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July 12/17 9:08 am - BC Superweek - New West Grand Prix


Posted by Editoress on 07/12/17
 

Lay Wins Second Race at BC Superweek

The course at the New West Grand Prix presented an immense challenge to arguably the strongest women's field in BC Superweek history, with 61 riders starting the 40-lap, 38 kilometre race and only 18 finishing.

Despite the race being new to BC Superweek, the result at the top of the podium was almost exactly what bike racing fans saw just four days ago at the MK Delta Lands Criterium - Kirsti Lay building a huge lead en route to victory, finishing in 59 minutes and 24 seconds. On Friday, it was Lay going away off the front just five laps into the race, on Tuesday in New Westminster it was halfway through the race when she went for it and built a massive lead.

 

Photo

Kirsti Lay wins

 

The gap between Lay and the peloton varied at times, but with five Rally teammates in the pack, the Montreal native felt supported throughout. "It was a great race, my teammates set me up perfectly to take off and countered at the right time," explained the 2016 Canadian Olympic bronze medalist. "Everyone else was a little gassed, so it's just nice to know that they were behind me and ready to go at any moment."

The course doesn't necessarily lend itself to a bunch sprint for the finish, so it's not much of a surprise that Lay decided to go for it and try to hang on for the win. With a steep climb on the backside of the course and speeds approaching 55 kilometres per hour in the last turn, it may not have catered to riders who are sprint specialists.

"There's not much relief out there, the downhill is pretty short and then you're in the headwind coming down (to the start/finish), so you still have to work," said Lay. "It's a great course, it's a little bit of attrition out there and that's what makes it fun and exciting."

The riders now set their sights on the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix on Wednesday night, which is the richest criterium in North America with a $12,000 prize for the winner. When asked after the race if she had anything left for Gastown, Lay was emphatic, "Oh yeah!"

The 29-year-old has represented Canada numerous times in track cycling, winning five medals in team pursuit, including gold at the 2015 Pan-Am Games, silver at the 2016 World Championships and 2015 Pan-Am Championships, and bronze at the 2015 World Championships. The win in New Westminster is her third podium finish at BC Superweek this year after the win at the MK Delta Lands Criterium and a second place finish on Saturday at the Ladner Criterium as part of the Tour de Delta.

Vancouverite Sara Bergen sprinted to second place, 39.75 seconds behind Lay, who is a teammate of hers on the Rally Cycling team. Bergen now has five top-10 finishes so far this year, including three podiums at the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas earlier this spring. The 28-year-old had seven top-10 finishes at BC Superweek in 2016, including a win at the Peace Arch News Road Race and second place finishes at the Brenco Criterium and White Spot | Delta Road Race.

In third was Stephanie Roorda, who rides for Sho-Air TWENTY 20. The Vancouver native is well known at BC Superweek, with numerous podiums at the series over the years. The 30-year-old also rode at the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, winning a bronze medal for Canada in the Team Pursuit.

Men's Race

There's an old cliché that says that sports brings people together and no truer words describe German cyclist Florenz Knauer. When he arrived in Canada to race BC Superweek in 2012, little did he know how much the trip would change his life. Like other cyclists from around the world, Knauer relied on host housing when he came to ride the series. In time, the daughter of the woman who ran the host housing program became his girlfriend. They maintained a long-distance relationship for three years and Knauer left his job and family and moved from Germany to Metro Vancouver just last year.

Fast forward to Tuesday night and the inaugural New West Grand Prix. During the last lap of the 47.5 kilometre men's race, Knauer was 15th heading into the first turn, used an attack on the backside uphill climb to overtake the field and sprinted to a first place finish. Overall, a good night for the 28-year-old, but he wasn't quite done yet.

After the podium presentations were done, Knauer asked for the emcee's microphone and called for his girlfriend Alisha Lundgren to join him on stage. He then filled the thousands of fans in on he and Alisha's story, got down on one knee, and proposed.

 

Photo

 

"Actually, I had it planned for Gastown tomorrow, but after the win today, I had to do it. Tomorrow I might have crashed or something," a beaming Knauer said. "I was more nervous for the podium presentation than the entire race. It kept me awake the last couple of days too, I was trying to sleep, but kept thinking about it. It's a big step for me, but it's definitely the right one and I'm glad she said yes!"

 

Photo

Florenz Knauer wins

 

Knauer finished the 40-lap circuit in one hour, four minutes, and 17 seconds. With multiple podium appearances over the years, including a third place finish in Friday's MK Delta Lands Criterium and Tuesday's win, the BC Superweek series has a special place in his heart - for more than the obvious reasons. "The series means a lot to me, I always have success here, and it helped me meet Alisha. It means a lot," he said.

The New West Grand Prix course definitely left an impression on the riders, with no team able to dominate the peloton during the race. It is a difficult course to walk, let alone ride a bike at speeds pushing 70 kilometres an hour.

"It was really hard. It's just a small climb after the first corner, but in the end, you feel it a lot in the legs," said 33-year-old second place finisher and Italian rider Davide Vigano, who races for Team Cinelli Chrome. "I took the climb a little bit in front when I saw the other guys attack (on the last lap), but I couldn't follow because I didn't have the speed. I just waited a little bit too much."

Four-time Junior track world champion Campbell Stewart, riding for Cycling New Zealand, was third. He used his extensive track experience to push himself to the podium.

"It's powerful out there, we're doing a lot of power work and that's mainly the part of the track, so everybody goes pretty good in those types of climbs," the 19-year-old said. "The speed is really fast coming into the last corner, it's pretty hard to get around it, and I just kind of went full speed to the finish."


BC Superweek continues on Wednesday with the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix. The women's race starts at 6:15 pm and the men begin at 7:30 pm.


Report courtesy Brian Wiebe - BC Superweek Media

Photos - Mario Bartel

 

Results from New West Grand Prix held in New Westminster, BC on Tuesday July 11th

Pro 1/2/3 Women
1 Kirsti Lay (Can) Rally Cycling - Women 0:59:24
2 Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling - Women 1:00:04
3 Stephanie Roorda (Can) Sho-Air TWENTY20 1:00:06
4 Josie Talbot (Aus) ISCorp p/b Progress s.t.
5 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb 1:00:08
6 Rachel Langdon (GBr) ISCorp p/b Progress
7 Elyse Fraser (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
8 Joelle Numainville (Can) Independent all s.t.
9 Lily Williams (USA) Rally Cycling - Women 1:00:10
10 Monica Volk (USA) Rally Cycling - Women s.t.
11 Allison Beveridge (Can) Rally Cycling - Women 1:00:13
12 Racquel Sheath (NZl) Cycling New Zealand s.t.
13 Marie-Soleil Blais (Can) Independent 1:00:14
14 Emily Newsom (USA) Team Elevate Racing s.t.
15 Gillian Ellsay (Can) Team Colavita | Bianchi Pro Cycling p/b Vittoria Tires 1:00:20
16 Jamie Gilgen (Can) Rise Racing 1:00:22
17 Megan Heath (USA) Rally Cycling - Women 1:00:26
18 Grace Anderson (NZl) Independent 1:00:32
DNF Sarah Coney (Can) Fluevog's Crit Nasty
DNF Kelsey Macdonald (Can) Fluevog's Crit Nasty
DNF Ariane Bonhomme (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Amelie Bruneau (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Emily Flynn (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Sara Giovannetti (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Suzanne Hamilton (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Catherine Ouellette (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNF Janna Gillick (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Karlee Gendron (Can) Rise Racing
DNF Heather Fischer (USA) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Joyce Spruyt (Can) Rise Racing
DNF Erin J Attwell (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Holly Simonson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Anika Todd (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Bryony Botha (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
DNF Holly Edmondston (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
DNF Madeleine Park (NZl) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Kendall Ryan (USA) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Jennifer Tetrick (USA) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Liza Rachetto (USA) Hagens Berman | Supermint
DNF Starla Teddergreen (USA) Hagens Berman | Supermint
DNF Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Hagens Berman | Supermint
DNF Caroline Baur (Sui) ISCorp p/b Progress
DNF Hannah Shell (USA) ISCorp p/b Progress
DNF Anna Booth (Aus) CBR Women's Cycling Team
DNF Chloe Mcintosh (Aus) CBR Women's Cycling Team
DNF Lora Genaille (Can) Pender Racing p/b BICICLETTA
DNF Isabella Bertold (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Esta Bovill (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Callie Swan (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Kendelle Hodges (Aus) Colavita - Bianchi
DNF Allyson Gillard (Can) Desjardins-Ford
DNF Dafne Theroux-Izquierdo (Can) Desjardins-Ford
DNF Mary Maroon (USA) JAKROO presented by CHROME INDUSTRIES
DNF Melanie Beale (USA) LA Sweat
DNF Emily Spence (Can) Mellow Mushroom
DNF Alizee Brien (Can) Independent
DNF Devaney Collier (Can) Independent
DNF Eloise Vaughan (Aus) CBR Women's Cycling Team
DNF Emily Rodger (Can) Independent
DNF Julie Kuliecza (USA) Hagens Berman | Supermint
DNS Helena Coney (Can) Fluevog's Crit Nasty
DNS Gillian Carleton (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNS Kinley Gibson (Can) The Cyclery - 4iiii
DNS Ashley Barson (Can) Rise Racing
DNS Miriam Brouwer (Can) Rise Racing
DNS Carrie Cartmill (Can) Rise Racing
DNS Kassandra Kriarakis (Can) Rise Racing
DNS Michele Schaeffer (USA) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNS Anna Talman (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNS Anna Gabrielle (Gabby) Traxler (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNS Nicolle Bruderer (Gua) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNS Rebecca Stephens (Aus) CBR Women's Cycling Team
DNS Meghan Grant (Can) Independent
DNS Ione Johnson (NZl) Independent
 
Pro/1/2 Men
1 Florenz Knauer (Ger) Stradalli Safatti 1:04:17
2 Davide Vigano (Ita) Team Cinelli Chrome
3 Campbell Stewart (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
4 Felix Cote-Bouvette (Can) Garneau Quebecor
5 Pier-Andre Cote (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
6 Steve Fisher (USA) Hangar 15 Bicycles
7 Ryan Aitcheson (Can) First Internet Bank Cycling
8 Wolfgang Brandl (Ger) Movistar Team Ecuador
9 Eric Young (USA) Rally Cycling - Men
10 Joshua Taylor (Aus) New South Wales Institute of Sport all s.t.
11 Alexander Murison (GBr) Trek Red Truck Racing 1:04:21
12 Liam White (Aus) Kallisto FCV p/b Peloton Contracting Cycling Team
13 Brendan Rhim (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team both s.t.
14 Miguel Bryon (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team 1:04:24
15 Oliver Evans (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
16 John P Murphy (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team
17 Isaac Niles (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
18 Hendrik Pineda (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci
19 Travis Samuel (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
20 Trevor O'donnell (Can) Toronto Hustle
21 Michael Van Den Ham (Can) Garneau - Easton Cycling
22 Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
23 Marc-Antoine Nadon (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
24 Todd Satchell (Aus) Kallisto FCV p/b Peloton Contracting Cycling Team
25 Brad Huff (USA) Rally Cycling - Men
26 Olivier Brisebois (Can) Garneau Quebecor
27 Chris Prendergast (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team all s.t.
28 Tom Sexton (NZl) Cycling New Zealand 1:04:29
29 Anton Varabei (Can) Toronto Hustle 1:04:31
30 Sam Boardman (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro s.t.
31 Mitchell Ketler (Can) Smart Savvy+ 1:04:32
32 Stephen Keeping (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci
33 Kurt Penno (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing both s.t.
34 Harrison Bailey (Aus) Storck CCN 1:04:34
35 Marc-Antoine Soucy (Can) Garneau Quebecor s.t.
36 Jordan Gilmore (NZl) Independent 1:04:36
37 Pieter Bulling (NZl) Cycling New Zealand s.t.
38 Joshua Kropf (Can) Smart Savvy+ 1:04:40
39 Rolando Gonzalez (CRc) Veloselect Racing Team s.t.
40 Simon Ouellet (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci 1:04:41
41 Thorsten Askervold (USA) Storck CCN
42 Alexander Fraser-Maraun (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
43 Sam Bassetti (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
44 Benoit Boulay (Can) Toronto Hustle
45 Kyle Buckosky (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
46 Curtis White (USA) Rally Cycling - Men all s.t.
47 Chris Ernst (Can) Kallisto FCV p/b Peloton Contracting Cycling Team 1:04:50
48 Stuart Shaw (Aus) New South Wales Institute of Sport
49 Pierre-Bernard Thiffault (USA) Hedrick Racing
50 Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau Quebecor all s.t.
51 Lukas Conly (Can) Smart Savvy+ 1:04:54
52 Ryan Cavanagh (Aus) New South Wales Institute of Sport 1:05:23
53 Justin Mauch (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro 1:05:29
54 Liam Magennis (Aus) New South Wales Institute of Sport 1:05:34
55 Nicholas Kergozou (NZl) Cycling New Zealand 1:05:37
56 Shane Kline (USA) Rally Cycling - Men s.t.
57 Alexander Cowan (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 1:05:53
58 Alexis Cartier (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team 1:06:14
59 Conor O'brien (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team s.t.
60 Oscar Clark (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team 1:07:22
DNF Philip Lavery (Irl) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNF Ryan Macanally (Aus) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNF Matt Staples (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNF Jean-Denis Thibault (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNF Alberto Covarrubias (Mex) Stradalli Safetti
DNF Peter Foerster (Ger) Stradalli Safetti
DNF Andy Scarano (USA) Stradalli Safetti
DNF Emile Jean (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
DNF Danick Vandale (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
DNF Brendan Cowley (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNF Sean Henry (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNF Jordann Jones (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNF Adam Lefebvre (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNF Normand Richard (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNF Nate Freed (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
DNF Chris Harland-Dunaway (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
DNF William Myers (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
DNF Jean-Simon D'anjou (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNF Elliott Doyle (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNF Jean-Francois Soucy (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNF Cameron Fitzmaurice (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF James Grant (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Maurice Worsfold (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Chris Worsfold (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Dylan Davies (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Sherwood Plant (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Sascha Cantor (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNF Alan Dempsey (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNF Christian Gomes (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNF Antoine Fabry (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNF Ryan Primeau (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNF Dylan Kennett (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
DNF Kyle Boorsma (Can) Toronto Hustle
DNF Brad Bradford (Can) Toronto Hustle
DNF Yuri Hrycaj (Can) Toronto Hustle
DNF Evan Murphy (Can) Toronto Hustle
DNF Ty Andrews (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Brendan Armstrong (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Robert Gutgesell (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Clarke Lind (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing
DNF Mac Brennan (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team
DNF Tyler Magner (USA) Holowesko|Citadel Cycling Team
DNF Jesse Anthony (USA) Rally Cycling - Men
DNF Pierrick Naud (Can) Rally Cycling - Men
DNF Jake Cullen (Can) Smart Savvy+
DNF Von Winkelmann (Can) Smart Savvy+
DNF Adam Attwell (Can) Smart Savvy+ Garneau U23 Cycling Team
DNF Chris Macleod (Can) Smart Savvy+ U23 Cycling Team
DNF Nicolas Ducharme (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci
DNF Olivier Peloquin (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci
DNF Max Rubarth (Can) Transports Lacombe/Devinci
DNF Amiel Flett-Brown (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Wai-Ben Wong (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Allan Satchell (Aus) Kallisto FCV p/b Peloton Contracting Cycling Team
DNF Duncan Bryson (Can) Victoria Wheelers
DNF Nick Monette (Can) Victoria Wheelers
DNF Owen Gillott (Aus) Storck-CCN
DNF Matt Green (GBr) First Internet Bank Cycling
DNF Dan Gronross (Can) Steed Cycles
DNF Enrico Traini (Can) FCV Kalistio P/B Peloton Concracting
DNF Tommy Waldeck (Can) OCTTO Cycling Team
DNF Spencer Downing (USA) Panache Houndstooth Racing
DNF Ed Veal (Can) Real Deal Racing
DNF Christian Bernard (Can) Independent
DNF Mason Burtnik (Can) Independent
DNF Jared Gray (NZl) Independent
DNF David Greif (USA) Independent
DNF Emmanuel Suarez (USA) Independent
DNF Lucas Taylor (Can) Kallisto FCV p/b Peloton Contracting Cycling Team
DNS Jure Rupnik (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNS Nigel Ellsay (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
DNS Brandon Jones (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNS Nicholas Jones (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNS Patrick Riddell (Can) North Coast Lumber 1 p.b Giant White Rock
DNS Matt Chatlaong (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
DNS Ryan Moore (USA) Herbalife p/b Nature's Bakery - Marc Pro
DNS Bruno Langlois (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNS Mark * Grant (Can) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNS Timothy Austen (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNS William Goodfellow (Can) Veloselect Racing Team
DNS Hugo Jones (NZl) Cycling New Zealand
DNS Hunter Grove (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Scott Law (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Bryan Lewis (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Eric Marcotte (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Karl Menzies (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Justin Williams (USA) Cylance Cycling Team
DNS Tom Soladay (USA) Rally Cycling - Men
DNS Brett Boniface (Can) Pender Racing p/b BICICLETTA
DNS Brett Wakefield (Can) Team Giant Vancouver
DNS Reinder Hoornstra (Can) Independent


 


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