Mitchell, Bibic named Canadian cyclists of the year by Canadian Cycling magazine

TORONTO — Kelsey Mitchell and Dylan Bibic have been named Canadian cyclists of the year by Canadian Cycling magazine.

Mitchell won the women’s sprint in Tokyo in her Olympic debut, only the second Canadian cyclist to claim Olympic gold (Lori-Ann Muenzer won the sprint in Athens in 2004). The 28-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., earned 50 percent of first-place votes in the 25th edition of the magazine’s readers poll, with 2019 winner Maghalie Rochette second with 18 percent of first-place votes.

Mitchell also won best individual performance of the year.

Mitchell claimed her first-ever world championship medal in 2021, finishing third in the sprint, and placed fifth in the Keirin at the Olympics and the world championships, as well as third overall in the inaugural UCI Track Champions League Series.

Bibic is only the second junior-age rider (17-18) to be voted male rider of the year, following Stefan Ritter in 2016. Road cyclist Michael Woods, who finished runner-up this year, won male rider honours the last four years.

Bibic won gold (points race), silver (omnium) and bronze (Madison, with Carson Mattern) at the Junior Track world championships and was seventh overall in the UCI Nations Cup GC One Belt stage race. And he swept the Junior Track National Championships at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in his hometown of Milton, Ont., winning 10 events over three days.

His national championship sweep was second to Mitchell for best individual performance.

Bibic will race for the new UCI Premier Tech team in 2022.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2021

The Canadian Press