Canada’s Hayward finishes 5th in road race on penultimate day of Para road cycling worlds

Two Canadians secured top-10 finishes in the men’s C3 road race on Saturday at the Para road cycling world championships in Dumfries, Scotland.

Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., finished fifth with a time of 1:33:46, 47 seconds back of defending champion Finlay Graham of Great Britain.

It’s the best international result at worlds for the 26-year-old Hayward after finishing sixth in the road race event in his world championship debut last year in Baie-Comeau, Que., along with identical sixth-place results at the 2022 and 2023 time trial events.

Finlay Graham edged France’s Thomas Peyroton-Dartet for gold by just two seconds with a time of 1:32:59 in the 22-competitor final to defend his world title. Graham’s teammate Benjamin Watson won bronze.

The 27-year-old Sametz won bronze in the C2 individual time trial on Thursday.

Canada has collected 19 total medals (three gold, seven silver, nine bronze) across all disciplines at the inaugural combined UCI Cycling World Championships, which wrap up on Sunday with medal events in BMX racing, indoor cycling, road cycling and Para road cycling.

Pemble, Shaw add top-10 finishes in road race

Victoria’s Mel Pemble, 23, finished sixth in the women’s C3 road race later on Saturday with a time of 1:55:08.

China’s Wang Xiaomei edged reigning world champion Keiko Sugiura of Japan for gold in the 62.4km race, while Australia’s Paige Greco took bronze, with all three women recording a time of 1:54:15.

Earlier in the week at the Para track worlds, Pemble retained her world title in the women’s C3 omnium.

American Samantha Boscoe cruised to a gold medal in 2:07:19 on the 78km trek, just two days after winning the C4 28.4km time trial — the second straight year the 36-year-old has swept both events at the worlds.

Australians Emily Petricola and Meg Lemon won silver and bronze, respectively.

The 29-year-old Shaw won silver in the C4 individual pursuit competition at the Para track worlds earlier in the week, and added a bronze in the C4 road time trial on Thursday.

In other action on Saturday:

• Para cyclist Carla Shibley of Calgary and Edmontonian pilot Meghan Brown secured a 10th-place finish in the women’s B road race.
• Lowell Taylor of Lethbridge, Alta., and pilot Ed Veal of Queensville, Ont., finished 11th in the men’s B road race.
• Tarek Dahab of Beloeil, Que., finished 16th in the men’s C2 road race 62.4km.
• Jennifer Jackson of Barrie, Ont., placed 26th in the women’s elite cross-country Olympic event taking place in Glentress Forest, Scotland, while fellow Canadian Sandra Walter finished 50th.
• In the men’s elite cross-country Olympic event, Gunnar Holmgren of Orillia, Ont., paced all Canadians with a 42nd-place finish. Peter Disera (51st), Sean Fincham (54th) and Leandre Bouchard (60th) rounded out the Canadian results.
• Victoria’s Riley Pickrell finished 48th in the men’s under-23 road race 168.4km in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, while Philippe Jacob of Granby, Que., placed 58th.
• Patrice Lavoie scored five of Canada’s six goals while going 1-5 in League B group play of the men’s elite cycle-ball event. The Canadian team secured a 3-1 victory over host Great Britain, and dropped results to Romania, China, Japan, Malaysia and Hungary.