Team Velocio-SRAM – Karol-Ann Canuel

©BrakeThrough Media

Kicking-off the first in a new series of regular monthly features we spoke to Velocia-SRAM’s Canadian “Pocket-Rocket” Karol-Ann Canuel to find out what she’s listening to at the moment.  What motivates her training on the rollers or turbo trainer, or how she warm’s up for a Time Trial.  Team Boss Kristy Scrymgeour is not over-impressed with Karol-Ann’s selection, telling us bluntly “I won’t allow that playlist in my car”.  She wasn’t even joking.  Thanks to Karol-Ann and the team for their support and to Brakethrough Media for supplying photos.  You can listen to Karon-Ann’s playlist via the embedded player opposite, or you can click here to find it within Spotify. 

BIO

Dubbed the “pocket-rocket” Karol-Ann has gone from strength to strength in her first year with the team. After only getting back to full training in August after some serious crashes, Karol-Ann stormed home at the end of the season by making the team’s TTT selection for the Open de Suede Vargarda. She continued her roll of form and was a pivotal part of the team’s gold medal performance in the TTT World Championships. To cap off an amazing season Karol-Ann placed sixth in the individual time trial at world championships.

Karol Ann was introduced to cycling by her parents on a family holiday, started racing at the age of 11 and hasn’t stopped since. “I just loved riding my bike and traveling to races on the weekend. I still love it,” she says.

Karol-Ann wants to be considered as someone who, even if has setbacks, can come back even stronger. “My season was a full rollercoaster with a mix of downs from crashes but incredible highs with our team and my individual results at worlds. I couldn’t be happier and am super excited for the next year with Velocio-SRAM.”

Going in to just her second year with the team, you can expect to see the petite Canadian dancing up any roads that ramp upward as well as reinforcing her pocket-rocket status.

Who is your cycling idol and why?
Ina Teutenberg because she had belief in me and she taught me a lot in a short time about bike racing.

When was your favourite race and where?
The TTT in Ponferrada, September 2014.

Where would you like to spend a week on holiday? 
I’ve just spent a week in Hawaii and it was pretty good!!

I could never live without…
Raisins, I love them!

My teammates think I’m odd because…
I always try to wake-up before my alarm goes off. I hate waking up to an alarm, it puts me in a bad mood!

I can teach you how to….
Play and understand the rules of curling.

KAROL-ANN’S SONG CHOICES

“I never used to be a huge fan of Taylor Swift, but I really enjoy Blank Space and her new album, especially when I do intervals on the bike.

I just love Uptown Funk (ft Bruno Mars), by Mark Ronson! It is really entertaining and I think this is exactly what Bruno Mars is meant to sing. I always turn it up when it is on.

I discovered I’m Real, Jenifer Lopez ft Ja Rule, a long time after it was released and I just really enjoy the beat.

I really enjoy the beat of Prayer in C (Robin Schulz remix), Lili Woods & the Prick and Robin Schulz. I know the words are sad but I like the beat. This song was on my warm-up playlist for the World Championships TTT and ITT in 2014 and I had great results. So I think I will always associate this song to this time of my life.

Just love the lyrics of Stronger, Kelly Clarkson. It’s just good motivation.

U and Ur Hand, by Pink is an old song but I always like the beat when I hear it.

Shakira’s, Hips Don’t Lie, (ft wyclef jean) reminds me of when I did my first UCI race way back in 2006 –  when I was still a junior, in Montreal. I had lots of fun!!!

I discovered the group Mother Mother with this song Bit By Bit, from the album The Sticks. I still really enjoy it. Good song. 

Next choice is Jet Lag, Simple Plan ft Marie-mai. I like this song because they sing in English and in French which are the two languages I can speak. It talks about two people who are in love but one of them is always away on a different continent or in a different time zone and it is basically the story of my life with racing and being away from home and my boyfriend all the time. Also the fact that my boyfriend first tongue is English and mine is French makes this song really special.

Finally, Livin’ On A Prayer, Bon Jovi reminds me the first time I was with the Velocio-Sports team in New York City and we went to karaoke. I think that was the first song that came up. Good memories from this song but also a good song to have on your playlist.”

KAROL-ANN CANUEL

BIRTHDATE: 18 APRIL 1988

BIRTHPLACE: CANADA

@KAROLANNCANUEL

©BrakeThrough Media

©BrakeThrough Media

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2014

UCI TTT World Champion, Spain

6th UCI Individual Time Trial World Championship, Spain

Winner Open de Suede Vargarda TTT World Cup, Sweden

2013

Stage winner Tour Cycliste Feminin International de l’Ardeche, France

5th place GP de Plouay-Bretagne World Cup, France

2012

10th place Fleche Wallone World Cup, Belgium

9th place GP Trofeo Binda – Commune di Cittgilio World Cup, Italy

– See more at: http://velociosports.com/team/karolann-canuel/#sthash.57CP7tAC.dpuf

UCI TTT World Champion, Spain

6th UCI Individual Time Trial World Championship, Spain

Winner Open de Suede Vargarda TTT World Cup, Sweden

2013

Stage winner Tour Cycliste Feminin International de l’Ardeche, France

5th place GP de Plouay-Bretagne World Cup, France

2012

10th place Fleche Wallone World Cup, Belgium

9th place GP Trofeo Binda – Commune di Cittgilio World Cup, Italy

– See more at: http://velociosports.com/team/karolann-canuel/#sthash.57CP7tAC.dpuf

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