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B.C. Bike Race hits Whistler on Friday

By Andrew Mitchell The inaugural B.C.

By Andrew Mitchell

The inaugural B.C. Bike Race got underway in Victoria on Canada Day and will wrap up in Whistler Saturday, July 7 after covering roughly 525 km of road, gravel trails and singletrack on Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and Sea to Sky.

The first stage was roughly 112 km, finishing in the Cowichan Lake District. The Trek Volkswagen Mountain Bike Team, Chris Eatough and Jeff Schalk, posted the fastest time of four hours, 22 minutes and 32 seconds for the stage — just five seconds ahead of Rocky Mountain Bikes’ Andreas Hestler and Kevin Calhoun. In third, with a time of 4:24:46, were Manuel Prado and Jason First, riding for La Ruta de los Conquistadores and Sho-Air. La Ruta is one of the toughest three-day stage races in the world, and is a partner of the B.C. Bike Race.

From Whistler, Team Chromag-Sram — Julian Hine and Kevin Phelps — placed seventh out of 35 teams in the Men’s Open category with a time of 5:06:28.

On the women’s side, Karen Eller and Carolin Rahner of Scott / Trenga took a solid lead with a time of 5:35:30. North Vancouver’s Cynthia Young and Michelle Newton of Shore Girls Don’t Cry, were second in 5:45:45, while the Jenerators, Jennifer Keefer and Jen Sawrenko, were third in 6:12:35.

The Whistler team of Emmat Smith and Sarah O’Bryne were fourth in 6:20:31.

In the Mixed category, Lesley Clements and Matthew Bodkin of Whistler placed second in 5:06:24, just three minutes back of the lead time set by David Harris and Lynda Wallenfels. Third place belonged to Hillary Harrison and Ryan Watts of Pemberton, finishing the first day in 5:20:47.

In the Veterans 80 category (combined age), the team of Rod Dagneau and Whistler’s Mike Charuk was fourth in 5:18:23. Keith McIvor and Kevin Smith were ninth in 5:35:16, Paul Nicholas and Henric Meldgard were 17 th in 6:08:41, and Greg McDougall and Graeme Fitch were 18 th in 6:11:56.

Day two was 115 km, and took riders further north, to Port Alberni.

In Men’s Open, Eatough and Schalk built up their lead to almost six minutes, with a total two-day time of 8:56:38. Hestler and Calhoun remained in second with a time of 9:02:40, while Prado and First held onto third place, but dropped back considerably with a time of 9:42:24.

Team Chromag-Sram held onto seventh place with a time of 10:31:57.

In the Women’s Open race, Karen Eller and Carolin Rahner held onto their lead with a two-day time of 11:42:32. Cynthia Young and Michelle Newton did make up some time on that stage, and have a two-day time of 11:52:12. Jennifer Keefer and Jen Sawrenko held onto third, while Emma Smith and Sarah O’Byrne of Whistler were fourth in 12:54:30.

Lesley Clements and Matthew Bodkin dropped off the lead pace, 26 minutes back of David Harris and Lynda Wallenfels. They remained in second overall in 10:48:27, well off the lead time of 10:19:31. Hilary Harrison and Ryan Watts gained some ground, and heading into day three were third in 10:59:45.

In the Veterans 80 group, Mike Charuk and Rod Dagneau held onto fourth in 10:43:53, just over 15 minutes back of third place. Keith McIvor and Kevin Smith stayed in ninth in 11:34:38, Paul Nicholas and Henric Meldgard moved up one spot to 16 th in 12:22, and Greg McDougall and Graeme Fitch dropped back one spot to 19 th in 12:47:36.

 

The B.C. Bike Race will arrive in Whistler on Friday, July 6, after following the Cheakamus Challenge route from Squamish as far as Function Junction. From there the race will follow the Lower Sproatt Trail, Beaver Pass, River Runs Through It, Alpe d’Huez, Billy’s Epic and Rebob before finishing at Meadow Park. That stage is 75 km, and offers some of the most technical riding of the B.C. Bike Race.

On Saturday, riders will do a circuit of trails in the Soo Valley before cutting back onto Kill Me Thrill Me. Riders will also do the north part of Comfortably Numb, before biking back to the Green Lake Loop to Lost Lake Park. Riders will complete the Zappa Trails in Lost Lake Park, before the finish line.

While the seventh day is the shortest, at just 25 km, it’s also one of the most challenging with Kill Me Thrill Me and Comfortably Numb.

The day after the 2007 race is finished, entries for the 2008 B.C. Bike Race will be accepted. That race will run from May 26 to June 1.

For more information, daily results, and registration for 2008, visit www.bcbikerace.com.