Lori-Ann Muenzer started competitive bicycle road racing at the age of 21, and it wasn’t until she turned 28 that she found her true passion and began racing on the velodrome.  Over the next 10 years she would experience and overcome many challenges, obstacles, and physical setbacks, most notably a mountain biking accident in 1999 where she plunged off a cliff that almost ended her career, and a ruptured appendix in 2002 while competing in South America.  Instead of quitting, she raised the bar.

Lori-Ann’s journey of perseverance and drive, determination and commitment shone through, most notably at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur (Bronze in the Match Sprint event), 2000 World Track Cycling Championships in Manchester, England (Silver in the Match Sprint event), 2001 World Track Cycling Championships in Antwerp, Belgium (Silver in the 500m Time Trial & Bronze in the Match Sprint events), and 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England (Silver in the Match Sprint & Bronze in the 500m Time Trial events). 

At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Lori-Ann beat out competitors half her age to win Canada’s first Olympic Cycling Gold Medal at the age of 38.  She  remains the only Canadian to have ever won an Olympic Gold medal in cycling.  In 2004, she received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year, along with Canadian Cyclist of the Year-Female Award.  Even though Lori-Ann’s career began at an age later than most athletes she accumulated 13 National Championship Titles, 4 World Championship medals, 11 World Cup medals, 3 Commonwealth Games medals, and is a two-time Olympian (2000 & 2004) to become one of Canada’s most successful cyclists of all time.  Lori-Ann gives back to her community by volunteering and also supports fund raising events for cancer research.