Pack mentality seemed to be a trend at the weekend’s ‘Nascar of cycling road racing’ the 2019 Canadian Masters Cycling Championship.
Scott Goguen, sporting a bit of road rash from a spill in one of the races, took the men’s 50-59 Canadian Masters Cycling Championships criterium crown. Taking a few turns at the front of the pack, Goguen broke away on the last lap.
“I just waited as nobody wanted to break,” he said. “but sometimes you just have to break the ice.”
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In the early morning races, the pack mentality continued with titles determined at the line.
“Shannon (Baerg) and I wanted to pull the group apart in the first few laps. It was a very tame race,” said Victoria Wheelers Samantha Hoft who claimed another gold with the 30-39 crit win, giving her two golds and one bronze for the weekend.
Shining a light on the bright future of cycling was the Russ Hay’s Grand Prix Youth B Race with 13-year-old Kimberly Chen who came in third in the youth race, catching her breath and within the hour claimed an emphatic victory in the Novice / Cat 4 women’s race. Her younger brother and sister also went home with (participant) medals in the Tim Hortons Timbit Challenge where 200 kids aged three to 10 “raced” for prizes donated by Tim Hortons.
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It took until the 29-minute mark of the Men’s Cat 3 race for the spectators lining the course to see a successful break away as four riders sprung free from the field: TaG’s Aedan Crocker and Caleb Bender; Riverway Dental Racing’s Kevin Park and Glotman Simpson Cycling’s Colin Fowlow. The four maintained a three-quarter of a 1K lap lead until there was one lap to go. The bell lap then showed the benefit of having a friend by your side as the TaG-team finished one-two (Crocker, then Bender) at the line. Park took the last spot on the podium finishing in 36:53 while Fowlow took fourth, three seconds back.
In the Russ Hay’s Grand Prix elite women’s race, 18-year-old track sensation Sarah Van Dam, racing for Trek Red Truck p/p Mosaic Homes, swept the course clean by winning all the primes ($250 in total) and astonishingly saving some strength for the end.
The final race of the weekend — the elite men’s cat 1 – 2 — was taken by Trek Red Truck Racing’s Riley Pickrell. For a list of the full results visit victoriabikerace.com.
kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca
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The ‘Nascar of cycling road racing’ the 2019 Canadian Masters Cycling Championship took place over the weekend with the final race of the weekend — the elite men’s cat 1 – 2 — taken by Trek Red Truck Racing’s Riley Pickrell. (Jay Wallace Images)
The ‘Nascar of cycling road racing’ the 2019 Canadian Masters Cycling Championship took place over the weekend with the final race of the weekend — the elite men’s cat 1 – 2 — taken by Trek Red Truck Racing’s Riley Pickrell. (Jay Wallace Images)
