Biography

Steve Bauer, the 'Fenwick Flash', made significant headway for Canada in the world of cycling. Bauer claimed a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games, surprising the Europeans in a sport that they traditionally dominated and earning himself recognition as a top world cycling competitor. This was Canada's first cycling medal since 1908. Following the Olympics, Bauer turned professional and won a bronze medal at the World Professional road race in Barcelona. He followed this up with a series of significant wins, including first place in the 1986 and 1987 Carlsberg Light Grand Prix of Cycling, the 1988 Grand Prix d'Ameriques, the 1988 Tour de L'Oise, and the 1988 Trofeo Pantalica. He also placed first in the World Cup race at the 1989 Zurich championship. Throughout his twelve-year professional career, Bauer enjoyed eleven appearances in the greatest race of all, the Tour de France. He became the first Canadian to win a stage of the Tour when he claimed the coveted yellow jersey at the end of the first stage of the 1988 event. Throughout the rest of the Tour, Bauer won an additional four stages and finished fourth overall, another Canadian record. In 1989, he finished fifteenth in the Tour, and in 1990 he sported the yellow jersey for nine consecutive stages. In 1994, Bauer was the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal for bringing recognition to Canada on the international cycling stage and paving the way for future Canadian cyclists.