Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper

  • SLt Mitchell Keay placed 18th overall at Tour de Victoria 2026, finishing first in his division after two years of training.
  • He reflected on how cycling shaped his confidence and career with the RCN.

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Two years ago, Sub-Lieutenant (SLt) Mitchell Keay completed Tour de Victoria’s 100-kilometre (km) distance in 219th place. This August, he crossed the same finish line in 18th place, and first in his division — a result even he admits caught him off guard. 

Racing in the men’s 30-34 division at Tour de Victoria this year with the hope of placing within the top 100, SLt Keay posted a chip time of 3:10:43 over the 100 km course.  

“Moving through the course, I felt really good,” he said. “It was a punchy and dynamic race, and at the start I felt prepared, excited, and very strong.” SLt Keavy held an average heart rate of 163 BPM throughout the race, close to what he considers the edge of what’s sustainable over three to four hours. A sign, he shared, of dialed-in pacing built on a year of dedicated training. 

SLt Keay has served in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) for more than a decade, first joining in April 2015 and working as a Naval Communicator (NAV COMM) before switching trades to become a Naval Warfare Officer (NWO) in 2023. Today, he works as an Assistant Analyst in the Reserve Management Cell at Personnel Coordination Centre Pacific  PCC(P), facilitating administration for Naval Reserve (NAVRES) personnel employed on the West Coast. 

While cycling has been part of SLt Keay’s life since childhood, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that it became something more. While living in Hamilton and taking part in Operation (Op) LASER in 2020, he completed his first 100km ride with a roommate. 

“It was hard, but I quite enjoyed it,” said SLt Keavy. After relocating to Quebec City to work at NAVRES Headquarters in 2021, that first single difficult ride turned into a habit. Since then, SLt Keay estimates that he’s ridden roughly 28,000 km. 

The Munn Road climb, the Tour de Victoria’s first major ascent, proved to be the toughest stretch for SLt Keay, both physically and mentally. At 212 pounds on race day, SLt Keay said climbing isn’t his strongest suit.  

“In any significantly steep climb, power-to-weight ratio is much more important than absolute power, and, while my power is good, my power-to-weight ratio is only so-so,” he explained. The mental side of that challenge was arguably tougher: pacing himself meant letting lighter riders pass him on hills rather than burning himself out trying to match their pace.  

“This is hard for me, as I am quite competitive,” admitted SLt Keay. The result was a recurring pattern through the race, being passed on the climbs, then overtaking the same riders once the course flattened or turned downhill. 

SLt Keay had no way to gauge his standing mid-race, so the moment he pulled up the results afterward struck him. “I was surprised by my placement,” he said. “I had a feeling the race had gone well, but not just how well.” Watching his ranking climb from the 200s into the top 20 over two years felt like validation, he shared, for months of dialed-in training and nutrition. 

Importantly, SLt Keay traces part of his motivation directly back to the RCN. Competing in the 2022 Navy Bike Ride, where he finished second overall in total distance cycled, was a tremendous motivator in his early cycling days, he shared. Even now, his daily 16 km commute anchors his training.  

“Cycling has made me healthier, happier, and more confident,” said SLt Keay. “I honestly don’t know if I would have become an officer at all, or performed as well as I do, had I not picked up the hobby back then.” 

For SLt Keay, this year’s result confirms something bigger than a single race. “If I set myself a goal, and go about achieving it in a methodical, consistent manner, I can excel.” he said.