Toronto native Jack Burke has stunned the cycling world this past month with record-breaking Strava rides up legendary climbs like Italy’s Mortirolo, overtaking none other than Tour de France and Giro d’Italia champion Vincenzo Nibali. Burke, born in Toronto, beat the Italian’s record by a full minute.
He also claimed another Strava KOM, this time on one of the most iconic climbs in cycling: Alpe d’Huez. On Nov. 11, he took the record from none other than 2023 Vuelta a España winner, American Sepp Kuss.
On Strava, Burke made it clear he had one goal: to ride at the WorldTour level.
The dream is still alive
“I just want a chance at the WT. Anyone, anywhere, anytime. I’ll do whatever you want, I just want a chance against the best guys,” he wrote. “Pogi, I’m coming for your Madone.”
In a recent interview with Wielerflits, Burke confirmed he’s been trying to become a WorldTour rider his entire life. He has even been invited by teams for tests and training camps. Currently riding for the club team Above & Beyond Cancer Cycling p/b Bike World, Burke previously raced for several Continental teams, including Leopard Pro Cycling, Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis, Aevolo, and H&R Block Pro Cycling. His biggest career victory to date is Stage 2 of the 2018 Tour de Beauce. His time with Continental teams ended in 2022 after a training collision where he was hit by a motorist while riding for CT Team Felbermayr – Simplon Wels.
An abrupt end to racing
The fallout was harsh: a broken back, a brain bleed, and no health insurance. His Austrian team had cancelled it months earlier without informing him, leaving him to face massive hospital bills on top of his injuries.
This wasn’t Burke’s first time overcoming challenges in the sport. After winning Stage 3 of the 2013 Tour de l’Abitibi, Burke tested positive for a minuscule trace of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), likely from contaminated water in Malartic, Que. He was cleared twice: first by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada in 2013 and later by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2014, following a UCI appeal. The case, which involved top sports law experts, garnered international attention.
After the collision, Burke had to focus on paying his bills. A conversation with a coach on his podcast reignited his motivation. He began training seriously again in May and started racing—racking up plenty of wins.
Back to the plan
Suddenly, his dream of…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…