June 8/19 20:52 pm - Masters Road Titles Awarded on Saturday

Posted by Editoress on 06/8/19
 

It takes a gambler's mentality to make a break on Victoria's gruelling Motus Cycling Classic course. That's why at Saturday's 2019 Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championships, the 40-49 category mens did not want to show their cards.

"Everyone had their poker face on," said Langlois Brown Racing's Jeffrey Werner, who had just a few drops of gas in the tank to sprint to the Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championship title. "I kept looking around - he's not hurting...he's not hurting."

"I don't like leaving it to a sprint, but we had no choice," he said. "Everyone brought their A-Game." Werner credited teammate David Gerth for keeping the pack at bay in the final stretch and force them to chase him down on the final sprint."

Second place went to Pender Racing p/b Neighourhood's Jon Bula and third place went to Morning Glory Cycling Club's Gregory Moore - all three podium finishers completing the 110K course in 3:06:39.

Local rider Samantha Holt of the Victoria Wheelers was crowned the 2019 Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championship W30-39 winner after crossing the finish line of the 70K course in 2:32:15. With little training on the Metchosin hills, Holt credited her work on cornering rather than course familiarity for her victory.

She did admit she needed to work on counting laps. "On the last (10K) lap, I thought I had three more to go," she said. Luckily, she took heed of her three-woman lead pack to put up another piece of hardware after finishing third in the time trial. "I moved up the podium," she smiled.

In the men's 50-59 race, Toronto's Steve McKee, riding for Wheels of Bloor / Autostyle Collision, had a bit of fright with three laps to go in his 90K race after hearing a few riders behind him knock wheels, sending McKee into a solo break.

"What am I doing? I'm a sprinter!" he thought after waiting for the bunch and then deciding he had to go it alone. This sent him on his way to crossing the line first in 2:33:54 in front of United Velo's Scott Goguen (2:35:35) and Fulgas Cycling Team's Richard Loney (2:36:13).

In the men's 30-39 category, Victoria Wheelers Cycling Club's Clayton Hiltz had a lot of hometown help - winning the title after finishing the 110K course in 3:07:12. In the second to last lap, Hiltz, Taylor Little (PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings) and Richard Costello (Steed Cycles) battled in a three-man break with Victoria Wheelers Brent Dallimore closely behind.

But it was another teammate, fifth-place finisher Andrew Russell that assured Hiltz's win. "Andrew worked at the front for quite a while and that really helped," he said.

In the men's 60+ race, Victoria Breakaway Cycling rider Barry Beck appeared ready to share his winner's jersey with the teammate that got him across the line first. He credited and dedicated his victory to third-place finisher Garth Campbell who is just back on the bike after breaking ribs and his collarbone while racing in Europe.

The field split in the first few laps with a pack of 9 to 10 riders staying together for the rest of the 70K race. Beck surged ahead of Independent - Opus rider Stéphane LeBeau - winner of the time trial on Friday - in the final metre to take the victory in 2:014:07. "It was nip and tuck," Beck said.

Victoria's TripleShot Cycling Club's Heather Simonson added another piece of hardware to her 2019 Canadian Masters Cycling Championship gold medal collection, taking the victory in the 50-59 womens race while pretty much riding solo the entire 70K race.

Other Canadian Masters Cycling Champions crowned: Watt Riot Cycling Debra Parker (40-49); and Victoria's Hillerie Denning (60+).

Courtesy Sharon White, Robert W. Cameron Law Cycling Series

Results from the Masters Road Championships Road Races, held in Victoria BC