Triple Gold at Nationals
Mercier & Brouillette Claim U17 and U19 RR Titles
Milette and Linde-Elmhirst finish 1-2 in the Elite Women’s Crit
Toguri-coached riders performed incredibly well at the 2026 Canadian Road Championships.
National U17 Cyclocross Champion Jon Mercier took another national title, winning the U17 Road Race. Bouncing back from a disappointing 4th in the ITT earlier in the week, he showed real grit to take the win.
Albert Brouillette won the U19 title with panache, attacking with 7km to go and holding off the reduced front selection for the victory — a result that ensures he'll represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships in Montreal.
Laury Milette and Nadiya Linde-Elmhirst initiated a 3-woman break in the Women's Elite Criterium Championships and finished 1-2. Laury has medaled at Nats multiple times since her Junior days, so gold meant a lot to her — especially after a 5th-place finish in the RR, where she was the top rider without a contract. She wanted more, and she got it.
Nadiya, a U23 rider relatively new to the sport by way of triathlon, backed up her silver with a 4th in the ITT and 8th in the RR. Combined with strong showings at Redlands and Gila, it's a clear signal she's ready for the next level.
Special mention to Aubrey Allan, who was 4th in the Junior ITT and 10th in the RR. He's currently representing Canada at the Tour de l'Abitibi.
In total, Toguri-coached riders won 3 titles, 4 medals, 4 more top 5s, and 3 other top 10s. That's a statement — but what does it say?
First, the riders who won or met their realistic goals took chances and executed extremely well. Second, that they did the consistent hard work, and stayed healthy enough, to earn the fitness that put them in position to succeed — most of them while going to school, spending time with friends, and building other interests. So the statement is, first and foremost, one about a rider's ability to harness talent through consistency.
That kind of statement makes me proud to work alongside the teams, federations, specialists, parents, partners, and mentors who help build a culture of success. There are always setbacks — injuries, moments of hesitation, struggles with mental health, even the fear that comes with winning locally and on the national stage. Riders at every level, from U15 to Elite, need to feel their battles sit on a pathway that lets them make their own statements of development. That feedback pathway is built by far more than any single coach.
In the end, I was lucky this year to work with a group of riders positioned to express their potential eloquently. The season, though, is only half done. Stay tuned — there's more to say about everyone mentioned here, and others already hitting podiums and PBs post-Nats.
Nationals are done and dusted. The question that hangs: who's next?