Ready to race

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This article was published 18/07/2017 (3192 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chloe Penner isn’t sweating the competition at the upcoming Canada Games.

“I’m the youngest age possible now, so there will be a bunch of older people racing against me,” said Penner. “I think it just pushes me to work harder.”

Penner, a 17-year-old from North Kildonan who will be going into Grade 12 at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in the fall, got into competitive cycling at a young age. She took part in Bikes & Beyond’s cycling program starting at the age of seven, and joined the provincial program when she was 14.

“I have a lot of friends (in cycling),” she said. “I like hanging out with them while we also work out.”

This summer Penner will be competing in both the road and mountain bike competitions at Birds Hill Park and Bison Butte Park.  To prepare for the Games, the provincial team has been training five days a week. On weekends, Penner said they undertake longer, three-hour endurance rides, while during the week they work on tactics and more focused efforts. While she enjoys both the mountain and road races, Penner said she prefers the road.

“It’s easier to train for in Manitoba,” she said.

Penner felt that while provinces like B.C. and Alberta might have an advantage in the mountain bike competition, Manitoba does enjoy some ‘home field advantage.’

“It has been nice riding the course ahead of time,” she said.

Provincial cycling coach Jayson Gillespie agreed.

“Manitoba’s toughest race is the wind,” he said. “We know the wind, we know how to ride in the wind. We also know the course, how hard and long a subtle little hill is on the course.  How the wind moves around Birds Hill Park. This is a huge advantage for us.”

Gillespie said another advantage Manitoba holds is that the cyclists work as a team.

“Manitoba’s strength is that the athletes have grown up together as a team,” he said “They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but more importantly they are willing to ride together as a team for an individual result.”

While Team Toba’s cyclists might be a little younger than other provinces, Gillespie sees this as an advantage.

“Being smoother and more efficient on the course will help get them extra placings,” he said.
For Penner, doing her best in her races is her number one goal. Regardless of the outcome, she plans to learn from the Games.

“I’m just trying to gain experience, since I will have another chance in four years,” she said.

Female mountain bike events take place at the Bison Butte Mountain Bike Course Sun., July 30, Tues., Aug. 1, and Thurs., Aug. 3, while the female road cycling events take place at Birds Hill Provincial Park Tues., Aug. 8 through Sat., Aug. 12.

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