Two western riders heading to the Big Smoke
Two new members of the Toronto Hustle team have one thing in common. It’s not their riding styles. Kurt Penno won the junior national criterium title in 2016 and 2017. Ethan Palamarek prefers climbs and won 2017’s Hayman Classic (just ahead of Penno). It’s not their hometowns. Penno is from Sanford, Man. Palamarek is from Lacombe, Alta. What they have in common is their level of familiarity with Ontario’s capital: they’ve never been to Toronto, except for the airport.
Penno and Palamarek are looking forward to learning more about the city from which their team takes its name. “Since I live in a pretty small town outside of Winnipeg,” Penno said, “I always find it fun to go to bigger cities and experience that atmosphere.” The team, which launched in 2017, has a mandate to help young riders. This past October, Hustle rider Graydon Staples moved up to Silber Pro, a move Toronto Hustle celebrated on its social channels. Team principal Brad Bradford approached both Penno and Palamarek late this past season to see if they’d be interested in joining the squad. Both riders liked the vibe of the team and the way the media-savvy group engages with the cycling community. “Out on rides, they’re always great ambassadors for the sport,” Palamarek said. “They’re good wheels to follow in a race, too.”