Posted by Editoress on 07/7/12
Svein Tuft made it look easy, but insisted it wasn’t - at least not until the end.
After pedaling 52 kilometres in just over an hour, it’s easy to believe him.
Photos by Greg Descantes
Results below
The 35-year-old Langley native pulled away from an impressive field halfway through the opening stage of BC Superweek on Friday night, cruising across the finish line with his arms raised and the rest of the riders more than half a lap behind him at the Tour de Delta’s MK Delta Lands Criterium.
Tuft has been enjoying a break from racing on the top-level Pro Tour in Europe, including the Giro d’Italia, for Orica-GreenEDGE. He didn’t feel great at the start line, but got stronger as the race went on, getting into an early seven-rider break, then pulling away midway through 40 laps of the 1.3-kilometre street circuit.
“Your body doesn’t change physically,” Tuft said of his time off. “It's just how much you want to push and really these crits, that's what it's all about, because everyone is going as hard as they can and it's just trying to go that little bit more to try and crack guys. And as soon as you can crack them, you’ve got to hurt yourself for a while because you’ve got to create that gap to make them think it’s "impossible" to catch you. And as soon as you do that, then you have to maintain, you just really have to put your head down and you know that you can do.”
Svein Tuft wins
With five-straight Canadian Time Trial titles and a seventh-place finish in the 2008 Olympics, Tuft had no problem doing just that, finishing in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 50 seconds - 45 seconds ahead of the field. Not bad for a guy who barely got back from a week of mountain biking in northern BC in time for the race.
“Living the good life, but sometimes a little rest does a guy good, and more just mentally. We spend so much time on the road, racing on the road, it’s nice to get out and hit he refresh button,” he said. “You come back and you can dig.”
Tuft dug hard into a field that includes Pro Tour teammate Christian Meier, riders from several top US teams, and many other top Canadians, including the current National Criterium champion, Ben Chaddock, of Idaho-based Team Exergy.
Christian Meier leading Nic Hamilton
They were soon all racing for second place. Florenz Knauer, in town for BC Superweek with the German-based Team Baier Lanshut, won that runner-up sprint, finishing just ahead of Australian Tommy Nankervis while the last of several hard crashes piled up behind them in the final corner.
“I went on final straightaway and got to corner first,” Knauer said through a thick German accent. “It was a strong and fast race, and the first 20 laps around was really fast. But Tuft was just higher ... like ... another level.”
In the 39-kilometre women’s race, it was Nicky Wangsgard of Primal/MapMyRide Cycling that found the extra gear - but not until just before the crucial final corner.
Wangsgard held off an early attack from Stephanie Roorda, an alternate on the Canadian track team for the 2012 Olympic, then made a break of her own to get to that last corner first, sprinting to win by just three-tenths of a second. Not bad for a just-turned 40-year-old college professor in her final year of pro cycling.
“I am retiring,” said Wangsgard, who finished the 30-lap, 39-kilometre race in 1 hour, 2.5 seconds. “Usually I go for a preem so I can check out a sprint, but I didn’t because I got a long week ahead of me, so I didn’t want to waste any matches. So I didn’t know, I just wanted to be first to this corner and Stephanie went early, and I had to go, and luckily I was able to beat her to this corner.”
For Roorda, BC Superweek is helping her get over the disappointment of not making the travelling portion of Canada’s Olympic team, while also keeping her sharp in case something happens and they need the alternate.
“After Trials it was a bit of a tough thing because that’s something I was working toward the last two years, but luckily these races were happening because I love racing here,” he said. “I have to maintain my fitness and this I perfect for that.”
Nicky Wangsgard winning the sprint
With Vancouver-based Jenny Lehman coming in third, Friday was also a perfect start for Roorda’s teammate on the Local Ride/Dr Vie. Superfoods, Lisa Howard, who runs a local development program to help women get started cycling.
Howard’s program, which helps Jasmine Glaesser get to the Olympics in just three years, was part of Lehman’s development path. Roorda is a teammate, and Wangsgard is a friend, someone she talked into coming to BC Superweek.
“[Howard] said you or Steph can win tonight so it worked out good,” said Wangsgard. “I said I think I need to finish my season by coming to BC Superweek and making some money so I can move on in life.”
Given that Wangsgard - who said having May through early August off has allowed her to cycling professionally for 10 years - is planning to stay in the sport as a director with Primal/MapMyRide, it may not take long to get back to BC Superweek.
“I was impressed by what I saw,” she said. “I notice future talent.”
The hard part for Wangsgard will be staying ahead of it for eight more races.
The nine-race, $105,000 BC Superweek continues with the second stage of the Tour de Delta, the exciting Brenco Criterium, on Saturday night, before wrapping up with the White Spot Road Race on Sunday morning.
Report by Kevin Woodley, BC Superweek
Results from the first stage of the Tour de Delta: MK Delta Lands Criterium
Women, 30-laps, 39km | |
1 Nicky Wangsgard (USA) Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bicycles | 1:00:02.50 |
2 Stephanie Roorda (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods | |
3 Jenny Lehmann (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
4 Carrie Cartmill (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | |
5 Joanie Caron (Can) Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling | |
6 Kate Finegan (AUS) Independent | |
7 Shoshauna Laxson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
8 Ivy Audrain (USA) Keller Rohrback | |
9 Dana Walton (USA) Team Alliance Environmental | all s.t. |
10 Megan Rathwell (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns | 1:00:06.40 |
11 Jennifer McMahon (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 1:00:07.90 |
12 Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
13 Jean Ann Berkenpas (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods | both s.t. |
14 Erika Broekema (Ned) NWVG | 1:00:11.30 |
15 Moriah Jo MacGregor (Can) Colavita-espnW Pro cycling | 1:00:13.90 |
DNF Naomi Cooper (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
DNF Erin Redl (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNF Melanie von Stetten (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods | |
DNF Florence Laplante-Lamarche (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | |
DNF Gina Haatz (Ger) Independent | |
DNF Rachel Canning (Can) Independent | |
DNS Justine Clift (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNS Morgan Cabot (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNS Jessica Cutler (USA) Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bicycles | |
DNS Lisa Howard (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods | |
Men, 40 laps, 52 km |
|
1 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEDGE | 1:02:50.00 |
2 Florenz Knauer (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut | 1:03:35.00 |
3 Tommy Nankervis (AUS) realcyclist.com | |
4 Ryan Anderson (Can) Spider Tech powered by C10 | |
5 Steve Fisher (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
6 Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
7 Jackie Simes (USA) Jamis/Sutter Home Cycling Team | |
8 Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEDGE | |
9 Roman van Uden (NZl) PureBlack Racing | |
10 Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
11 Daniel Bichlmann (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut | |
12 Marvin Guzman (Can) Independent | |
13 Anton Varabei (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/La Bicicletta | |
14 Cody Canning (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
15 Ben Chaddock (Can) Team Exergy Pro Cycling | all s.t. |
16 Colter Young (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:03:40.60 |
17 Conor Mullervy (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling | |
18 Adam de Vos (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
19 Chris Gruber (Can) Champion System p/b Stans NoTubes | |
20 Dan Skinner (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
21 Michael van den Ham (Can) RideOkanagan.com | |
22 Kevin Mullervy (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling | |
23 Mike Sidic (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
24 Jeff Werner (Can) Garneau Evolution | 1:03:44.50 |
25 Will Routley (Can) Spider Tech powered by C10 | |
26 Bailey McKnight (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
27 Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
28 Hendrik Werner (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps | |
29 Danny Heeley (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
30 Curtis Dearden (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns | |
31 Alexander Cataford (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
32 Jesse Reams (Can) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
33 Zachary Davies (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling | |
34 Dave Stephens (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
35 Matthias Bertling (Ger) Independent | |
36 Andreas Fliessgarten (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut | |
37 Kris Dahl (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
38 Greg Christian (USA) Garneau Evolution | |
39 Quinn Keogh (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling | |
40 Rob Britton (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
41 James Williamson (NZl) PureBlack Racing | |
42 Federico Marchiori (ITA) Cyber Team Breganze | |
43 Louis Crosby (NZl) PureBlack Racing | |
44 Justin Kerr (NZl) Team H&R BLOCK | all s.t. |
45 Michael Olheiser (USA) realcyclist.com | 1:03:53.40 |
46 Joseph Cooper (NZl) PureBlack Racing | 1:03:55.90 |
47 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1:03:56.90 |
48 Dan Bechtold (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | s.t. |
49 Philip Mooney (USA) Jamis/Sutter Home Cycling Team | 1:04:01.20 |
50 Stefan Fussstetter (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut | 1:04:02.50 |
51 Ian Burnett (USA) realcyclist.com | s.t. |
52 Michael Wegner (Can) Independent | 1:04:09.40 |
53 David Fleischhauer (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | 1:04:23.90 |
54 Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly belly presented by Kenda | 1:04:26.70 |
55 Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | 1:04:30.90 |
56 Taylor Gunman (NZl) PureBlack Racing | 1:04:49.20 |
DNF Sebastian Salas (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
DNF James McCoy (NZl) PureBlack Racing | |
DNF Ian Crane (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
DNF Gabe Varela (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
DNF Cody Campbell (Can) Hagens Berman Cycling | |
DNF Dustin Andrews (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
DNF Bradley Clifford (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
DNF Tyler Trace (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | |
DNF Tim Abercrombie (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Noah Bloom (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Kyle Buckosky (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Scott Inman (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Erik Mulder (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Mike Rothengatter (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
DNF Laurent Dallaire (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
DNF Craig Jones (GBR) Team H&R BLOCK | |
DNF Garrett McLeod (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
DNF Andrew Pinfold (Can) Team H&R BLOCK | |
DNF David Gonda (Can) RideOkanagan.com | |
DNF Dylan Harris (Can) RideOkanagan.com | |
DNF Clayton Meisner (Can) RideOkanagan.com | |
DNF Mark Rainer (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNF Bart Ludbrook (NZl) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNF Ted Matson (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNF Emile de Rosnay (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns | |
DNF Cid Martinez (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns | |
DNF Steven Grandy (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns | |
DNF Evan Mundy (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/La Bicicletta | |
DNF Maurice Worsfold (Can) Speed Theory | |
DNF Chris Worsfold (Can) Speed Theory | |
DNF Dave Johnson (Can) Speed Theory | |
DNF Evan Hepner (USA) Cascade Bicycle Studio | |
DNF Dominik Roels (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps | |
DNF Mackenzie Garvin (Can) Cyclemiesters Bowcycle | |
DNF Kevin Noiles (Can) cyclocrossracing.com | |
DNF Julian Base (Can) Fraser Valley Cycling Club | |
DNF Brett Boniface (Can) FVRCC | |
DNF Mark McConnell (Can) Synergy Racing | |
DNF Scott Laliberte (Can) Westwood Cycle Club | |
DNF Rory McAdams (USA) Independent | |
DNF Shane Savage (Can) Independent | |
DNF Manuel Fehlmann (Can) Independent | |
DNF Teklit Zeweldi (Can) Independent | |
DNF David Gillam (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
DNF Mike Laxdal (Can) Independent | |
DNF Tom Radermacher (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps |
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