Mike Trauner - Veteran & Para-Athlete

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends, fierce competitors, and family! 🇺🇸🇨🇦

As a Canadian athlete, I’ve shared the water, the road, and the ice with many of you. While we love a good, intense battle on game day, today is all about celebrating your incredible spirit, freedom, and community.

Whether you’re firing up the grill, watching fireworks, or just taking a well-deserved rest day, I hope your 4th is filled with great food, amazing company, and plenty of celebration.

Have an awesome day, stay safe, and let’s keep pushing each other to be the best!

~ Mike

🇨🇦 Happy 159th Canada Day! 🇨🇦

Today, as we celebrate this incredible country, I’m reflecting on a lifetime journey of wearing the Maple Leaf in two completely different worlds.

First, I had the distinct honour of serving for 19 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. It was a chapter defined by ultimate service and profound sacrifice, putting life, limb, and mind on the line alongside our nation's finest.

But my mission to represent Canada didn't end when I took off the uniform. After retiring from the military, I found a new battleground and a new way to fly our flag: representing Canada on the international stage as an elite athlete.

Both chapters required every ounce of grit, resilience, and sacrifice I had to give. Whether in boots or in athletic gear, standing on the world stage knowing I was backing the best country on Earth has been the privilege of a lifetime. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

As we celebrate 159 years of this beautiful, resilient nation, let’s take a moment to appreciate the peace we enjoy and the community we've built. Enjoy the fireworks, the BBQs, and the celebrations!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

It was an honour to be part of this year's Canadian Road Championships in a different role, supporting and coaching Ontario's para-cycling athletes as they challenged themselves against the country's best. Watching these athletes push beyond their limits, support one another, and proudly represent their provinces is something that never gets old.

Congratulations to every athlete who stood on the start line. Whether you earned a national title, achieved a personal best, or simply crossed the finish line, your dedication and perseverance are what make this sport so inspiring.

A huge thank you to the coaches, guides, mechanics, officials, volunteers, organizers, classifiers, families, and supporters who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Championships like these simply wouldn't happen without you.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 Canadian Champions, including our para-cycling national champions:

🏆 Matthieu Croteau Daigle & Merlin Dallaire (MB)
🏆 Louis-Albert Corriveau Jolin (MT2)
🏆 Alexandre Hayward (MC3)
🏆 Luka Senfner (MC4-5)
🏆 Maarten Duif (MH1-2)
🏆 Joseph Vachon (MH3)
🏆 Camille René (WH3-5)

Thank you to everyone who made this week so memorable. The friendships, the teamwork, and the unwavering determination shown by every athlete are what make the Canadian para-cycling community so special.

Here are a few more photos from an unforgettable championship weekend.

Until next year, keep riding, keep believing, and keep inspiring.

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network

WHAT A WEEKEND! The 2026 Canadian Road Nationals are officially in the books, and I am bursting with pride over how the team executed on the final day of racing!

After an incredible start in the Time Trials, the squad switched gears for the mass-start Road Race on Saturday, June 27 and they absolutely brought the hammer down. Road racing in the Beauce region takes a brutal mix of tactical brilliance, raw power, and pure grit, and these riders executed our plan to absolute perfection.

The months of grueling training, early mornings, and sacrifice paid off on the biggest stage in the country, and the final results speak for themselves:

🥇 Martin Duif – Gold Medalist & National Champion!
🥈 Nancy Kawaja – Silver Medalist!
🥈 Danny Bigu – Silver Medalist!
🥉 Chrissy Molnar – Bronze Medalist!

Four national podiums against the absolute best fields in Canada! As a coach, there is no greater feeling than watching your athletes trust the process, ride for each other, and see their hard work culminate in championship glory.

A massive, heartfelt thank you to our incredible support crew, mechanics, family, and friends behind the scenes who kept the wheels turning all week. We couldn't do this without you.

We are leaving Quebec with heavy necks, full hearts, and incredible momentum for the rest of the season.

What a week, what a team! 💪🔥

Coach Mike (MegaTraun)

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites

From the handcyclists digging deep on every climb to the tandem pairs navigating high-speed descents and the trikes balancing through tight corners, this is poetry in motion fueled by absolute grit. You can hear the tires humming against the pavement, the quick shifts of gears, and the heavy breathing of athletes who are pushing past every boundary.

Every single corner turned brings them one step closer to that legendary maple leaf jersey.

👇 SEND THEM YOUR ENERGY! Leave a comment with your favorite motivational emoji or a shoutout to the riders digging deep right now! Go Canada Go! 👇

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites

Rolling up to the start line at the 2026 Canadian National Championships, you can feel the collective heartbeat of the entire Para-cycling community. The nervous energy, the absolute focus, and the quiet confidence of athletes who have sacrificed everything to be right here, right now.

Looking down that stretch of pavement, it’s about so much more than a race. It’s about every early morning, every painful training session, and every obstacle overcome.

These athletes aren’t just chasing a podium, they are redefining human potential with every hand crank.

"Don't count the days, make the days count."
The waiting is over. The strategy is locked in. It’s time to leave it all out on the course.

👇 Show your support! Drop a 🍁 or a message of encouragement below to push our incredible Para-cyclists across that line! 👇

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites

Today, the 2026 Canadian National Championships take a powerful turn as we kick off the Hand Cycling Road Races.

The warm-up isn't just about getting the blood flowing; it's about waking up the mind, building the momentum, and locking in the focus. Don't skip the foundation.

"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work gains success."

Let’s shake off the dust, prime the engine, and get ready to crush those goals today. No excuses, just effort.

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites

Day one of the 2026 Canadian Road Nationals is in the books, and I couldn't be prouder of how the team executed today in the Time Trials. Leaving it all out on the TT course takes a specific kind of grit, and these riders absolutely brought it.

We set out with a plan, and the results speak for themselves:

🥇 Martin Duif – Gold Medalist & National Champion!
🥈 Nancy Kawaja – Silver Medalist!
🥈 Danny Bigu – Silver Medalist!
🥉 Ellen Rowe – Bronze Medalist!

Watching the months of grueling training, early mornings, and sacrifice culminate in four national podiums is incredibly inspiring. As a coach, there is nothing better than seeing your athletes' hard work pay off on the biggest stage in the country.

Huge thank you to everyone behind the scenes supporting the squad. The TT is behind us, and now we switch gears.

🏁 Next up: The Road Race is this Saturday, June 27! Stay close!

We are carrying this incredible momentum straight to the start line. Let's keep the hammer down, team! 💪🔥

— Coach Mike (MegaTraun)



Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Canadian Cyclist
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites
The Royal Canadian Legion - National Headquarters

For years, lining up at the start line has been a defining part of my sports journey. The adrenaline, the grit, the competition, it’s been my world.

But this year, the 2026 Championships are going to look a little different for me, and I couldn't be more excited.

Instead of pinning on a race number and chasing the podium myself, I am stepping into a new arena: embracing the role of Coach for our provincial para-cycling team.

Stepping away from competing to lead is a truly transformative experience. My focus has shifted from how fast can I go to how can I help these incredible athletes reach their highest potential.

Sport has given me so much resilience, community, and purpose. Being able to pay that forward, share what I've learned, and support our provincial team as they chase their own dreams is an honour that hits entirely differently.

To the team:
"The jersey might look a bit different from the sidelines, but the fire is exactly the same. I am so incredibly proud of the dedication, hard work, and heart each of you has poured into preparing for this moment. I’ve got your back every kilometre of the way."

Here’s to powerful transitions, giving back to the sport we love, and an unforgettable week of racing. Let’s do this! 🇨🇦🚴‍♂️🔥

Ontario Cycling
Cycling Canada
Ontario Para Network
Soldier On / Sans Limites
The Royal Canadian Legion - National Headquarters