Supporting athletes since the 2003 Hamilton World Championships
The Foundation was established in 2003 after the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Hamilton, Ontario. The Foundation is part of the legacy endowment from the event. For twenty years the Foundation has worked to improve the sport of cycling in Canada.
Our mission is to help aspiring young Canadian cyclists reach the pinnacle of road cycling, a career in professional sport.
Having Canadians competing and succeeding in the sport’s most historic and prestigious events increases cycling’s profile in Canada and the nation’s chances of success in the World Championships and Olympic Games.
The Foundation advocates for athletes and the sport by working with national and international groups to support athlete identification and development. In the past decade the Foundation has focused its support on Junior category athletes (17 & 18 year olds).
The announcement that Canada will host the 2026 Road Cycling World Championships the Foundation will seek to identify support a select few junior and U23 athletes over multiple years. The goal, these athletes can become globally competitive U23 racers for the Montreal World Championships. The project is called Mission 2026.
WE SUPPORT YOUNG ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT IN 3 WAYS:
01 Grants – Mission 2026 – preparing for our next Home World Champs & Young prospects – for the generation coming up next
We established these grants for athletes born between 2004 – 2010, who have the potential to be among the world’s best junior and U23 racers by 2026 & beyond.
02 Junior World Championships Program
We have supported over 70 athletes to attend preparation camps, competition and ultimately the World Championships. We consider success to be athlete retention in the sport and progression through the next phases of their careers.
70% of athletes are recruited to internationally registered trade teams. 10% move up to the highest levels of professional cycling.
03 Ross Chafe Award – valuing academic & sport excellence
We established this award in memory of a long-standing Foundation Director. Making it to the top of pro cycling is rare. Encouraging our athletes to pursue higher education during their athletic careers is both possible and sets them up for lifelong success.
This grant is currently on hold.
The Foundation has created a new grant for aspiring young junior and U17 athletes in there journey to become top international cyclists.
The Foundation’s Mission 2026 Grants are open for 2026 Applicants. Applications will be accepted until November 1, 2025. This application cycle will be the final year of this grant that supports Canada’s most promising U23 riders in their preparation for the U23 World Championships in Montreal. Apply here →
Last year the Foundation changed direction to prepare for Montreal 2026. The Foundation will support athletes born between 2004-2007 with the potential to be globally competitive U23’s – increasing Canada’s chances to field a competitive team at a Home Worlds 🥳
The Foundation was conceived through the leadership of Brian Jolly and Pierre Hutsebaut during the planning for Canada to host the 2003 UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Hamilton, Ontario.
Brian was the President of the Canadian Cycling Association and Pierre was the Executive Director, and head of the organizing committee.
The Board includes many of the sport’s most influential builders and champion athletes.