Archive for July, 2010

Local Ride Racing has had a busy few weeks on and off the road. On the road it was BC’s Superweek which included 6 different stages in Delta and White Rock. Off the Road LRR was in Canmore for the Canadian National XC Championship and Squamish for the Gear Jammer Marathon race. Here are some brief highlights and results from all the action.

When Svein Tuft was in town for BC Superweek, he stopped by the Mission Raceway for Wenting’s Wednesday Night Crit

Tour of Delta

Barry and Dave were out to support the cat 1/2 teams of Mike Berkenpas, Zach Young, Jean Ann McKirdy, Chelsea Billsbarrow and Rachel Canning along with Rich Macchein and Steve Doreen who raced the 3/4 crit. The guys were in for a tough weekend with riders from the Pro Tour team Garmin-Transition and pro-continental teams Kelly Benefits and Jelly Belly. Mike and Zach held their own in the prologue, finishing a respectable 26 and 31 seconds down on the winner Ben Chaddock. Mike did the brick and blue proud by finishing both the crit and road race to earn himself a 55th overall placing (out of 93 starters) . The women also had a fight on their hands with both the powerful Total Restoration and Trek Red Truck teams out in full force. In the end Jean Ann finished 9th overall while the ever improving Rachel rounded out the top 20.

Tour of White Rock

With White Rock falling on the same weekend as MTB nationals, 3 racers were able to make it. Zach, Rachel and Steve Devantier. The disgustingly hilly courses in White Rock were well suited for a light weight like Steve who finished 19th in the hill climb and 24th in the road race. Unfortunately the same hills didn’t help Zach who had just recently upgraded to cat 1/2 and suffered to stay with the pack. Rachel had strong showings in both the hill climb and crit. She was sitting 11th on GC before fading in the road race.

XC Nationals

In their quest to qualify for the World Championship Sandra Walter and Jean Ann travelled to Canmore for the Canadian MTB Nationals. Sandra showed some good form charging to a 5th placed finish late in the race. Jean Ann finished as the 8th fastest female in Canada. Also competing at Nationals were Master racers Ryan Newsome and Jeanine Ball. Jeanine placed 5th in her category while Ryan finished was happy with his finish.

Gear Jammer

The Gear Jammer was a successful race for Local Ride, with Ryan, Steve and Jeanine all grabbing the final podium step in their respective categories. Paul Craig used all his race tactics in a sprint finish to nab top 20 in his category. And finally Marie Devantier competing in her first ever Marathon MTB race was just happy to finish. Big congrats also go out Local Ride friends Melissa, Hector and Carsten for their successful races.

Third place finishers: Steve, Ryan, Jeanine

We’re talking about summer – one of the best seasons for cycling, when you can just throw on shorts and a jersey, and jump on your bike. No arm warmers, no rain jacket in the back pocket… just in case. Summer is cycling at its simplest. At Local Ride, we’d love to help you make the most of the season with some of our favourite summer ride suggestions.

1. Golden Ears Park – Take a tour into scenic Golden Ears Provincial Park on this hilly 22km (from the Park Entrance) out and back route. You’ll stay cool in the shade of majestic cedars and firs, and maybe even catch a glimpse of some wildlife. Why not stop at Alouette Lake, take a dip, and have a picnic along the way?

2. Fort Langley – With the new Golden Ears Bridge finished, getting to the south side of the Fraser River is an easy pedal on the span’s bike friendly path. Follow bike route signs on the other side and enjoy the quiet riverside roads that lead to Derby Reach Park and, finally, historic Fort Langley. It’s a great place to grab a drink and a snack at a cafe and watch the world go by. The ride is approximately 25km out and back from the bridge.

3. Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge Dykes – The local dykes are a beautiful way to get off the roads and onto the dirt and closer to nature. There are lots of options for short or long rides, but they’re all scenic and flat, making the dykes perfect for family cycling. Maybe you’ll even see a bald eagle soaring above your head. Click here for a map of the Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge bicycle network.

The Summertime Express

Check out Giant’s new commuter hybrid, the Twist Series’ Express. This is Giant’s most affordable electric hybrid bike, and it’s designed with the commuter in mind for maximum efficiency. Its single lithium ion battery pack will average 80km per charge and the 7-speed gearing is minimalist and simple, making your commute faster and easier than ever. Come check out the Giant Twist Express in store. $1699.95.