, and Ken Germaine, whose pics we feature here with their permission)

Alberta Cup

The season began on September 9 & 10 in Calgary with the Beans n Barley and Pumphouse Cross races.  Sean Germaine “looked sharp” on opening weekend, managing a 3rd and 2nd in the top tier Open category, with Cody Shimizu racing to an 11th and 9th.  Junior racers Ryan MacLean, Luke Bristow, and Alex Webb also came out flying!  Ryan managed a 9th and 7th in Open; Luke placed well in the challenging Expert category with a 9th and 13th; Alex left the Sport category in his dust, with podium finishes both days: 3rd and 2nd.

Our team’s impressive run continued the following weekend at Canmore’s Drie Zussen Superprestige CX.  On day 1, Luke Bristow finished 5th in a strong and deep Expert field, Sean Germaine continued to dominate Open Men with a 2nd place, and young Ryan MacLean was not far behind, finishing an impressive 7th.

Sport and Novice categories also saw Juventus athletes finishing well.  Alex Webb and Chris Heinemann finished 1st and 2nd in Sport, with Mathieu Meurer (1st), Issac McKague (3rd), and Ben Damant (5th) performing well in Novice.

On day 2, Sean found another podium (3rd) and Ryan McLean was right on his heels with a very solid 5th place finish.  Meanwhile, Matt Meurer and Issac McKague owned the Novice podium, finishing 1st and 2nd, and Chris Heinemann placed a solid 3rd in Sport. 

Our own annual CX showdown, The Jim Horner Grand Prix of Cyclocross, was held on the weekend of September 23 and 24th in conjunction with Hardcore’s Hop n Hurl. Wet weather leading up to the weekend forced a last minute venue change, but as we know, Lorne Dmitruk and his determined team stayed up late, got up early, and put together a fabulous race weekend in spite of mother nature!

Of note, junior rookie Ben Damant continued to climb through the ranks with a 6th place in Novice, Sean Germaine (3rd) and Ryan MacLean (6th) continued to perform well in Open, and our team dominated the Sport category with Matt Meurer (1st), Chris Heinemann (4th), and Greg Sowak (6th) all placing well!

Juventus and Focus CX Canada athlete Sidney McGill took top step in the Open women’s race.  Well done!

The following day, Isaac McKague had a solid result in Novice (5th), while Matt (1st) and Chris (6th) earned upgrades and Greg (7th) scored more points in Sport! 

In the top tiered Open categories, Sidney won another one and young Ryan MacLean had his best result as an Open racer, finishing second in a very experienced field that included Focus CX Canada racer Aaron Schooler (3rd).  Way to go Ryan!

The weekend of October 14th and 15th was hosted in Devon by United Cycle and the awesome Devon Bicycle Association (DBA).  A favourite venue for many Juventus athletes, this year’s course did not disappoint as all the favourite features factored in the lumpy, slippery, and technical races: pump tracks, berms, sand pits, greasy run ups, and the notorious “agitator”!

Saturday’s United in Cross saw more excellent Juventus results!  Luke Bristow posted an impressive win in a tight Expert race, Sean Germaine crushed the Open men’s field for an awesome win, and Greg Sowak finished a strong second in the Sport category.  Meanwhile, Annie Scott performed well in Sport Women with a solid 6th place.

Alberta Provincials, Devon, Alberta

Sunday’s Alberta Provincial Championship races also saw great team results.  Ryan Kohlenberg, gaining form all season, finished an impressive 6th in Masters A, Tracy Shearer (7th) and Greg Sowak (3rd) worked together well for a gratifying Masters C podium, and Sean Germaine (2nd) just missed winning the Men’s Provincial Championship in a furiously paced Open race!  Well done!

The final local CX race of the season was back on our home bowl.  The Red Cross and School of Cross weekend, hosted by RedBike and ERTC on October 21 and 22, featured familiar, twisty grass switch backs, run ups, off cambers, and crisp but clear weather.  Awesome!

No stranger to the top step of the CX podium, Luke Bristow saw his last race in Expert on Saturday with another sweet win, and Ryan Kohlenberg continued his impressive run, finishing 4th on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday! Annie Scott also got in on the podium action, taking a solid win in Women’s Sport.  Great job, Annie!

Meanwhile, Juventus owned the Men’s Open top ten all weekend!  Proving they were well on form for Nationals, Sean won both days and Ryan finished 3rd and 2nd, while Cody Shimizu (8th and 10th) and Michael Verveda (10th and 5th) rounded out the rest of the best.  Well-done lads!

Canadian Nationals, Sherbrooke, Quebec

For those who attended, Nationals in Sherbrooke, Quebec on October 28 marked the season highlight!  In addition to our stalwart Junior coaches, Ken and Tracy, who raced hard and looked fantastic in Master C, Juventus was proudly represented by Ryan MacLean, Luke Bristow (U19) and Sean Germaine (U23).

Although we did not score podium finishes this year, Sean placed an impressive 7th after a hairy start, and young Ryan worked his way through traffic to finish 5th in U19!  Congratulations to our Juventus Nationals CX team!

Of course, no CX season would be complete without a race in the snow, and the season’s final race weekend provided just that, at Calgary’s Dark Knight and Cadence Cross races.  The old guys really came through at the Dark Knight, with Tracy finishing second and Ken a close sixth!  Must have been the Sherbrooke Poutine!  Alex (7th), Matt (9th), and Cody (11th) also had strong finishes.

On Sunday, Cam McDowell finished the season strong with a third place in Novice, and the Juventus [Sean (3rd), Ryan (6th), and Michael (7th)] show finished an amazing season - among the top CX racers in Alberta!

Meanwhile, Annie Scott earned another podium finish (3rd) and has really shown impressive form this year.

Congratulations to the 2017 Juventus CX team!  (Now it’s time to sit back and sip on a nice Belgian bitter!  You earned it!

LAMP+ always up for a ride!

LAMP+ will be into its third year in 2018!  LAMP+ is an advanced program within the Lori-Ann Muenzer Program.

The main objective of LAMP+ is to provide additional training, and racing experience to support a smooth transition to a higher level of competition.  Clearly, our group this year has managed this goal. They are comfortable on training rides in a group that includes top juniors, and Tour de France yellow jersey wearer and leader Alex Stieda!

LAMP+ registration is done on the main Juventus Cycling Club zone 4 site with a special Promo Code. Riders wishing to be considered for LAMP+ should indicate interest to Bill Burtnik, Juventus LAMP Director (lamp@juventus.ab.ca), on or before Jan 01, 2018.  

Kinley Gibson to race TP and Madison at World Cup!

The Polish city of Pruszkow, situated 15 km south-west of Warsaw, will host the opening round of the 2017-2018 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup November 3rd through 5th.

The Pruszkow Velodrome, made of Siberian Pine, opened in 2008 as Poland's first indoor velodrome, and is home to the Polish Cycling Federation.

Cycling Canada has sent a small contingent of elite women, to compete in a variety of events. Juventus member Kinley Gibson, along with fellow national team members Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, and Annie Foreman Mackey will begin with the qualifying rounds for Team Pursuit.

Later in the competition, Kinley will team up with Allison to race the always exciting Madison. Team work and timing are critical to both the TP and Madison, but the element of surprise, tactics, and fun in the event named for its birthplace - New York's Madison Square Garden - make this event somehow extra special.

Competition will be held for men and women in the following events at the Pruszkow UCI World Cup round: team pursuit, team sprint, points race, scratch, individual sprint, Omnium, Keirin and Madison. In addition, the women only will compete in the individual pursuit. 

Best of luck to all the competitors, and congratulations Kinley!

Collier and Coach Trew Chosen for Petro-Canada's FACE Award!

Juventus member, and Cycling Canada NextGen athlete Devaney Collier, together with NextGen Coach Jenny Trew, have been chosen for the 2017 Petro-Canada FACE Award. 

Developed by Petro-Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), and facilitated by their National Sport partners, the FACE program provides developing, pre-carded Canadian athlete and coach pairings with funding to help fuel their dreams.  

Coaches are selected along with the athletes they directly coach as they often incur additional costs on the road to developing the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic stars of tomorrow.

Each athlete and coach pairing receives $10,000! This support goes a long way; easing financial burden, improving the training environment, and assisting the athlete's pursuit of goals.

Devaney is a first year elite track and road cyclist, and recently competed in the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships in Trinidad. She was a member of the Team Pursuit (with Ariane Bonhomme, Kinley Gibson, and Meghan Grant) that won gold at the championship.

In late September, Devaney competed at 2017 Track Nationals in the Omnium, and in the Team Sprint (with Jenna Nestman) which took silver. 

Devaney is currently training in Milton with Canada's Women's Team Endurance (WTE) NextGen Program. Training blocks alternate between the Milton track in Ontario, and home based trainer sessions. Devaney will be in Edmonton in late November to attend the Juventus AGM and Awards Dinner!

Juventus races The City of Angels' Master Track World Championships!

Los Angeles, California was a choice location for the 2017 World Master Track Cycling Championships: the huge turnout of competitors verified that. The master category comprised those 35 years and older and was sectioned into 5 year age groups. At the top end were women 60+ and men 75+. 

You may have the idea that not too much is happening in the older categories, that with a bit of training a world championship jersey might be easy to acquire. Oh my, . . . how wrong you are! A check of any of the timed events shows that only excellence sprinkled with luck produces a podium performance. And if you are racing a bunch race - comfort and a strong performance in a deep, tight, fast field is key.

It's typical to arrive a few days before competition commences, to get the lay of the land (track). A big surprise for Dan - the LA Velodrome does not have competitor washrooms! Every time a race is held, a fleet of porta-potties is required - but then again . . . perhaps their outdoor location has benefits.

All is soon better when Dan finds his favourite jam on the first grocery run.

First up for our crew was the Individual Pursuit. Dan Nelson competed in the men's 40-44 category, Gail Wozny with the 50-54 women, and Peter Toth with the 55-59 men. Performances were mixed, and all with great effort. Prior to competition, Dan had a chance to dial in his position.

Oddly enough, Dan appears to grab a snooze, just as the countdown to his IP begins; but maybe this prep has merit  . . . he lapped his opponent, and scored a PB!

A perk of racing in California is perfect weather for a recovery ride. When you're fuelled by the Official Breakfast of the Juventus Track Team* even the cherubs on a monument can appreciate your 'joie de vivre'! It's reassuring to know that our club is represented in such fine fashion!

*Overnight Oatmeal.

A registration link that led to planning based on an old schedule meant Dan's return to Edmonton before his Scratch and Points Race, leaving Gail and Peter to contest their respective bunch races. 

The Scratch Race was a good place to adjust to the tight bunch and figure out how to use resources efficiently. Riding too high consumed excessive energy, but would Gail be trapped if she rode down low? Gail experimented in the fast field, and was ready to take what she had learned into the Points Race.

Racing was delayed the evening of the Points Races. Still, Gail timed things well, and was warmed-up, prepared, and on the rail as the race commissaire gave instructions. This race was fast and tactical! Gail was ready: she was really smart with her placement in the pack, she attacked to her strengths, and she gave it all in a tenacious battle to the finish. 

Here is Gail, trying to cool down, completely done after the Points Race . . . and flashing a peace sign that attempts to say, "Don't worry, in spite of how I look right now, I won't pass out"!

And oh look . . . it's the beautiful Pacific ocean!

The LA Velodrome did a wonderful job broadcasting and promoting the championships. This picture from the Jumbotron shows Peter Toth battling it out in the men's bunch. Peter has had a lot of experience at the World Championships, and competes regularly.

Venue Cancelled for Jim Horner GP? No problem!

Late on Thursday afternoon (the race was on Saturday), race organizer Lorne Dmitruk received an e-mail regarding the event. Apparently, due to rain the use of Mill Creek Ravine was in doubt. Friday afternoon, Turf Management pulled the location entirely. Previously adjacent to our clubhouse, the choice of race location was now either Terwillegar Park or Tiger Goldstick Park.

After Lorne's late afternoon scouting session, the Pavilion at Tiger Goldstick Park clinched it for the race. Port-a-potty problem solved!

The decision made, Lorne went into action: emails to Juventus, emails to racers, Facebook posts, Tweets a tweeting . . . it was time to let Social Media do its thing. Fortunately, the cycling community is plugged in; only two people showed up at at Argyll Velodrome. 

By all accounts, the 2017 Jim Horner GP of Cyclocross was a great success! Thanks to quick thinking, the new course worked well; and of course Juventus Volunteers are always up for a challenge. Course set up was accomplished in record time, marshals kept the race flowing, and after clean up, it was like the race never happened. 

Thank you to the club for great support and congratulations Lorne on organizing a super race!

 

National Titles and Podiums for Juventus!

The 2017 Canadian National Elite/Master Track Championships were held this weekend at the Mattamy Velodrome in Milton, Ontario. Juventus was represented in elite women, elite men, master women, and all 3 master men categories. 

Our results were outstanding with many personal bests, intuitive and smart race tactics, and some truly gutsy performances!

Evan Burtnik has been with Juventus since he started in LAMP. He is currently riding for Canada's Team RaceClean. Evan has spent a considerable portion of the past year in Europe, racing and training on the road. Interspersed with road work were a few track projects including one where he raced on a 250 outdoor concrete track in Guatemala City.

Evan was in beast mode this weekend, and was part of the winning Elite Men's Team Pursuit (TP). Evan also raced in the Omnium, and was one of few who had prior experience with the new format.

Once a two day event that included a flying lap and individual pursuit (IP), it is now a one day event comprised entirely of bunch races: a scratch, a tempo (a race that begins with no points for 5 laps and then is point a lap to first across the line every lap until the race is complete . . .  and yes you can take a lap for 20 points), an elimination (Devil), and a points race where all the points you earn count toward your Omnium total. 

Evan spun his way into the Elite Men's IP Bronze medal final with a 4 second PB, but had to settle for 4th against Adam Roberge. 

Last up for Evan was the 100 lap Madison race where he partnered with fellow RaceClean teammate and Omnium winner Derek Gee. What a sizzler of a race! Points are available every 10 laps, and timing exchanges to take advantage of fresher legs is critical. Burtnik and Gee both raced aggressively, always looking to take a lap for the additional 20 points. Six very competitive teams made the race spicy from beginning to end, but when it was over, Evan Burtnik and Derek Gee were 2017 National Madison Champions!

 

Kinley Gibson is also a Juventus LAMP graduate and currently races for Ottawa based Cyclery 4iiii. Since track nationals, she has been promoted from Canada's Women's NextGen Program to the Canadian Elite Women's Endurance Program. Like Evan, Kinley was busy in Milton - racing Team Pursuit, the Omnium, the IP, and in the inaugural Elite Women's Madison National Championship.

The TP at nationals is typically fun; many racers are part of composite teams and riders have little time to practice together. Often an opportunity for much less experienced riders to interact with TP specialists presents itself. It's always interesting to see how the race plan works. Cyclery 4iiii women joined young Quebec talent Laurie Jussaume to take silver - with a very strong ride.

Kinley was the silver medalist in the Omnium in 2016 and was excited for the new format. After completion of the first 3 races she found herself in 2nd place, 2 points off first (tied between Jasmin Duerhring and Ariane Bonhomme). An unfortunate early race crash left Ariane unable to continue, and Jasmin 2 laps (and -40 points) back. Kinley was marked by Allison Beveridge who left Kinley to chase down moves, but could out sprint Kinley for points. A smart competitor, Allison won the championship, Kinley was 2nd, and Annie Foreman-Mackey was 3rd.

The next day, Kinley was able to defend her 2016 National Title in the IP. She qualified 1st, by a tenth of second. In the final, she bettered her time by 2 seconds finishing 5 seconds ahead of Laurie Jussaume.

The Women's Madison race almost did not happen. Many did not have experience and were cautious about entering. A afternoon blitz yielded the requisite 4 teams needed, and included a Juventus uniformed composite team of sprinters - Meika Ellis and Ontario's Charlotte Roberge. Kinley joined with Laurie Jussaume, Allison and Jasmin teamed up, and Laura Brown partnered with Annie Foreman-Mackey. 

It was a really great race to watch, and the more inexperienced riders soon learned better timing of attacks, chase downs, and sprints. The exchanges became more aggressive as the race progressed, and all the riders put on a fantastic show. 

Lindsay Sommerset races in the Master women category and trains with the Argyll Velodrome Racing Academy (AVRA). Lindsay was in Milton to settle a few scores with a track that had removed a bit of her skin the previous year. Lindsay began with her 500 TT. She adhered to coach Alex Ongaro's instructions, and with a strong start smoothed her way to a best time.

Next was her nemesis - the Scratch Race. Lindsay eased her way down to the apron for the neutral lap, then steadily worked her way up to the back of the field. She cautiously followed the group, but was able to launch 2 separate attacks during the race - all in all a success!  

On day 3, Lindsay competed in her final event - the IP. She was focussed, smooth and steady, and raced to a 10 second PB! Eyes covered, Lindsay listened as the last of the women completed their rides. Lindsay became an eruption of tears and shrieks as disbelief was replaced by pure happiness! She was on the podium! Bronze!

Peter Hillman competes in Master B men. Pete was our only master sprinter and looked to go sub 12 for the first time. He is convinced that his 11.8 second PB was owed to the club's double disks. Perhaps there was also some good training and preparation? - probably yes.

As with the TP, Team Sprint (TS) is often made of composite teams. Pete joined Alberta riders Kevin Rokosh, and Craig Debellefeuille for Bronze in the 6 team showdown.

The Keirin allowed Peter an experience no one wants. In the qualifying round, a wheel touch crashed Pete to the boards. Fortunately, only pride and a bit of skin were left behind. A quick check by the medics, and Peter was ready to tell his tale to a concerned extended family, in Milton to cheer Peter on.

Devaney Collier is a Juventus member currently training with the Women's Endurance NextGen Program. Devaney opted for non Juventus neutral kit. Competing on a composite team for the Team Sprint, Devaney, along with Jenna Nestman, raced to silver in a time of 37.2 seconds. Podium!

Next up was the Omnium. Devaney was one of the few racers on the women's side with experience in the new format. Coming into the final points race, Devaney was in 6th position. As the women wound up for the first points on offer, Ariane Bonhomme, adjacent to Devaney, went down - taking out fellow Omnium leader Jasmin Duehring. Although Jasmin was able to rejoin the race, she was 2 laps down. Jasmin was desperate to take laps, trying to dig herself out of the negative. Devaney followed the chase moves and was able to take additional points. She finished the Omnium in 6th place.

Dan Nelson races with Master B men, and is an AVRA athlete coached by Alex Ongaro. (Dan also makes a mouthwatering homemade pasta sauce with meatballs that is divine.)

First up for Dan was the Scratch race. Dan was active throughout, working with the group to chase down 3 off the front. Bad luck reared its ugly head when a commissaire's yellow flag was misinterpreted by the chase group late in the race. The group fractured and was unable to salvage the chase.

Dan finished the race in 7th place. Dan was active in his 60 lap Points race, with attacks and counter attacks! 

Dan also challenged the 3 km IP. Dan's preparation is fastidious, and you know that everything that can be controlled will be controlled. With that, Dan went with mechanic/split caller/holder Adam Todd to the start. Dan looked in good form, and finished with a time equal to his best. Naturally he was aiming to see improvement, and so was not impressed. 18 minutes later, Dan was smiling, thanking everyone for all of their help and hard work, exuding nothing but positivity. Dan is a true competitor. 

Zac Lipinski is a second year junior and decided to take advantage of the rule change that now allows year 2 juniors to enter elite nationals. A lot of great learning happened this weekend for Zac. He got to experience the fast pace and endurance required at the elite level. He raced the 1 km TT, Omnium, and IP. 

After some bedazzlement in the Omnium Scratch and Tempo, Zac was ready to really take on the Elimination race. He managed to place himself well in the bunch and kept himself alive until the Devil plucked him off with 8 left of 23 starters. He definitely did well in that one! Next year should be interesting.

Meika Ellis is a Juventus club member currently living and working in Ottawa. She competes with the Elite Women. Meika has been busy with work, and most of her prep has been on the road or rollers. This appears to be working quite well . . . after an 8th in the 500 TT, Meika really got things rolling with a 12.6 second 200 TT - a PB!

It was enough to qualify for the sprint rounds. Her first match was against national team member Tegan Cochrane. Although Tegan would win both matches, Meika gave her a real run for the money on the first ride!

In the Keirin race, Meika suffered a fate similar to Peter Hillman's. A tire touch ended her chances.

 

And that would have been the end of Nationals 2017 for Meika - but the Women's Elite Madison needed more teams . . . Meika used her finagling powers to secure another sprinter (Charlotte Roberge) for a Juventus composite team. She next asked Laura Brown if she would throw with Annie Foreman-Mackey. Along with Kinley, Laurie, Allison, and Jasmin, all raced the first ever Canadian Women's Elite Madison National Championship! There were three teams of enduros, and one team of sprinters. It was clean, safe, fast and amazing!  

Peter Toth raced in Master C men. He raced the endurance events on offer, looking to test himself before competition next week at Master World Track Championships in Los Angeles. In the 40 lap Points race, Peter was nipped off the podium, finishing a single point short of bronze.

Peter is part of a composite TP that plans to compete in LA. This team was one of 4 in the Master men's TP, and finished with a silver medal. A Scratch race and and IP completed the racing. 

Juventus always shows so well, especially against the best in the country. Congratulations to all of our competitors!

 

Peter Toth

 

Todd the Backbone of Juventus Strength at Track Nationals!

The Juventus pit in Milton, Ontario's Mattamy Velodrome bustled this weekend. September is both the end of the outdoor track season, and the beginning of the indoor track season: the perfect time for the Canadian National Elite and Master Track Championships.

And whether Elite or Master, there was a Juventus rider in nearly every event needing to prepare, focus, perform, and recover.

The person that made our Juventus pit special was cool, calm, and super savvy mechanic Adam Todd. Adam arrived early every morning and was usually the last to leave. He had the right wheel for every bike for every race. His gear changes were a study in efficiency of motion.

He brought his own carefully selected tools and supplies - anticipating all the little things, that even with the best planning inevitably go wrong. So, he was ready when drop out bolts were suddenly missing, when a tire valve leaked 5 minutes before a gold medal final, when a 911 unfamiliar fork change was required, and when racers from around Canada sought help and assistance. 

Adam represented the best of Juventus with thoughtful words and a listening ear, all while quickly attending to bikes at a misleadingly relaxed pace.

Adam also picked up IP and TP split calling skills, walking the line to ensure our riders knew how much they were up on or behind pace. It should be noted that the late night math calculations to determine lap times were indeed elegant.

Any Keirin race or Match Sprint requires a holder or a throw in. Again, Adam was an asset; a great send off sometimes sets the tone for the whole race! 

Thank you to Adam Todd for all of your precise work as our mechanic, and thank you Adam for showcasing Juventus so well.

Juventus with Special Assist at Track Nats!

Juventus trackies will have additional support at this year's Canadian Track Championships. Track Equipment Manager and ace mechanic Adam Todd is along to ensure the smooth function of wheels and bikes. 

Prior to competition, Adam assembled club wheels while he supervised his eager team of 'helpers'. It's extremely handy to have an experienced mechanic as part of our team. All the little problems that inevitably occur, can be resolved quickly - and that definitely contributes to a stress free pit. 

Adam tested the Milton boards, but couldn't resist evaluating why Lindsay might be walking her bike.

Meanwhile, Dan opted for a pre ride warm up on a mini Penny Farthing. The fixed gear bike proved a lot of fun to ride!

Nelson Gives Overnight Porridge Thumbs Up!

Juventus master Dan Nelson is currently in Milton, Ontario for the Canadian Elite and Master National Track Championships. One day out from the start of competition, Dan has broken one race rule: never try something untested at an event. 

That's right - Dan ventured into new territory with a breakfast of overnight oatmeal! Oatmeal, spices, pumpkin, milk and apples were left overnight in the fridge and warmed for a cozy morning meal. Fortunately, this concoction comes with a recommendation from Kinley Gibson, also here to compete. Let's hope this will be the recipe for success!

Sidney McGill sidelined by pre-ride crash in Australia

Second year Juventus Junior Sidney McGill has had a string of unfortunate luck. Still - Sidney worked her way through both health issues and crash injuries to prepare to compete against the top Junior Women from around the world.   

At the end of August, Sidney travelled with the Canadian Team to Cairns, Australia for the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

2017 Canadian Junior Women's Mountain Bike National Team in Cairns, Queensland, Australia

A fluke crash two days out from competition resulted in a sprained wrist that will prevent Sidney from competing. As you can imagine, this is a devastating turn of events  . . . all of the hard work and effort to get in top form . . . and now just waiting for the body to heal. 

Sport excellence is never easy. Congratulations Sidney on all of your hard work to prepare for these World Championships, and congratulations on your selection to the Canadian Junior Women's National Team! We look forward to your return to racing, stronger and better than ever!

The Canadian Mountain Bike National Team in Cairns, Queensland, Australia for 2017 World Mountain Bike Championships