Alison Jackson on women’s TP decision: ‘Athletes cannot trust Cycling Canada’

Recently, Cycling Canada sent an email with a surprising update about the women’s team pursuit squad. They would not be sending a squad to Shanghai from Oct. 14-18.

“Given the outcome of the review and current budgetary constraints faced by Cycling Canada, it was established that a women’s team pursuit should not be sent to 2026 world championships. Resources will instead be directed toward individual events and team pursuit development initiatives within the Women Track Endurance Program,” the email read. “As Cycling Canada focuses on team pursuit development, we will continue to pursue the qualification for the Women’s Omnium and madison at the 2028 L.A. Olympic Games. This will include support of athletes at the necessary events to qualify.”
As you can imagine, those involved in the program were shocked. An open letter followed: below,

Canadian Cycling Magazine has posted this in full:

Athletes push back after Cycling Canada cancels women’s team pursuit program

There was also a statement from Cycling Canada, posted in full:

Cycling Canada responds after cancellation of women’s team pursuit program

Now, two-time Olympian and current national champion Alison Jackson, who has ridden with the national team extensively, has weighed in on the response from Cycling Canada.

“It’s too vague of a response,” Jackson begins in a comment to Canadian Cycling Magazine. “What specifics did they analyze? Whose data did they look at? There is no plan outline for development. They say they have a plan but showed us nothing.”

The women’s team pursuit has had quite a strong history in the past, with two medals at the Olympics, and mutliple medals at the world championships and continental games.

Jackson says that if Cycling Canada wanted to work on the performance of the team, “there was no middle pressure plan to make the women’s team pursuit the best it could be.” She said there was no, “Hail Mary, and no call to Women’s WorldTour athletes. ” (Riders like Sarah Van Dam and Maggie Coles-Lyster, for example, are former team pursuiters, recently racing at the 2024 Olympics.)

She also said there was no physiological test sent out to all clubs and athletes in the country to try to find better numbers for a team.

Additionally, she shared her personal opinion on the situation. “Cycling Canada has lost all previous women’s team pursuit members due to bad culture, non-high performance management and coaching.”

Jackson…