Shelley Gautier, one of Canada’s most decorated paracyclists, is hanging up her cleats.
But, it’s only at the international level. On Dec. 31, the rider from Niagara Falls, Ont., will officially retire from Team Canada. But that’s not the end of the story.
And, frankly, it’s important that she isn’t stopping. She plans to keep the discipline alive in Canada. That means mentoring athletes and advising race organizers on trike competition.
A long career
“I’m 57 years old, competing against younger athletes. And it’s really hard,” Gautier said. “There comes a time to retire. I’ve been at it for 18 years, probably the longest career out of anyone, and I want to take some time to help other people—and myself.”
Gautier’s journey began long before her first world championship. Following a 2001 accident, she transitioned from competitive sailing to paracycling around 2007.
She quickly ascended to the international stage. Throughout nearly two decades, she collected 18 world championship golds and numerous World Cup medals. That included multiple podium finishes as recently as this year. She remains the first female T1 paracyclist in the world to medal at any Paralympic Games, a historic accomplishment she achieved despite changes to the sport’s classification and factoring systems.
“The T1 category wasn’t always guaranteed,” Gautier said, reflecting on her role in keeping it alive. “There were times they considered cancelling it at the UCI level. I really wanted to compete, and with a few others, we convinced them to keep T1 racing. Now it’s a wonderful division, with more young athletes coming through.”
Gautier has also been a stalwart on the domestic scene, competing in Canadian and Ontario championships. She hopes her ongoing participation will encourage more female trikers to enter the sport. “Without an example, people don’t even know it can be done,” she said.
Her contributions extend far beyond competition. A physiotherapist by training, Gautier founded the Shelley Gautier Para-Sport Foundation. It raised more than $150,000 to provide paracycling equipment to programs in five Canadian cities. She also served as flag bearer for Canada at the 2023 Parapan Am Games in Santiago, Chile. Along the way, she has earned numerous accolades, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Behind every cyclist is a team. Early in Gautier’s career, she received support and encouragement from Stéphane Chaput, a triker from Drummonville, Que,. born with cerebral palsy. Eric Van Den Eynde has been her longtime coach. And through it all, Alan Greer has been Gautier’s training partner.
Though she will step back from international racing, Gautier plans to continue participating in tandem rides and grand fondos with Greer, staying connected to the sport she helped shape. “Retiring and not retiring,” she said. “That’s what worked at the international level. So, it will work here at home. Hopefully, it will inspire more women to take up the sport in Canada.”
With files from Matthew Pioro