Peninsula cyclist Annie Ewart is in Gatineau, Quebec for the “biggest race of (her) life to date.”
The young athlete is among those chosen by the Canadian Cycling Association for the Canada (senior) Team for an international competition — the 2011 Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau on May 19 and 21.
“We are extremely pleased to field a competitive team for this major event for women’s cycling in Canada. The Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau are Canada’s top cycling races for women and attract some of the best in the world,” said Vincent Jourdain, head coach of the Canadian Road Cycling Team. “The cycling races in Gatineau also represent a great opportunity for the people of the greater national capital area to come and support current and future Olympians.”
“I let out a big sigh of excitement when I learned that I had been selected for both the road race and the time trial,” Ewart said.
The competition is one of only a few Union Cycliste International sanctioned events in North America during 2011, and the only UCI Time Trial event of the year for senior women.
“I will be competing alongside Clara Hughes, who is making a cycling comeback for the 2012 Olympics. I am really looking forward to wearing the Canadian colours as I compete against some of the world’s best female cyclists, as there will be country and professional teams from the USA and Europe,” Ewart said. “This will certainly be the biggest race of my life to date.”
Ewart will compete for her Trek Red Team during the upcoming Victoria Cycling Festival (www.victoria-cycling.com) on May 28 and 29.