May 9/11 10:05 am - Vancouver Island Cup #6

Posted by Editoress on 05/9/11
 

Port Alberni XC #6 May 8th

Number 6 in the Island Cup Series took place in Port Alberni on Mothers Day Sunday. It isn't often you get to race here in the dry, but Sunday was definitely one of those days. An almost malicious 13 kilometre loop set up by Ozzies Cycle and Alberni Single Speeders awaited the riders, with the Expert category doing 2.5 laps in total. The course featured a tonne of single-track, with not a lot of passing opportunities, as well as some skinny log bridges and steep rock descents. This was a course not for the faint of heart but for the short of breath.

Craig Ritchey

Right off the bat Craig Ritchey, Drew Mackenzie and Simon Tremblay dictated the pace. Mixed into this group was Mical Dyck (Pro City Racing ), who decided to try and race the boys. Halfway through the first lap Ritchey had put a minute into Mackenzie, and a large gap was already opening to Tremblay in third. There was a lot of fast, tight single-track for the guys reel in Ritchey, but as the second lap took shape it was clear that a winter in Belgium hadn't tired out Craig. Halfway through the second lap his lead had grown to approximately seven minutes on Mackenzie, with Tremblay way back in third.  Mical Dyck, who was just between Mackenzie and Tremblay, had opened up about a ten minute to Karen Truman, with Joele Guynup another four minutes back.

The last half lap had Ritchey flex his muscles even more, and fully ride away from the rest of the pack, finishing about ten minutes ahead of an exhausted Drew Mackenzie, who admittedly went out a little hard to stay on the wheel of Ritchey. In third place was Victoria Local Craig Gillette, who managed a super last lap to overtake Martin Vale, who had the race of the day as he missed his start by about seven minutes and still managed an amazing fourth place.

Mical Dyck

In the woman's race, Mical Dyck ran away with it after a great start (finished third overall) separated her from the rest of the ladies. Karen Truman had a strong race for second with Joelle Guynup rounding out the podium.

More photos

Expert Men
1 Craig Ritchey (Cyclocross World / Blue)
2 Drew Mackenzie (Island Racing Club)
3 Craig Gillette (ind)

Expert Women
1 Mical Dyck (Trek/Pro City Racing)
2 Karen Truman (Oak Bay Bikes)
3 Joelle Guynup (Island Racing Club)

More photos will be up (here) soon


Courtesy Regan Pringle