EDITOR’S LETTER Editor Matthew Pioro matthew@cyclingmagazine.ca Senior Editors Dan Dakin, Kevin Mackinnon Associate Editor Andre Cheuk
Finding inspiration in people and in tech
Copy Editor Amy Stupavsky Art Director Warren Wheeler layout@cyclingmagazine.ca [Roseander Main, roseandermain.com] Designer Cristina Bolzon Production Artist Warren Hardy Web Editor Philippe Tremblay philippe@cyclingmagazine.ca MTB Web Editor Terry McKall terry@cyclingmagazine.ca Video Producer Adam Wojtkowiak adam@gripped.com Finn Iles at the top of the Steve Smith drop at the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup
don’t usually take our longtime columnist James “Crankyâ€? Ramsay too seriously. He’s a humour writer, after all, who excels at poking fun at himself as well as some of the absurdities of our sport. In Ramsay’s current column, ‘The Performance Gains of New Gear’ (p.ďœ˛ďœ´), he writes, “I’m inspired by gear. That’s right – new, shiny stuff. It makes me ride faster.â€? Ride faster? That’s silly, right? It’s just a comic exaggeration, right? New stuff can’t make you ride faster, can it? Sure, if you’ve been riding the same Schwinn Sting-Ray since the â€™ďœˇďœ°s, and then tomorrow you upgraded to a new aero bike (p.ďœśďœ¸), you’d probably notice an uptick in your velocity. But, why do I feel a bit faster after I put on new bar tape or after I wipe grime off of the frame? I doubt there’s any science, beyond psycology, in those gains. But as we know, the mental side of sport is just as important as the physical. As I was working on this issue, I took a midwinter trip to Tucson, Ariz., to preview the new Colnago Cďœśďœ´. It was not only great to get a preview of the machine (p.ďœśďœś), but great to have a respite from winter, from the snowy commutes on studded tires and from the trainer’s monotonous whir. I was just so happy to be out on clear roads in just shorts and jersey. I seemed to have limitless reserves. Well, almost. Another rider did get me in the final sprint before we wrapped up our ride. But whatever my actual physical fitness was, I felt energized. The new bike, which I’ll see again for a long-term test, was part of what made me fast that day. It was also the freshness of everything – the equipment, the location, the riders – that brought the zip into my legs. In this issue, we’ve put a lot of focus on the fresh faces of Canadian cycling. There’s not only Tara Nolan’s feature, ‘Five Top Young Riders to Watch’ (p.ďœľďœ¸) with Finn Iles, Ruby West and others, but also mentions of new Toronto Hustle riders, the highest-placed Canadian at this year’s cyclocross world championships (p.ďœąďœ˛) and the Milton Revolution Cycling Club. If you keep up with the latest cycling news on our website, most of the young riders and their impressive accomplishments to date will be familiar to you. Still, we wanted to frame their stories in the magazine. These are stars on the rise. It’s important for us to acknowledge and support them.
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“Why do I feel a bit faster after I put on new bar tape or after I wipe grime off of the frame?�
While Haley Smith is in the elite ranks of cross country, she is still in the first act of her cycling career. When I interviewed her for this issue’s ‘Q&A’ (p.ďœąďœ°ďœ´), I was struck by how articulate she is about riding and competing. She could be quite philosophical about those topics and quite analytical about the mental health problems she’s faced in the past. Truly inspiring. So, whatever inspires you – stories about new gear, tales of success in and out of competition or advice on where to ride – we got them covered. Matthew Pioro Editor
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Canadian Cycling April & May 2018
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Photo: Matt Stetson
In with the New Gear and the New Athletes
Photo Editor Matt Stetson matt.stetson@gripped.com