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Langley champion Svein Tuft and the Symmetrics Cycling pro team he raced for have been inducted into the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame. In the Oct. 27 Cycling Canada announcement, Tuft was described as “one of Canada’s most accomplished road cyclists [who] built a career defined by grit, endurance, and excellence.” Kevin and Mark Cunningham, founders of Langley-based Symmetric, “transformed the landscape of Canadian professional cycling” the announcement said. Tuft, Symmetrics’ top rider, competed in his final race Sept. 15, 2019 at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec et Montréal. For the 13-time Canadian champion, the Montreal race was a surprisingly emotional experience, “a powerful thing,” Tuft told the Langley Advance Times. “It was really starting to hit me,” Tuft recalled. “I was truly done.” He was known as Canada’s “time trial king,” as an 11-time Canadian national time trial champion, where cyclists race alone against the clock, and two-time road champion. At 42, Tuft was one of the oldest competitive cyclists in the world, with a lengthy string of credits that, in addition to his Canadian titles, included winner of the 2006–07 UCI America Tour, eight years riding on the WorldTour, wearing the pink jersey reserved for race leaders at the Giro d’Italia race based in Italy, and a silver medal at the 2008 world championships. On retiring, he moved to Vernon, where he runs a touring business. Brothers Kevin and Mark Cunningham “fostered a close-knit, competitive environment [with Symmetrics Cycling] that redefined what a Canadian team could achieve and set a new benchmark for team-based development,” Cycling Canada said. “Ultimately, they leave an important legacy on the racing scene in Canada.” Tuft and the Cunninghams are among six, three athletes and three builders, who will be inducted into the hall of fame Thursday, Nov. 27 in Vancouver. Established in 2015, the Canadian Cycling Hall of Fame honours exceptional accomplishments and contributions to cycling from both athletes and sport builders. Their latest induction brings the total number of honourees to 47, 34 athletes and 13 builders.
