Sarah Van Dam
Biography
Sarah Van Dam prides herself on being able to represent Canada in both track cycling and road cycling, as she did at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. She had qualified for the road team after winning the U23 road race and finishing third in the elite road race at the 2023 Canadian Championships. But it was also the third straight year that she competed as member of the Canadian track cycling team at the world championships.
In her debut at the UCI Track World Championships in 2021, Van Dam was part of Canada’s fourth-place finish in the women’s team pursuit. She also achieved a career highlight with the women’s team pursuit when they won bronze at the UCI Nations Cup in Milton, Ontario in April 2023, making them realize it would be possible to challenge for an Olympic medal.
Van Dam won six medals at the 2022 Pan American Track Cycling Championships, including gold medals in the team pursuit, omnium, and Madison.
A Little More About Sarah
Getting into the Sport: Has been riding on two wheels since she was three years old… Started competitive cycling at age 11, competing in both road and track… In her first year riding at the velodrome she broke her wrist because she stopped pedalling, something she hasn’t done since… Outside Interests: Studying Kinesiology at the University of Victoria… Would like to pursue a career in health care… Enjoys hot yoga and cooking and spending her short off-season doing outdoor activities like hiking and lake swimming… Odds and Ends: Inspired by Belgian multi-world championship medallist Lotte Kopecky for being successful in both road and track cycling at the top level… Favourite quote: “I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan…
Notable International Results
UCI Track World Championships: 2023 – 8th (team pursuit), 7th (elimination race), 13th (individual pursuit); 2022 – 7th (team pursuit), 8th (elimination race), 12th (Madison), 12th (individual pursuit); 2021 – 4th (team pursuit), 20th (elimination race)
UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships: 2019 – 5th (team pursuit), 6th (madison), 9th (omnium); 2018 – 7th (team pursuit), 7th (madison), 11th (individual pursuit)
UCI Road World Championships: 2023 – 46th (road race)
Pan American Championships: 2022 – GOLD (team pursuit), GOLD (omnium), GOLD (Madison), GOLD (elimination race), BRONZE (points race), BRONZE (scratch race)