BC SUPERWEEK 2018

BC Superweek 2018

When the Global Relay decided to support me for my third straight year via their Bridge the Gap program, I knew I had to try and doing something to show my appreciation. For the past two seasons BC Superweek, organized in part by Global Relay, has not fit into my calendar. For 2018 I wanted to change that. I got permission from my team to return to Europe a little later in the Summer and as a bonus I would use the nine criterium and road race events as a perfect prep before I made my return.

Full Speed

I last did BC Superweek in 2015 when I was guest riding as a first year under 23 rider with NCCH (National Cycling Center Hamilton). I had great time meeting new teammates and riders from all over Canada, and not to mention the amazing family that offered to put up four young cyclists for ten days. So when I returned this year it was like a big reunion, The Inkster’s offered to put me up again and it was great to see the family again who are huge supporters of cycling. And three years on I have gotten to know many of the best cyclists in Canada and it was great to catch up with many of my competitors who I don’t get a whole lot of opportunities to see.

Before the White Rock RR

I made the trip out with a few of the Accent Cycling Team riders, Keith B, Geoff C, and good friend Eric Johnson all from Ontario. The three of us got along really well and had some great times all week, and a few crashes…

The guys in Victoria Park

The first race was a 55 lap night crit on a square circuit; one side was uphill, two flats and the finish was on the downhill straight. I had no idea how I was going to compare to this peleton in crits, as it was only the second time all year that I was up against them. I was super excited to get racing going so I was overly active in the first 20 minutes of the race. I was burning my matches like crazy, but I felt so strong. In the end I regretted this very badly as I followed a Toronto Hustle rider with 4 laps to go as he went for the crowd prime (A big cash prize put up by everyone watching the race). I followed him but waiting to launch around him just slightly too late. He got the prime by a wheel and then pulled the plug on the effort. I looked back and saw we had a gap, I decided to push on. I did the next 2.5 laps alone, only getting caught as we started the last lap.

Cresting the second climb in White Rock

Superweek also has a UCI road race as part of the events during the nine days. The rules say that I can’t start those events unless my team is present, so instead the group of us took a day and did the Grouse Grind. The Grouse Grind is a hike straight up Grouse Mountain, and it averages 32 percent the whole way. The effort took us 45 minutes and we had a new appreciation for the current record holder, whose time is down near 26-27 minutes.

Capliano Canyon

The next highlight of the week for me came in the New Westminster Criterium on the Tuesday. It was a hard course with another climb that was roughly half the one-kilometer circuit. I was making a few moves early on, one with two of my former teammates Derek Gee and Jay Lamaroux. The three of us were away for a few laps but it came to nothing, and I was nearly dropped after the effort. I managed to rebound and get myself back near the front coming into the last ten laps. When going into the fifth last lap, I was sitting fifth wheel as the riders in front of me backed off the power. I saw the lull of pace coming and decided to send an attack leading into the bottom of the climb. I got a large gap straight away and powered on. I was able to claim the crowd prime on the next lap, and I could hear the commentators saying my name and questioning whether or not I could make it, and I wanted so badly to prove I could. I stayed away for lap after lap, I heard the bell and I still had a gap. I went up the climb the last time and I was a mess, the steeper portion was no problem but there was a more gradual part that I was struggling with. Just as I take the second to last corner onto the steep downhill I get passed. I rolled in for a 15th place finish and lots of disappointment, but at least I gave the crowd someone to cheer for.

Peleton leaning in

Gastown is the most prestigious criterium in Canada, and possibly all of North America. Gastown has a hairpin corner and cobblestone sprint finish and is famously fast as you would expect with $15,000 on the line for the winner. I was hoping to try and animate the race as I knew that sprinting at the end would be dangerous. As it turns out getting off the front proved very difficult. I was sitting in most of the race. And when the line got closer I decided that I should try to make some money. I managed an 18th place, just enough to get in the money, but overall a very uneventful race for me. The highlight of it for me would have been the crowds, I was getting goosebumps hearing them roar on the final few laps, really an incredible experience.

New West Crit, preparing to launch

Superweek always ends with the White Rock Road Race in downtown White Rock right on the US border. I always say it is one of the hardest courses in Canada, and I was reminded of that again this time, only now I am strong enough to impact the race. The course is a roughly 10 km lap with two steep climbs and a total of 13 laps. I played a waiting game, as I had to being a solo rider against some big pro-continental teams. I waited for attrition to start knocking riders out of the peleton. I started getting more active in the latter part of the race following many moves made by Adam Devos of Rally Cycling. Eventually we found ourselves in a group of four trailing the lone leader Brendan Rhim of Holowesko Citadel. Going into the last lap we weren’t working together very well. We knew the win was gone so we started to fight for second place.

Start of the second climb, White Rock

I was leading the group going into the last climb and I slowed it right down and moved to the left-hand side of the road. I was trying to bait them into attacking, but it didn’t work, so I hit out first. I went all in and I saw I had a small gap on the others, I started to back off slightly still trying to entice them to go over the top, and Devos finally did. I jumped on Devos’s wheel and we had left behind the H&R Block rider. It was three of us heading for the line now. One rider had been sitting on the group for a long time as he had a teammate up the road, he safely beat us in the sprint for 3rd. Adam Devos and myself used the last of our energy to summon a sprint, it was close (roughly half a wheel) but Adam got me.

Action shot of my Dads bike!

I think Superweek will be an event on my calendar many more times in the future. They are some of the best organized races that I have ever raced. I cannot believe no other cities have rallied to put on a big criterium series like Vancouver. Chapeau to all the organizers and I’ll be back next year!

The group fighting for 3rd, White Rock

Thanks for reading and thanks to ajcmedia, tlbVelo and BC Superweek for allowing me the use of their photos!