Kelsey Mitchell aims for two Worlds titles - Sportish
Connect with us

Cycling

Kelsey Mitchell aims for two Worlds titles

Published

4 years ago

on

Kelsey Mitchell aims for two Worlds titles

Kelsey Mitchell did not have time to decant his Olympics.

Just over two months after winning the sprint at the Tokyo Olympics, the 27-year-old Albertan will be looking to add two titles at the World Track Cycling Championships.

Mitchell and Tokyo bronze medalist Lauriane Genest of Quebec lead a delegation of 16 Canadians to the Worlds which kick off Wednesday in Roubaix, France.

In 2020, in Berlin, Mitchell had taken fourth place in the sprint.

“I don’t have any Worlds medals, so I’m going there hoping to bring one home,” Mitchell told The Canadian Press. Otherwise, I’m going to put in the best possible performance and see what I get out of it. »

Mitchell brought Canada a 24th medal and a seventh gold just hours before the closing ceremony of the Olympics on August 8.

After a short stop in Alberta to celebrate with family and friends, be honored at football and soccer games and tour the media, she was back training at the velodrome in Milton, Ontario before the end of the month.

She did not have time to see the future after her Olympic triumph.

“I can definitely see how some athletes can go through this incredible experience and wonder what’s next,” said Mitchell, only the second Canadian to win an Olympic track gold medal after Lori-Ann Muenzer in 2004. My life has as resumed its normal course. I couldn’t have imagined myself taking a long break. »

“I felt really bad after just two weeks. I was happy to be back on track to get back in shape for the Worlds. It’s fantastic because it doesn’t stop. »

Mitchell, Genest and Sarah Orban will tackle the team sprint on Wednesday at the Stab Vélodrome. The individual sprint will be launched on Thursday and the final rounds will take place on Friday.

Genest, third in the keirin in Tokyo, will participate on the last day of competition, Sunday.

Meanwhile, Mitchell is taking French lessons, since Genest is a close friend and her spouse, teammate Hugo Barrette, comes from the Magdalen Islands. You can follow her progress on her Instagram account, where she puts videos during the “Vendredis francophones” (“French Fridays”).

“I can be seen practicing about 20 times with my teammates, who are French-speaking. I try to show my subscribers that I’m learning French, or at least that I’m trying. »

source: rds

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cycling

Hugo Houle is excited about next season in his new team

Published

2 weeks ago

on

January 14, 2026

By

Hugo Houle is excited about next season in his new team

Hugo Houle was about to begin his winter training for the next season when he learned at the beginning of December that he would be racing under new colors in 2026.

After four years with the Israel-Premier Tech team, the 35-year-old Quebecer made the jump to Alpecin-Premier Tech, where he will notably find stars Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.

It was therefore with additional motivation that he began to work harder in training two weeks later with his new bike.

“Training is going well despite the weather being a little colder these days,” Houle said during a recent telephone interview with The Canadian Press from his home in Monaco.

“The bike is going very well, I’m happy,” he continued. It handles well, it is very responsive. This is the biggest difference between this one [Canyon] and my old [Factor]. It’s really pleasant going downhill. »

Since 1er January, Houle has already covered more than 1,100 kilometers and climbed more than 20,000 meters of elevation gain in 12 days. This hard work will allow him to show off his new jersey with confidence on the 1ster next February, at the La Marseillaise cycling Grand Prix, in France.

“I knew it was a possibility that I would participate, but I only had confirmation five minutes before our conversation,” Houle said with a certain excitement in his voice. I’m very happy, it’s not far from home and it’s a race that I know well and which suits me. »

Houle started this race six times during his career and finished in the top 20 three times, signing his best result in 2016 with a 13e place.

He will then participate in the Étoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard, a five-stage race which will take place from February 4 to 8 in France. He finished eighth overall in 2023.

It is still too early to talk about what awaits Houle in terms of the three major cycling tours (Tour of Italy, Tour of France and Tour of Spain) this year, but he is excited by the opportunities that could present themselves to him.

The team has plenty of strong riders to support Mathieu van der Poel on the monuments. But they don’t necessarily have grand tour riders, so that should allow me to make the most of my qualities as a rider who likes breakaways to try to win a stage.

Hugo Houle

That said, Houle is also excited about the idea of ​​racing alongside Van der Poel and Philipsen, two riders who start every race, or almost, with victory in their sights.

“It’s definitely stimulating,” he admitted. When you have riders who are important in the race, you ride differently. You take control of the race and stay active. This is another race configuration that could be interesting. »

Eyes fixed on Montreal

Houle is expecting a good season with Alpecin-Premier Tech, but it is also the year of the UCI Road World Championships Montreal 2026, which will take place in September.

And he makes no secret of it, the objective is to appear at the top of his form.

“It’s one of the main objectives of the season, that’s for sure,” he said. The goal will be to be at 110% when the time comes. »

Houle does not yet know whether he will participate in the Quebec and Montreal cycling Grands Prix or the Tour of Spain in the preceding weeks, but with the World Championships in sight, participation in a grand tour would be preferable, according to him.

“The Vuelta starts from Monaco this year, so it’s tempting,” he explained. Normally, I’m always in the best shape after a big tour. I think it would be ideal to prepare for the World Championships. »

A change of team, new teammates, a new bike, new challenges, World Championships at home… 2026 promises to be busy and it’s not the athlete from Sainte-Perpétue who will complain.

“It’s motivating, I can’t wait for it to start,” he concluded.

Source: lapresse

Continue Reading

Cycling

Alpecin-Premier Tech Hugo Houle excited about next season in his new team

Published

2 weeks ago

on

January 14, 2026

By

Hugo Houle is excited about next season in his new team

Hugo Houle was about to begin his winter training for the next season when he learned at the beginning of December that he would be racing under new colors in 2026.

After four years with the Israel-Premier Tech team, the 35-year-old Quebecer made the jump to Alpecin-Premier Tech, where he will notably find stars Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.

It was therefore with additional motivation that he began to work harder in training two weeks later with his new bike.

“Training is going well despite the weather being a little colder these days,” Houle said during a recent telephone interview with The Canadian Press from his home in Monaco.

“The bike is going very well, I’m happy,” he continued. It handles well, it is very responsive. This is the biggest difference between this one [Canyon] and my old [Factor]. It’s really pleasant going downhill. »

Since 1er January, Houle has already covered more than 1,100 kilometers and climbed more than 20,000 meters of elevation gain in 12 days. This hard work will allow him to show off his new jersey with confidence on the 1ster next February, at the La Marseillaise cycling Grand Prix, in France.

“I knew it was a possibility that I would participate, but I only had confirmation five minutes before our conversation,” Houle said with a certain excitement in his voice. I’m very happy, it’s not far from home and it’s a race that I know well and which suits me. »

Houle started this race six times during his career and finished in the top 20 three times, signing his best result in 2016 with a 13e place.

He will then participate in the Étoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard, a five-stage race which will take place from February 4 to 8 in France. He finished eighth overall in 2023.

It is still too early to talk about what awaits Houle in terms of the three major cycling tours (Tour of Italy, Tour of France and Tour of Spain) this year, but he is excited by the opportunities that could present themselves to him.

The team has plenty of strong riders to support Mathieu van der Poel on the monuments. But they don’t necessarily have grand tour riders, so that should allow me to make the most of my qualities as a rider who likes breakaways to try to win a stage.

Hugo Houle

That said, Houle is also excited about the idea of ​​racing alongside Van der Poel and Philipsen, two riders who start every race, or almost, with victory in their sights.

“It’s definitely stimulating,” he admitted. When you have riders who are important in the race, you ride differently. You take control of the race and stay active. This is another race configuration that could be interesting. »

Eyes fixed on Montreal

Houle is expecting a good season with Alpecin-Premier Tech, but it is also the year of the UCI Road World Championships Montreal 2026, which will take place in September.

And he makes no secret of it, the objective is to appear at the top of his form.

“It’s one of the main objectives of the season, that’s for sure,” he said. The goal will be to be at 110% when the time comes. »

Houle does not yet know whether he will participate in the Quebec and Montreal cycling Grands Prix or the Tour of Spain in the preceding weeks, but with the World Championships in sight, participation in a grand tour would be preferable, according to him.

“The Vuelta starts from Monaco this year, so it’s tempting,” he explained. Normally, I’m always in the best shape after a big tour. I think it would be ideal to prepare for the World Championships. »

A change of team, new teammates, a new bike, new challenges, World Championships at home… 2026 promises to be busy and it’s not the athlete from Sainte-Perpétue who will complain.

“It’s motivating, I can’t wait for it to start,” he concluded.

Source: lapresse

Continue Reading

Cycling

Hugo Houle feverishly ahead of next season

Published

2 weeks ago

on

January 14, 2026

By

Hugo Houle is excited about next season in his new team

Hugo Houle was about to begin his winter training for the next season when he learned at the beginning of December that he would be racing under new colors in 2026.

After four years with the Israel-Premier Tech team, the 35-year-old Quebecer made the jump to Alpecin-Premier Tech, where he will notably find stars Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen.

It was therefore with additional motivation that he began to work harder in training two weeks later with his new bike.

“Training is going well despite the weather being a little colder these days,” Houle said during a recent telephone interview with The Canadian Press from his home in Monaco.

“The bike is going very well, I’m happy,” he continued. It handles well, it is very responsive. This is the biggest difference between this one [Canyon] and my old [Factor]. It’s really pleasant going downhill. »

Since 1er January, Houle has already covered more than 1,100 kilometers and climbed more than 20,000 meters of elevation gain in 12 days. This hard work will allow him to show off his new jersey with confidence on the 1ster next February, at the La Marseillaise cycling Grand Prix, in France.

“I knew it was a possibility that I would participate, but I only had confirmation five minutes before our conversation,” Houle said with a certain excitement in his voice. I’m very happy, it’s not far from home and it’s a race that I know well and which suits me. »

Houle started this race six times during his career and finished in the top 20 three times, signing his best result in 2016 with a 13e place.

He will then participate in the Étoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard, a five-stage race which will take place from February 4 to 8 in France. He finished eighth overall in 2023.

It is still too early to talk about what awaits Houle in terms of the three major cycling tours (Tour of Italy, Tour of France and Tour of Spain) this year, but he is excited by the opportunities that could present themselves to him.

The team has plenty of strong riders to support Mathieu van der Poel on the monuments. But they don’t necessarily have grand tour riders, so that should allow me to make the most of my qualities as a rider who likes breakaways to try to win a stage.

Hugo Houle

That said, Houle is also excited about the idea of ​​racing alongside Van der Poel and Philipsen, two riders who start every race, or almost, with victory in their sights.

“It’s definitely stimulating,” he admitted. When you have riders who are important in the race, you ride differently. You take control of the race and stay active. This is another race configuration that could be interesting. »

PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES

Hugo Houle

Eyes fixed on Montreal

Houle is expecting a good season with Alpecin-Premier Tech, but it is also the year of the UCI Road World Championships Montreal 2026, which will take place in September.

And he makes no secret of it, the objective is to appear at the top of his form.

“It’s one of the main objectives of the season, that’s for sure,” he said. The goal will be to be at 110% when the time comes. »

Houle does not yet know whether he will participate in the Quebec and Montreal cycling Grands Prix or the Tour of Spain in the preceding weeks, but with the World Championships in sight, participation in a grand tour would be preferable, according to him.

“The Vuelta starts from Monaco this year, so it’s tempting,” he explained. Normally, I’m always in the best shape after a big tour. I think it would be ideal to prepare for the World Championships. »

A change of team, new teammates, a new bike, new challenges, World Championships at home… 2026 promises to be busy and it’s not the athlete from Sainte-Perpétue who will complain.

“It’s motivating, I can’t wait for it to start,” he concluded.

Source: lapresse

Continue Reading

Trending

All Rights Reserved © 2023 - Sportish | Powered by: