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July 12/12 9:14 am - Gastown Grand Prix: report, photosand results


Posted by Editoress on 07/12/12
 

Hanson, Rowney win at Rebirth of Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix

 

Photos by Greg Descantes

Women

Men

 

When Svein Tuft took off to start the final lap of the 2012 Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix on Wednesday, many envisioned a three-peat of the Canadian strongman’s two breakaway Criterium wins already at BC Superweek.

Ken Hanson and the Optum Pro Cycling squad had other ideas.

After slowly reeling in Tuft, an eight-time Canadian Time Trial Champion, on the back stretch, the six-deep Optum team overtook him after coming out of the final corner and down the homestretch, setting Hanson up perfectly for a bunch sprint victory over Vancouver’s Ryan Anderson and Australian Tommy Nankervis.

“Svein had us under pressure all day but luckily we had numbers and played our cards,” said Hanson. “We had to use our guys early to catch Svein and then Alex Candelario gave me the perfect leadout. The guys did a really good job for me.”

Hanson promised to pay them back out of a $15,000 first place payout ?– the highest for a Criterium in North America.

Spending could start soon because locally based teammate Sebastian Salas, who turned a strong performance at last year’s BC Superweek into a contract this year and then paid Optum back by winning King of the Mountain at the Tour of California, is getting married the next day.

“We all share it as a team so it's not all going into my pocket,” said Hanson, a 30-year-old from California. “We’re having a bachelor party for a teammate getting married on Saturday so I don’t know if we’ll have anything after tonight.”

There was plenty of reason to celebrate on Wednesday.

Backed by a five-year, $1-million commitment from tech company Global Relay, the historic Gastown Grand Prix returned for the first time since 2008, and was welcomed back warmly by a crowd estimated at 35,000. The buzz built as the men did 50-laps of a 1.2-kilometre circuit in downtown Vancouver, racing over the same cobblestones as cycling greats Lance Armstrong, Alex Stieda and Canadian Olympians like Brian Walton.

After 60 fast-paced kilometres that included several crashes; after one hour, 16 minutes and 20.86 seconds, it all came down to the last few hundred meters. Hanson pumped his fists as he surged across the line.

“We came with a couple different cards to play and were confident if it came to a sprint. We had the numbers and the speed and we’ve had success this year doing lead outs,” Hanson said. “But Svein [who rides the World Tour for Orica-GreenEDGE] is a guy you can never count out and when he went at the end we kept cool and brought him back slowly and timed everything perfectly.”

Too perfectly for Anderson, who races for Steve Bauer’s Team SpiderTech. After winning a criterium at the Tour de Delta Saturday in front of family and friends, Anderson couldn’t get around Hanson to pull off another hometown win.

“They did a great job,” Anderson said of Optum. “They took control and rode great for him and Ken was great finishing for them. Try again next year.”

In addition to holding off Nankervis, who rides for the Competitive Cycling team run by three-time Olympian and two-time Gastown winner Gord Fraser, to take $5,000 for second, Anderson was excited to know there would be a next year – four in fact – for the popular downtown race.

“I’ve done the biggest Crits in the US and this is just as big,” Anderson said.

Women's Race

Those sentiments were echoed by Australian Loren Rowney, who took home the $8,000 first place cheque – also the biggest for a North American women’s criterium – after winning a bunch sprint ahead of American veterans Laura Van Gilder of Mellow Mushroom, and Nicky Wangsgard of Primal MapMyRide.

Rowney, who normally races with Canadian Olympic great Clara Hughes on the Specialized Lululemon team, beat out Van Gilder by a bike length after completing 30 laps in 53 minutes, 25.13 seconds. Despite the biggest prize of her career, Rowney seemed even more impressed with the rest of the race.

“The atmosphere, just to see the public out here like this is great,” said Rowney, comparing it to a “criterum version” of big UCI races in Philadelphia. “In terms of atmosphere this is one of the greatest events I’ve done with the public and just the excitement and how well run it is. … With women’s races being taken away with sponsorship falling through it’s great to see a sponsor stepping up for us.”

Van Gilder was just as excited about the race, but not about how it ended.

After watching Steph Roorda, an alternate on Canada’s Olympic Track Team, ride an early solo break to an easy victory at the UBC Grand Prix a night earlier, the top riders kept things together in Gastown, setting up a thrilling final stretch.“It was going to be a sprint finish all way, the dynamic was perfect,” said Van Gilder, a 47-year-old from Pennsylvania considered to be the winning-est women’s professional cyclist ever with well over 300 victories. “When you re racing for s prize list like that I think everybody think they had a shot.”

 

Rowney made her shot count despite racing without help – 10 of 13 teammates, including Hughes, are bust preparing for the Olympics. But after UBC, she could count on others – like the teammate of Van Gilder and Wangsgard – to chase.

“After what happened last night with Steph off the front and everyone looking at each other, at me, Laura, and thinking ‘ why don’t you chase it’ and it blew out,” said Rowney. “I’m pretty sure people didn't want that to happen tonight.”

Van Gilder agreed – about the race breakdown and the race itself.

“When people put on events like this, you come to them,” she said.

Report by Kevin Woodley


Video Highlights

 

Results, Vancouver BC, July 11th

Women, 30 laps
1 Loren Rowney (Aus) Specialized lululemon 0:53:25.13
2 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Mellow Mushroom
3 Nicky Wangsgard (USA) Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bicycles
4 Jenny Lehmann (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
5 Stephanie Roorda (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods
6 Lisa Howard (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods
7 Joanie Caron (Can) Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling
8 Gina Haatz (Ger) Independent rider
9 Stephanie Ossenbrink (Can) Independent rider
10 Jessica Daugharty Sterner (USA) Team Rep
11 Jamie Gilgen (Can) Kallisto/Wheels of Oakville
12 Erika Broekema (Ned) NWVG
13 Carrie Cartmill (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery all s.t.
14 Kristen LaSasso (USA) Mellow Mushroom 0:53:30.51
15 Tamiko Butler (Ant) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns
16 Kate Finegan (Aus) Independent rider
17 Rhae Shaw (Can) Exergy TWENTY12
18 Shoshauna Laxson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
19 Dana Walton (USA) Team Alliance Environmental
20 Jennifer McMahon (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
21 Megan Rathwell (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns
22 Moriah Jo MacGregor (Can) Colavita-espnW Pro cycling
23 Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
24 Jessica Cutler (USA) Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bicycles
25 Krista Rawlings (Can) Independent rider
26 Ann Yew (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
27 Naomi Cooper (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes all s.t.
28 Jean Ann Berkenpas (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods 0:54:25.94
DNF Erin Redl (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Sara King (Can) Gregg's Specialized/Trek
DNF Katie Lotterhos (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Kelly Jones (Can) Steed Cycles
DNF Melanie von Stetten (Can) Local Ride/Dr. Vie Superfoods
DNF Norrene Godfrey (USA) Project London 2012 p/b Land Rover Select CPO
DNS Florence Laplante-Lamarche (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery
DNS Rachel Canning (Can) Local Ride
DNS Sarah Coney (Can) Local Ride/ Dr. Vie
DNS Leah Guloien (Can) Colavita ESPN-W
 
Men, 50 laps
1 Ken Hanson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:16:20.86
2 Ryan Anderson (Can) SpiderTech powered by C10
3 Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Competitive Cyclist
4 Ben Chaddock (Can) Team Exergy Pro Cycling
5 Florenz Knauer (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut
6 Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
7 Conor Mullervy (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling
8 Kris Dahl (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
9 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEDGE
10 Alex Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies all s.t.
11 Roman van Uden (NZl) PureBlack Racing 1:16:24.20
12 Dana Williams (USA) Team Mike's Bikes
13 Zachary Davies (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling
14 Dominik Roels (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps
15 Daniel Bichlmann (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut
16 Federico Marchiori (Ita) Cyber Team Breganze
17 Andrew Goessing (USA) Team Mike's Bikes
18 Tyler Trace (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
19 Philip Mooney (USA) Jamis/Sutter Home Cycling Team all s.t.
20 James Williamson (NZl) PureBlack Racing 1:16:28.75
21 Anton Varabei (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/La Bicicletta 1:16:29.73
22 Hendrik Werner (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps 1:16:37.87
23 Chris Gruber (Can) Champion System p/b Stans NoTubes 1:16:38.75
24 Manuel Fehlmann (Can) Independent rider
25 David Fleischhauer (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling
26 Gabe Varela (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling
27 Tim Abercrombie (Can) Garneau Evolution all s.t.
28 Louis Crosby (NZl) PureBlack Racing 1:16:40.85
29 Jeff Werner (Can) Garneau Evolution 1:16:44.86
30 Eric Riggs (USA) Team Mike's Bikes 1:16:46.43
31 Noah Bloom (Can) Garneau Evolution 1:16:47.53
32 Tom Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies s.t.
33 Sebastian Salas (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:16:50.28
34 Greg Christian (USA) Garneau Evolution s.t.
35 Chris Wingfield (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling 1:16:51.93
36 Alexander Cataford (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 1:16:56.43
37 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Velo Club Cycliste Morteau-Montbenoit FRANCE
38 Mike Sidic (Can) Team H&R BLOCK both s.t.
39 Jackie Simes (USA) Jamis/Sutter Home Cycling Team 1:16:59.34
40 Lang Reynolds (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling 1:17:00.56
41 Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly belly presented by Kenda
42 Kevin Mullervy (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling 1:17:01.98
43 David Gonda (Can) Rideokanagan.com 1:17:07.65
44 Justin Kerr (NZl) Team H&R BLOCK
45 Jesse Reams (Can) Hagens Berman Cycling both s.t.
46 Dustin Andrews (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 1:17:09.46
47 John Piasta (USA) Team Mike's Bikes 1:17:10.42
48 Rob Britton (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 1:17:13.81
49 Will Routley (Can) SpiderTech powered by C10
50 Evan Mundy (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/La Bicicletta
51 Tom Radermacher (Ger) Team HED p/b Staps
52 Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEDGE
53 Matthias Bertling (Ger) Independent rider
54 Stefan Fussstetter (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut all s.t.
55 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 1:17:18.29
56 Cody O'Reilly (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:17:19.61
57 Chris Worsfold (Can) Speed Theory 1:17:21.95
58 Kevin Noiles (Can) cyclocrossracing.com 1:17:27.05
59 Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:17:33.26
60 Ian Crane (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling 1:17:34.51
61 Ian Burnett (USA) Competitive Cyclist 1:17:40.25
62 Michael van den Ham (Can) Rideokanagan.com 1:17:43.18
63 Colin Gibson (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling 1:17:56.57
64 Joseph Cooper (NZl) PureBlack Racing 1:17:59.32
DNF Hilton Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Quinn Keogh (USA) Team Exergy Pro Cycling
DNF James McCoy (NZl) PureBlack Racing
DNF Danny Heeley (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling
DNF Dan Bechtold (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling
DNF Cody Canning (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Bradley Clifford (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Adam De Vos (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Dan Skinner (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Bailey McKnight (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Colter Young (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF James LaBerge (USA) Team Mike's Bikes
DNF Kyle Buckosky (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Erik Mulder (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Mike Rothengatter (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNF Laurent Dallaire (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNF Andrew Pinfold (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNF Dylan Harris (Can) Rideokanagan.com
DNF Bart Ludbrook (NZl) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Ted Matson (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Cid Martinez (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns
DNF Steven Grandy (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns
DNF Jamie Riggs (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/La Bicicletta
DNF Maurice Worsfold (Can) Speed Theory
DNF Mackenzie Garvin (Can) Cyclemiesters Bowcycle
DNF Brett Boniface (Can) FVRCC
DNF Christopher Uberti (USA) Panther pb Competitive Cyclist
DNF Mark McConnell (Can) Synergy Racing
DNF Shawn Rosenthal (USA) Independent rider
DNF Rory McAdams (USA) Independent rider
DNF Jeffrey Sparling (Can) Independent rider
DNF Marvin Guzman (Can) Rideokanagan.com
DNF Michael Wegner (Can) Independent rider
DNF Dylan Cunningham (Can) Russ Hays/Accent Inns
DNS Taylor Gunman (NZl) PureBlack Racing
DNS Andreas Fliessgarten (Ger) Team Baier Lanshut
DNS Garrett McLeod (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNS Mark Rainer (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Dave Johnson (Can) Speed Theory
DNS Neal Kindree (Can) Specialized / EMD Serono
DQ Michael Olheiser (USA) Competitive Cyclist
DQ Clayton Meisner (Can) Rideokanagan.com
DQ Emile de Rosnay (Can) Russ Hay's/Accent Inns
DQ Aaron Levin (USA) Aaron Levin
DQ Andrew Martin (USA) BikeSale.com
DQ Scott Laliberte (Can) Westwood Cycle Club
DQ David Gillam (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DQ Mike Laxdal (Can) Independent rider
DQ Matthew Krahn (Can) Independent rider

 


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