I just returned home from a very successful Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Lima, Peru. I raced in six events: the Team Pursuit, stand-alone Scratch, stand-alone Elimination, Omnium, Madison, and stand-alone Points Race. I originally planned to race four events but due to a teammate getting COVID I took the start line in two additional events. I felt very fortunate to have so many opportunities to race and then apply my learnings into the next race.
The velodrome was “indoor” and covered however the outside walls were grates so wind would enter the facility. It is also very polluted in Lima so we could see a haze of pollution in the velodrome. The track was situated in a gated facility where we also had our accommodation so it was very convenient and safe to go to and from the race venue. We arrived a few days early to adapt the time change (luckily there was only a two hours difference from EST) and adapt to riding the velodrome. The first race was Team Pursuit qualification where we qualified first with a time of 4:25.3. We were incredibly happy with this time as it is not a fast velodrome and we rode 10 seconds faster than the USA team, the 2nd fastest time. This put us in a very good position going into the First Round ride the next day against team Brazil (4th fastest team). After our qualification ride I returned to the accommodation to rest for a few hours before taking the start line for the Scratch race. I was nervous for this as it was my first bunch race at the Championships but it went well and I finished 3rd. It came down to a drag race sprint and unfortunately I was slightly under geared so I spun at 130rpm for the last 35 seconds of the race. It was a good start to the week, landing on the podium. It made me hungry for more and my next opportunity was the following morning in the Elimination race.
I love the Elimination race and I was so motivated to win -- I really wanted to win. I was aware of how much I wanted to win so I tried to re channel my energy and focus on the process of the race. This race can go sideways if you think too many steps ahead. It is a race you literally have to take one lap at a time. I rode the race from the front, rode smart and used my energy at the right moments which lead to me winning the race!! My FIRST Pan American Championship title. I celebrated with my hands in the air and a huge smile across my face. The happiest moments were coming off the track and hugging the staff, coaches, and teammates. I enjoyed the moment standing on the podium and singing the Canadian anthem, but it was a quick turnaround with Team Pursuit first round and finals in the evening. As we have five riders in the team pursuit and the two races were only 30 minutes apart, I sat out of the first round where the team cleanly caught Brazil and got us into the gold final. I then raced in the final race where it also did not take long for us to catch Mexico. Two top step podiums in one day made for an unforgettable day! I once again enjoyed this moment before refocusing on the Omnium which took place the next day. The Omnium is four race events in which you accumulate points over all events and the rider with the most points wins. This was my main focus going into these championships. It is seen as the most prestigious endurance track event. It begins with the Scratch Race and this time I rode a slightly bigger gear so I could push at the end. It ended in a similar drag race sprint which I expected so I was happy with my gear choice. I ended up finishing 2nd which is a great position going into the next events. One hour later I was back up and racing the Tempo Race. I was pretty nervous for this event as it is very hard to predict what will happen… other than it will just be HARD! My goal was to get a point early on and then get into a move mid-way through. My race plan was executed perfectly. I got the first point offered and then I kept the pressure on after a later sprint and got away with the Brazilian rider. I accumulated all the points offered until we took a lap and gained another 20 points. I was then secured as the winner of this race so I just sat in and rode safe to the finish. I was now sitting first in the Omnium with two events to go: the Elimination and Points races. I had a couple hours relax and have lunch before returning back to the track for the evening session. Next up was the Elimination race. The gun went off and in the first lap there was a crash so we had to restart back at the rail. Second time around we had a clean neutral lap and we were racing. I was able to win this race again which furthered my lead in the Omnium. Going into the last event, the Points race, I memorized the points of each rider that was a threat to me as we did not have an electronic score board. I also had my coach on the infield in case I needed information. I had a great race and was able to win sprints and get into a break where I was able to earn many more points. I had so many emotions crossing the line knowing I just won the Omnium! I was very happy with how my races went physically and tactically. I felt so strong in the races and felt great about being able to execute my race plans. Another unforgettable day! Next up was the Madison!
I had a pretty sleepless night due to the excitement of the previous day’s win. I had the morning to relax however because the race wasn’t until the evening. I raced the Madison with my teammate Lily Plante. We were very excited and motivated to win which we knew was within our reach. There was a big crash early on that took out the Mexico team and an Argentina rider so we had to restart the race only six laps in. The lap board read 74 laps left so we decided I would begin as the relief rider so I could be swung in for the sprint. It was a great decision as I was able to win the first sprint. We continued applying the pressure and ended up taking 2.5 laps in the race and won with 73 points! We dominated this race and it felt so good. This win was so special because it is pretty incredible how deep you can push yourself when someone else is relying on you. Another memorable moment on the top step, with my friend and teammate singing the Canadian anthem! Last but not least the Points race the next day!
I woke up feeling less than ideal. I had been feeling a bit off since the night before the Omnium but I was told the pollution can make you feel ill. It turned out in the end I had a cold so the Points race was more of a survival race in the end. I had to adjust my race plan and ride more conservatively than I had wished because of my health. I ended up placing 3rd so I cannot be too disappointed with this result. It is just incredible how my energy did a 180 flip with how I was feeling the previous days on the bike.
I am very proud to be walking away from my first Pan American Championships with four Pan Am titles and two bronze medals. It has been a long time coming and it is so nice to finally see my training and dedication paying off. I would like to say this is just the start. Thank you Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes sponsors!! We have an amazing group surrounding and supporting this team and I am so happy to be a small part of it!