September 21/08 8:23 am - Times Colonist Cycling Festival: results for final 2 days of racing

Posted by Editoress on 09/21/08
 

Times Colonist Cycling Festival

In a west coast city accustomed to wet weather, who knew that two or three drops of rain would have such a big effect on a bike race? In a sprint finish in a rain-shortened race, Symmetrics' Andrew Pinfold (47:28) beat out Kirk O'Bee to take the 100.3 The Q Bastion Square Grand Prix title.

The 70-lap course was shortened to 30 laps after a few sprinkles quickly brought out the oil in the asphalt, making for a crash-riddled men's pro race. Zack Garland (47:32) and Max Plaxton (47:33) finished third and fourth respectively.

"If it had rained the whole morning we wouldn't have had a problem, but it's the few drops of rain on a dry surface that made the road so slippery," said Race Director Drew Mitchell. "It's unfortunate that we didn't get the full race in, but it was a matter of safety first."

In the women's pro race, Organic Athlete Gillian Carleton sprinted past last year's winner and Olympian Alison Sydor to win the Cat, 1-3 female race in 1:00:13. Steph Roorda and Amy Herlinveaux finished in the same time, third and fourth respectively.

The Grand Prix was the third race of the Times Colonist Cycling Festival, presented by Saunders Subaru.

Olympians Simon Whitfield, Ryder Hesjedal and Alison Sydor joined more than 120 kids (aged 5 to 10) for the Tim Hortons Timbit Challenge. This one-lap fun event is free, with each participant receiving a medal, t-shirt, water bottle and other prizes.

In the Bear Mountain Hill Climb, presented by Cardinal Law on Friday, Victoria's Rob Britton won the grueling 3K climb finishing in 7:32, ahead of Curtis Dearden (7:56) and Craig Richey (7:57). In a reverse of fortunes from last year's top two women's winners Amy Herlinveaux was first in 9:35 ahead of last year's winner Megan Rathwell (9:44) and Sheryl Preston repeated her 2007 third-place finish in a time of 10:18.

The top three finishers in the Saturday's Cops for Cancer Oak Bay Criterium were Zack Garland (1:19), Chris Worsfold (1:19:18) and Curtis Dearde (1:19:18) in the Group A race; while Craig Logan, Dylan Reeves and Rob Breathet were the top three in the Group B race in :53:20 (same time). All proceeds of this event ˆ as well as the prize purse for the winner of each race ˆ went directly to the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock campaign.