He is, in fact, one of three athletes from the region of Québec to have obtained a ticket for this prestigious sports competition. It will be Gagné’s second time at this type of competition, as he was a participant in New Zealand last year, without yet having had a taste of victory.
Selection was the conclusion of a long process undertaken by the Canadian Riders Association and including eight races. “I am aiming for the top-15 of the U23 group, he says without hesitation. It is a good goal, very realistic. Training began some time ago.”
Of course, he will be competing against participants whom he already knows very well. Along with the physical training, Gagné can also look closely at the course on the Internet. He will have to deal with an eight-kilometre uneven path, which could be to his advantage, according to the rider.
Ancienne-Lorette native Andréanne Pichette will be the only junior athlete from Canada competing in Scotland. In 2006, the seventeen-year-old rider had won the Québec Devinci cup with a score of 750 points. The Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes already saw her as a serious contender for the World Cup. A member of the Canadian team since 2000, Château-Richer native Marie-Hélène Prémont also obtained her ticket for Scotland in the elite category. She won the bronze in the 2006 World Cup in New Zealand. She had barely missed the podium in Italy, finishing 4th. The Canadian team will count 13 riders vying for the honours, including four Quebecers.
