Preview: Four Canadians feature in three road cycling events

Shaw, Wilson, Gauthier, and Croteau set to take Fuji circuit

Ross Wilson competing in the C1 road time trail on August 30 2020 Courtesy JB Benavent/Canadian Paralympic Committee

Four Canadian Paralympians are getting set to cycle in three events on Thursday in Tokyo.

Keely Shaw is first up at 8:30 p.m. EST Wednesday night. The Midale, Sask. native will be riding in the women’s C4-C5 road race.

Shaw just missed out on the podium on Monday at the C4 women’s road time trial as Australian Meg Lemon beat her for the bronze. Earlier, the Canadian defeated Lemon in the velodrome, knocking her off the podium and taking the medal.

The two Paralympians will meet again Wednesday night on the Fuji circuit.

“(Meg Lemon) gave me the race of a lifetime, especially in the last 500 metres,” Shaw said last week after winning the bronze in the women’s C4 individual pursuit. “But come next week, we are on the road for the road races … I came into cycling as a time trialist, so I’m really excited to get back.”

Ross Wilson is competing shortly after in men’s C1-C3 road race. The 79.2-kilometre race is also taking place on the Fuji circuit, starting 18 minutes after the women’s road race at 8:48 p.m. EST Wednesday night.

The 39-year-old Sherwood Park, Alta. native had an underwhelming performance during the C1 men’s road time trial on Monday, finishing seventh out of 10 competitors. The disappointment is compounded by the fact that during the 2016 Paralympics, Wilson took home silver in the event.  

“Tried as hard as I could, but it wasn’t enough,” Wilson wrote on Twitter after the time trial. “At least I (have) a great cheering section back in Canada.”

The final two Canadians are racing in the T1-T2 women’s road race. Marie-Ève Croteau and Shelley Gautier will be racing at 12:05 a.m. EST Thursday morning.

Gautier, 52, a T1 Paralympian, won a bronze medal in the road race during the 2016 Rio Paralympics. The Niagara Falls native has dominated the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, winning the vast majority of golds since 2010.

She also owns two Parapan American Games silvers.

“I want to ride and see if I can win a different-coloured medal,” Gautier said, to Sportsnet. “The most important thing for everyone to know is that my determination, my hard work and tenacity will let me have a good race.”

Croteau, a T2 Paralympian, competed in Rio De Janeiro but did not medal. At 42 the Quebec City, QC. native will begin her second Paralympic games.

“The practice of sport allows me to travel around the world, to expand my social network,” Croteau told Le Journal de Montréal in 2015. “ I love the competition.”

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Posted: Sep 1 2021 12:18 pm
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Filed under: Cycling Parasports Sports Tokyo Paralympics
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