HIGH ACHIEVERS: Cyclist Carter de Veer posting impactful performances in Europe

By Martin Cleary

If the future is now for Ottawa’s Carter de Veer, then the elite teenage cyclist has steered himself into an excellent international opportunity in a rather short period of time.

What happens over the next five to 10 years will be fuelled by his daily determination, athletic talent and love of all levels of competitive cycling.

A Grade 11 Merivale High School student, de Veer, who turned 17 on Saturday, is quickly establishing himself in Europe as a podium finisher and a rider to watch in men’s U17 development-level races.

For the past decade, Ottawa has produced world-class road cyclists like Michael Woods and Derek Gee-West. The day may come when de Veer will be reaching for that baton to continue the tradition of Ottawa cyclists making international headlines.

But for now, it’s all about the present and getting used to what’s coming around the next corner for de Veer and his family.

“Carter had a fortunate opportunity to race in Europe, when he went in May (2025) to the Czech Republic. He had two races, winning one and doing well in the other,” said father Craig de Veer about his son, who was 16 at the time and racing for Toronto-based Ignite Junior Cycling.

“That caught people’s attention. The phone rang off the hook. I wasn’t sure at that age they would be recruiting so early.”

Craig remembers fielding phone calls and answering questions from four or five European teams and three or four agents willing to work on his behalf.

There were several specific races last year that quickly elevated Carter’s status as an up-and-coming youth cyclist. Carter started that process in Canada. During the 2025 Canadian track cycling championships, he won seven gold medals in the men’s U17 class. At the 2025 Canadian road championships, he also won the men’s U17 individual time trial and was second in the road race.

Carter won one of two stages last May in the men’s U17 competition at the Grand Prix West Bohemian in Czech Republic. In August, he helped give Ignite the polka dot climbers’ jersey at Tour de l’Ain, winning the Queen’s stage over the notable Tour de France mountain pass Col du Grand Colombier, which featured a final 15-kilometre climb.

“At the beginning, we were all learning things as we go. Being Canadian, not a lot of riders get this opportunity. It was foreign to us. Everything was changing so quickly. We talked with a bunch of different teams. Then it fizzled out,” Craig explained.

When Carter won a stage at Tour de l’Ain, the strategy was to focus on a team performance. But as the race unfolded, Carter led the pack to the finish line.

“We did a drive up the (final) climb the day before the race and the kids found it quite impactful,” Craig continued. “It was no joke.”

Following Carter’s win, the phones started ringing again. At the end of February this year, Carter was living the dream of racing in Europe with the Belgium-based Cannibal-Victorious U19 development team.

Cannibal-Victorious is one of two feeder teams to the Bahrain-Victorious squad, which was ranked 10th on the WorldTour circuit in 2025, and also has a U23 development team. Cannibal was the nickname for the legendary cyclist Eddy Merckx.

Carter and family signed with Bahrain-Victorious, after watching a team race and meeting with the team’s director and members of the family-owned team.

“We had positive vibes from the team and it wasn’t all based from results,” Craig said. “They develop their riders as persons as well as riders.”

But cycling at the next level also comes at a cost, just like cycling and national team sports in Canada. While Cannibal-Victorious covers his equipment costs, accommodation and food while in Belgium, Carter and family are responsible for travel, other training and therapy and all racing costs when in North America.

As Carter starts to climb higher in the cycling ranks, there’s a need for greater financial support. Sponsorships are being developed and cycling enthusiast/baker John Large has helped by baking pies to sell as a fundraiser.

As for a budget for Carter’s cycling in 2026, Craig is uncertain.

“It’s hard to say. It’s unchartered territory,” he mentioned.

Cycling rules don’t permit Carter to stay in Europe with the team full-time because of his age. He is only allowed to be with the team for 90 days over a six-month period.

This year, Carter joined the team in late February for a training camp in Spain, where he impressed with his performances and dedication to every task every day. In March, he had four, one-day U17 races, and placed first in the Weg Motion Drives Classic presented by Atom Koerst in Denderhoutem, Belgium.

He rode to the finish line with Cannibal-Victorious teammate Matas Kubilius of Lithuania, both riders finishing at the front with identical times of two hours, 38 minutes and 28 seconds for the 116-kilometre race. They finished 27 seconds ahead of the next wave of 32 riders.

At the BZ Fruitroute one-day race from Sint-Truiden to Zepperen, Belgium, Carter finished 12th overall and was part of a group of 48 riders only 21 seconds behind the top five.

In his first multi-stage race of the season, Carter was impressive in his five events over four days at the STER Van Zuid Limburg in Belgium.

After finishing 41st and 78th in the first two stages, Carter placed second in the third stage held in Wellen. His result lifted him into third place in the General Classification overall standings.

Carter concluded his stage race with a 47th-place showing in the individual time trial and a 73rd in the final race to finish 22nd overall in the General Classification. But he showed his talent on the climbs and was fifth in the Mountains Classification as well as sixth in the Youth Classification.

His spring racing schedule will wrap up with another race on April 23 and back-to-back weekend competitions in Czech Republic, which includes a return visit to where he won at the Grand Prix West Bohemian in 2025.

When he returns to Canada next month, he’ll focus on his academic work at Merivale and prepare for his final exams in June.

“The school has been really good with a lot of support from the teachers,” explained Craig, who added Carter had to leave Merivale’s International Baccalaureate program because of his cycling.

“Last summer, he did some summer school (to reach ahead) and got one credit out of the way. He also is doing two classes online.”

While outdoor education is one of his courses, he won’t be able to write about his cycling experiences. He’ll miss the class canoe trip, but will have to create a project about what it would have been like, if he was there.

Carter is expected to return to rejoin the Cannibal-Victorious team in the second week of August for one month. He also hopes to be named to Cycling Canada’s junior team for the world road championships, which will be staged Sept. 20-27 in Montreal.

When Carter is with his 20 teammates from around the world, he’s living with them in a team house, buying his own groceries, cooking his own meals and doing his own laundry. Carter had learned those skills well before heading to Europe, including making his own lunches for school and cooking an entire dinner meal for his family once a month.

“Carter has always been top of the class,” a proud Craig added. “Last year was a question mark. But he was actually able to do that. I knew he was strong and learning against more experienced racers in harder races.”

A former competitive road racer, Craig knows Bahrain-Victorious is one of the best teams in the world.

“That’s a long way to the top,” he said about the start of Carter’s journey. “They don’t go on the same circuits. I’m not sure if they have any contact, the pro team and the junior/development team.”