Track Cycling
A Challenging Debut
How I got started in Cycling
It was only in the summer of 2010 that I discovered the Ottawa Bicycle Club. I was looking to build my endurance, in order to be able to finish skating races stronger. In my first season of road cycling it was all about the basics, like how to corner in a pack, how to get on a wheel, how to hold your line. To sum it up I would say that it was about learning how to ride to prevent injuring anyone else. About half way through the summer my club drove to Bromont where I got a chance to ride the track for the first time. Once again, it was all about the basics.
The following summer, there was a month that every weekend I was at a track. The first two weekends on bike handling and group skills. The third weekend was the track provincials. I remember my coach going up to the other riders before the match sprint, and telling them to take the front. This was because he was worried that if I took the front and another rider would try to pass me by going over top of me on the last lap, that I would not be able to stay in the sprinters lane at that speed, resulting in a collision.
The following week was track nationals. My coach told me that I would not be able to rent one of the bikes at the Bromont track. So I went to my local bike shop, Cycle Power, and asked them if they could lend me a bike. The owner, Ken Power was more than glad to build me a bike using a frame he was planning on riding himself as a commuter bike. Although the frame was a little small, I was happy with whatever I could get. That small green MASI Cotello proved to be very faithful, as I have now ridden it to three silver medals.
When it came down to tactics, I don’t know who I annoyed the most, the coaches or my fellow athletes with my constant questions about strategies and reasoning behind each one.
In most races what ended up happening was that I raced with my legs and not my head. I was always waiting for an attack, so that I could try to respond in some way.
During the 2011-12 speed skating season, I made sure to make time to ride my bike on a trainer or rollers twice a week. Unfortunately, I only had time to attend one of the winter track cycling camps. My goal for the 2011-12 skating season was to represent my country at the 2012 Junior World Championships. Sadly, due to a little knee problem and lack of ice time in Ottawa, I was not competitive enough in the longer distances to qualify.
This served as motivation going into the 2012 cycling season, where I had set the same goal for the 2012 Junior Pan-Am championships. This time around I achieved my goal. Going into the competition, I did not know what to expect of myself due to that fact that I had just came off my speed skating season. However, once racing had begun, I saw I was posting similar times to the other riders so my goal changed from just qualifying for the competition to bringing home a medal. I saw that I had a shot in the match sprint when I qualified in fourth with a time that was only 0.03 off the first place qualifying time.
Unfortunately the other riders knew when and how hard to attack so I was once again waiting to respond in some way. The best part of this competition was that I visibly improved with every round. My racing changed from a feat of strength to being a game of cat and mouse. Unfortunately, I did not have the knowledge to play the game at his level.
Cycling Athlete Profile
Cycling Athlete Profile
Skater’s Name: Vincent De Haître
Racing Class: Elite
Born: June 16, 1994
Height: 183cm
Weight: 88kg
Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario
Hometown: Cumberland, Ontario
Home Club: Ottawa Bicycle Club
I enjoy this sport immensely and would like to continue to develop my skills to the highest level possible.
Best racing abilities
Sprinting
Other Sports Interests
Long track Speed Skating
School and grade
Graduate of École Secondaire Béatrice-Desloges.Other interests
Various outdoor activities
Racing Experience and Results
Training full time for the Team Pursuit as a member of the Canadian National Team
I have been following a cycling training system set up by my coach. This includes structured training workouts, weight training and race support.
During the summer, we have access to coaching support three to five times per week during training races, ITT’s, training rides as well as direct access to club coaches as we require. We have coaching and/or Team Manager support at many major races. I am being trained and monitored through a structured training system designed by our coach.
Last year I trained 600 hours and this year I am doing 600-650 hours but that number is subject to be increased throughout this coming season. Training includes strength training, interval workouts, training zone evaluations, video analysis and monitoring of training and racing by the club coach.
Season 2018-19
- Set new Canadian KILO record
- Set new Canadian record in Team Pursuit
Season 2016
- Canadian KILO National Champion
Season 2014-15
- Pan Am Championships ( Aguascalientes, Mexico)
- Set new Canadian record in the KILO
- Commonwealth Games ( Glasgow, Scotland)
- 4th in team sprint
- 7th in KILO
Season 2013-14
- National Champion in KILO.
- Bronze in Match Sprint at Canadian Championship
Season 2012-13
- Gold in team sprint at Canadian Championship
- Silver in Sprint, KILO and Keiring at Canadian Championship
- Selected for the Canadian Junior World 2012 team for Invercargill, New Zealand
- Canadian junior 2012 Pan-Am team (Guatemala City)
- 4th in kilo, 4th in 200m flyer, 5th in sprint tournament, 4th in team sprint
Years of Racing Bicycles: 7 years
Canadian Domestic Races
- 2012 National championship;
- Gold in team sprint and 3 silver; match sprint, kilo,and keirin.
- 2012 Raced for team Ontario at road cycling national’s championships. 8th in the Criterium
- 2012 Ride with Rendall stage race (overall point leader, 3rd in the TT, 1st in the road race)
- 2012 Dandelion GP (2nd road race)
- 2012 Preston Criterium – 2nd place Junior
- 2011 National track championships,
- 3 silver medals; Sprint, kilo and team sprint
- 2011 Ontario Provincial road race in Kitchener-Waterloo Winner (Sportif category)
- 2011Preston street Criterium – 6th place
Local Results
- 2012 OBC Cyclist of the Year
- 2011 Junior of the Year award from the Ottawa Cycling Club
- Won Silver for 2011 15k TT and gold in the 40k TT
International Stage
- 2012 Member of the Canadian Junior team for World Track Championship Invercargill, New Zealand August 2012
- 2012 Junior Track Pan-Am Championship, Guatemala City, member of Canadian
Junior Team
- 4th place Team Sprint
- 4th place in Kilo ( 1:04.75 )
- 4th in 200m flying ( 10.74 )
- 5th in Sprint Tournament
National Stage:
- 2013 Track National championship; Gold in KILO and Bronze in Match Sprint -- Men's Elite
- 2012 Track National championship; Gold in team sprint and 3 silver; match sprint, kilo,and keirin. -- Junior
- 2012 Member of team Ontario at road cycling nationals championships, 8th in the Criterium
- 2011 National Track Championship 3 Silver medal in Match Sprint, Team Sprint and Kilo
Provincial / Local racing
- 2012 Ride with Rendal stage race (overall points leader, 3rd in the TT, 1st in the road race)
- Raced for team Ontario at road cycling nationals championships. 8th in the Criterium
- 2012 Prestone Street Criterium – 2nd place Junior
- 2012 Dandelion GP (2nd road race)
- 2011 Provincial winner of the sportif category
- 2011 Junior of the Year award from the Ottawa Cycling Club
- 2011 OBC Event in the junior category, Won Silver for 15k TT and gold in the 40k TT
