12.12.11 -2012 IMMUNITY-FX CANADIAN ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS HIGHLIGHT 2012 ROAD CYCLING CALENDAR

2012 promises to be an exciting cycling season, with international events for Junior, U23, Elite, World Tour and Women’s to be showcased in Canada

(Ottawa, ON – December 15, 2011) The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is pleased to unveil the 2012 road cycling calendar, which is highlighted by the 2012 IMMUNITY-FX Canadian Road Championships in Lac-Mégantic, Québec, as well as with the third edition of the UCI World Tour Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal to end the domestic season in September.

“We are pleased to offer an exciting calendar of events for our road cyclists for the next year. We have worked in close collaboration with the International Cycling Union (UCI) and local organising committees to secure a stable, well-balanced calendar of international racing for all of our categories,” said Mathieu Boucher, Director of development for the Canadian Cycling Association.

The 2012 season will start with the traditional women’s Chrono Gatineau and Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau in Gatineau, QC in May. This event will feature some of the best international women’s racing in the beautiful Parc de la Gatineau, and large nature park located minutes from the heart of downtown Ottawa. In 2011, Canadian National Team member Clara Hughes won the Chrono Gatineau, an individual Time Trial race.

Ville de Saguenay, in Québec, will welcome for the sixth consecutive year the UCI Coupe des Nations U23 stage race at the end of May, an event part of the internationally-governed Coupe des Nations, a four-event tour aimed at bridging youth cycling to professional cycling.

The high-profile Tour de Beauce will celebrate its 27th anniversary this season, from June 12-17. The international hallmark stage race promises an exciting show for all road cycling fans for five straight days, showcasing some of the top international UCI continental and pro-continental teams from across the world, including Canada’s own Team SpiderTech powered by C10.

The 2012 IMMUNITY-FX Canadian Road Championships will be held the weekend following the Tour de Beauce, in Lac-Mégantic, from June 21-24. The best Canadian cyclist will be crowned Canadian Champion and will receive the coveted Red and White Jersey, which they will proudly wear in road races across the world. The event will feature the traditional road race, the individual time trials and the exciting criterium. Juniors, masters and para-cyclists will race the following weekend, from June 28 to July 1.

Providing the racing opportunities for the junior riders, there are four large races organized specifically for these young, aspiring champions. In addition to the 2012 IMMUNITY-FX Canadian Championships, the U19 women will have a chance to race at the Grand Prix de Rimouski (QC), and the Tour de la Relève internationale de Rimouski (QC), while the U19 men will race the Tour de l’Abitibi in Val d’Or (QC).

The Classique Montréal-Québec is a becoming a staple on the Canadian domestic calendar. As a CCA-sanctioned race, this race offers riders of all ages to race a long (200km) race between Québec’s two largest cities.

Finally, the domestic road cycling season will end with the biggest North American road cycling races: the UCI World Tour Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal in September. These magnificent races will feature all 18 World Tour teams, as well as four special invites from the organizing committee, which last year included Canada’s only professional cycling team, Team SpiderTech powered by C10. Canada’s road race and time trial Champion Svein Tuft will be expected to race the Grands Prix Cyclistes, along with Christian Meier who both joined the newly created GreenEDGE team. Also look for Ryder Hesjedal with Garmin-Cervélo, Michael Barry with Team Sky Pro cycling, as well as Dominique Rollin with Française-des-Jeux, which made the jump this year from Pro-continental to World Tour.

2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS – ROAD CYCLING

May 17-May 19: Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau (UCI Women) – Gatineau, QC

May 30-June 3: Coupe des Nations Ville de Saguenay (UCI Nations Cup U23) – Saguenay, QC

June 12-June 17: Tour de Beauce (Men Elite) – St-Georges-de-Beauce, QC

June 21-June 24: 2012 IMMUNITY-FX Canadian Road Championships (Elite, U23) – Lac-Mégantic, QC

June 28-July1: 2012 IMMUNITY-FX Canadian Road Championships (Junior, Masters, Para) – Lac-Mégantic, QC

July 11: Grand Prix de Rimouski (Women Junior) – Rimouski, QC

July 12-July 15: Tour de la Relève Internationale de Rimouski (Women Junior) – Rimouski, QC

July 17-July22: Tour de l’Abitibi (Men Junior) – Val d’Or, QC

August 12: Classique Montréal-Québec (CCA-sanctioned) (Men Elite) – Québec, QC

September 7 : UCI World Tour Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (UCI World Tour) – Québec, QC

September 9 : UCI World Tour Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (UCI World Tour) – Montréal, QC