Six Canadians have become race-equipped in Aguascalientes, Mexico, for this weekend’s Pan American mountain motorbike championships. The occasion is vital for athletes and Cycling Canada’s Olympic qualification technique. As the UCI Continental championships occasion, the high number of UCI points allocated to the occasion makes Pan Am a key occasion for securing enough points to qualify athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Olympic qualification factors race starts offevolved At the 2020 Games, the primary and 2nd ranked international locations will qualify for a 3rd spot inside the men’s and ladies mountain bike races, even as the 1/3 through seventh-ranked international locations only receive entries. With Canada continually setting three women within the pinnacle-15, every so often the top 10, at World Cups, Cycling Canada aims to comfy a 3rd girls’ spot for Tokyo 2020.
Switzerland presently leads, with Canada engaged in a decent points race with the US, Denmark, and the Netherlands for the all-critical second region ranking. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics could be the first Games where the mountain motorbike event has an identical number of men’s and girls’ competitors.
Six Canadians set to begin UCI Pan American mountain bike championships in Mexico. Before Tokyo, the Canadians have to race in Aguascalientes. Six of Canada’s satisfactions may be at the starting point. Emily Batty, Catharine Pendrel, and Sandra Walter will start the girls’ race. 2016 Olympians Léandre Bouchard and Raphaël Gagné might join Quinton Disera in the men’s race.
“The goal here is to earn factors,” said Dan Proulx, countrywide mountain motorcycle train. “It’s still early season, and it is a bit of a complicated race; it is in a tough area, with a tremendous journey time to get to and from, and it’s at altitude. There are various factors on the road, and the trick is to go down there and come returned healthy sufficient to gain.” The Pan American CXO championship occasion takes location on Saturday, April 6, 2019.
Women
- Emily Batty – Brooklin, ON (Elite)
Catharine Pendrel – Kamloops, BC (Elite)
Sandra Walter – Coquitlam, BC (Elite)
Men
- Léandre Bouchard – Alma, QC (Elite)
- Quinton Disera – Horseshoe Valley, ON (Under-23)
- Raphaël Gagné – Quebec City, QC (Elite)