11.29.11 - CANADA’S TRACK CYCLING TEAM BRINGS OUT BIG GUNS FOR SECOND WORLD CUP

World Cup Champions Whitten, Bell ready to start 2012 international season as World Cup in Colombia is set to begin

(Ottawa, ON – November 29, 2011) The Canadian Track Cycling Team is finishing off its final preparations for the upcoming 2012 UCI Track World Cup in Cali, Colombia, beginning Dec. 1, 2011, and is bring its big guns for the event.

The team has been training together in Los Angeles. California to prepare for this very important Olympic season . Their preparations have focused not only on improving on specifics such as strength, speed and endurance but also working together as a cohesive unit as the track cycling season heads into the winter months

Cali will feature the season debut of defending World Cup Ominum Champion and two-time Omnium World Champion Tara Whitten of Edmonton, Alta as she builds towards the upcoming summer Olympic Games. The defending World Cup Omnium winner Zach Bell of North Vancouver, BC is also opening up his track season after spending the summer racing on the road with Team Spidertech powered by C10.

Canada’s recent Pan Am Games gold medal and record-breakiing performance in the women’s team pursuit event shows the progress of that program, which is led by Coach Tanya Dubnicoff.

The women’s team pursuit squad representing Canada will feature Pan Am Games gold medalists Laura Brown and Steph Roorda, both of Vancouver, BC. The team will be completed with World Champion Tara Whitten with a strong chance of a podium performance in Cali.

Rising star Jasmin Glaesser of Coquitlam, BC, who will compete at her first World Cup of her career, will also make the trip to Cali to compete in the individual pursuit and scratch races.

The men’s team sprint will look to the experience of Travis Smith of Calgary, Alta, Joseph Veloce of Fonthill, ON and along with newcomer Hugo Barrette of Cap-aux-Meules, Qué. as the team attempts to score valuable and coveted UCI points to qualify a Canadian spot for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Monique Sullivan of Calgary, Alta, will represent Canada in the women’s sprint and keirin. She will be looking to build on her experience at the previous World Cup.

The track cycling World Cup in Cali starts Thursday, December 1rd and ends Saturday December 3rd.

CANADIAN TEAM – 2012 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CUP – CALI, COL

WOMEN

BROWN, Laura (Vancouver, BC) – Women’s Team Pursuit

GLAESSER, Jasmin (Coquitlam, BC) – Individual Pursuit, Scratch

ROORDA, Stephanie (Vancouver, BC) – Women’s Team Pursuit

SULLIVAN, Monique (Vancouver, BC) – Sprint, Keirin

WHITTEN, Tara (Edmonton, AB) – Omnium, Women’s Team Pursuit

MEN

BELL, Zach (North Vancouver, BC/Watson Lake, Yukon) – Omnium

SMITH, Travis (Calgary, AB) – Men’s Team Sprint, Sprint, Keirin

VELOCE, Joseph (Fonthill, ON) – Men’s Team Sprint

BARRETTE, Hugo (Cap-Aux-Meules, QC) – Men’s Team Sprint, Sprint

For full results and live timing, please visit the UCI timing website at: http://www.tissottiming.com