Canadian track riders criticize plan to cut women's team pursuit

Members of the Canadian women's track program have collectively penned an open letter to Cycling Canada and other national sporting bodies, expressing strong criticism over the decision to not send a women's team pursuit squad to the upcoming Track World Championships in Shanghai. This move, as reported by *Escape Collective* and *Canadian Cycling Magazine*, directly impacts the national team's ability to compete at the highest level in a key Olympic discipline, drawing immediate and vocal opposition from the athletes involved.

This development is particularly galling given Canada's historical strength in women's team pursuit, including multiple World Cup medals and a bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The decision effectively sidelines a proven program, potentially jeopardizing future Olympic qualification pathways and undermining years of athlete development and investment. It also raises questions about Cycling Canada's strategic priorities and resource allocation, especially in an Olympic qualification period where every opportunity for points and experience is critical.

To sideline a successful program, particularly one with Olympic pedigree, smacks of a short-sightedness that cycling federations, unfortunately, seem to revisit with alarming regularity. One hopes the letter prompts a swift, and more rational, reconsideration.