July 15/07 9:38 am - White Rock Road Race Results & Report

Posted by Editor on 07/15/07
 

Tour de White Rock Road Race

The future has arrived in the Coast Capital Savings Tour de White Rock. Three of the youngest cyclists in the 28th Annual Tour de White Rock Peace Arch News Road Race helped their Symmetrics team maintain its monopoly in White Rock. Will Routley, 24, of Whistler, conquered the mountainous streets in White Rock to pick up the biggest win of his young career. Christian Meier, 22, of Langley took 2nd and Tsawwassen's Cam Evans, 23, finished 3rd to give Symmetrics a sweep of the top spots for the first time in team and race history.

"We're all racing so well that it doesn't matter who wins," said Routley. "We just want to get out front early and push the race and if no one chases us then we know we can count on the support on the rest of the team to take over if we start to wear out."

Three laps and 30 kilometers into Sunday's 134 kilometer race, Routley took off out front, breaking the 91 man peloton into three small groups. He was joined by teammate Christian Meier, the 2007 under-23 Canadian National Road Race champ and Trek Red Truck's Dave Vukets. The Symmetrics riders quickly left Vuckets behind and opened up an impressive two minute lead midway through the race and widened to a three minute gap with four laps to go.

"At the beginning it was really, really hard," said Meier. "We knew we had to nail it and make the other teams chase. When no one did we knew we were probably going to make it although we were starting to feel it. We were hurting at the end."

Meier and Routley stayed away for the rest of cool, cloudy morning up and down the mountainous streets and along the scenic shores on Marine Drive in White Rock. The only challenge they had left was deciding who had done the most work and deserved to be first across the finish line. The honor and the race went to Routley who also wrapped up the King of the Mountain award by leaving Meier behind on the final steep climb.

"I was starting to cramp up a bit," Routley revealed. "We knew we were in danger because the lead was getting shorter and shorter with every lap. So we knew who ever had the legs would get the win.

Routley finished 22 seconds ahead of Meier completing the 134 kilometer race in 3 hours, 35 minutes and 43 seconds. Evans out sprinted Kristian House to take 3rd, 41 seconds behind Routley.

"This is only a 130 K course," said Routley, "but with all the hills it's so tough that it feels like a 200 K race. I finished 2nd two years ago in one of those races that sticks under your skin. To finally win it is sweet."

The women's race quickly separated the contenders from the pretenders among the 41 racers, the biggest women's field in race history. Only two laps and 20 kilometers into the 80 kilometer race, a five woman breakaway opened up a commanding minute and 17 second lead. Perennial front runner, Leah Goldstein of Symmetrics was up front with Saturday's Remax Criterium champion Rushlee Buchanan of New Zealand's Jazz Apple. The break also included Friday's White Rock Mufflers Hill Climb winner Allison Testroete of Abbotsford.

Three laps from the finish Goldstein, who was 2nd last year but has never won on the road in White Rock, decided it was time to gamble.

"It always comes down to a sprint here and everyone knows what a sprinter I am...'NOT!" she joked. "I knew my only chance was to get away on the hills and open up a big lead. I just treat it like a time trial, put my head down and go as hard as I can."

She took off on her own chased by Buchanan and Victoria's Erinne Willock. With a lap to go she was straining to maintain a slim six second lead on the hilliest, most exhausting race of BC Superweek. Goldstein, the strongest, toughest and most dominant woman cyclist on the West Coast put her head down and widened her lead to an insurmountable 30 seconds. She raised her arms in celebration and relief as she crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 47 seconds. Buchanan finished 50 seconds behind while Willock finished in 3rd place.

It was a triumphant victory for the courageous 38-year-old who was almost killed two years ago when she crashed on a 70 kilometer an hour descent in a race in Oregon.

"I smashed my jaw, broke 14 bones and was in a wheelchair for six months," she said. "They told me I'd never race again and that just made me angry and more determined than ever to come back and keep going as long as I can. The women's racing around here is tougher than ever thanks to BC Superweek. It's faster, more aggressive and more competitive than ever. It's changed so much since I started. It's great to see.

BC Superweek continues with the Tour de Gastown, Wednesday, the Giro Di Burnaby, on Thursday evening and concludes with the Tour de Delta Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 20-22.