July 13/13 4:23 am - Superweek: Tour de White Rock: Stage 1 report, results and photos
Posted by Editoress on 07/13/13
18-year-old Brandon Etzl Wins Homelife Realty Hill Climb to Open the Tour de White Rock
Team NOW and Novartis for MS Sweeps the Women's Podium
Anyone who asks why someone would voluntarily try to ride a bicycle up a 700 metre, 16 percent grade road hasn't seen the calibre of cyclists taking part in BC Superweek.
The Hill Climb is the first stage of the Tour de White Rock, which is celebrating its' 34th edition this year. It's an exciting dash to the top of Buena Vista Avenue in the heart of White Rock. The grueling climb takes brute power and strength.
That brute power and strength is something St. Catherine's, Ontario's Brandon Etzl (Jet Fuel Coffee/Norco Bicycles) found out he had on Friday night as he finished first in the Homelife Realty Hill Climb ahead of last year's winner Florenz Knauer of Germany (Team Baier Landshut) and Germany's Yannick Mayer, who also rides for Team Baier Landshut.
"It was a tough race," Eztl noted right before being presented with the Tour de White Rock leader's jersey. "I thought if I eased into the first climb while the other riders took off, then maybe I'd catch them and it just so happened that my punch pushed me right past them so it worked out well for me I guess."
Knauer, who was in the last pair to do the men's first ride, had to race immediately after finding out his time was good enough for the top five and the second race.
"I hope that if we come back next year, I get to do the first ride earlier and have a little more recovery time," Knauer said. It's the 24-year-old's fourth straight appearance on the podium at BC Superweek after winning the Giro di Burnaby on Thursday in addition to third place finishes in Wednesday's Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix and Tuesday's UBC Grand Prix.
Mayer, who was second in Sunday's White Spot | Delta Road Race actually didn't think he'd done well enough to be among the top five men to compete for the podium.
"I even thought my first run was too slow," Mayer shrugged. "When they asked me to volunteer to hold Lex Albrecht at the start of the women's final race, I said 'Well, the day is over for me' then they told me the numbers for the final and I was among them."
BC Superweek has been good to Team Baier Landshut thus far, as the German-based team has six podiums through seven races. "I think I'll forget the pain of this hill climb for the next year," Mayer chuckled. "We'll be back in 2014."
Women's Race
Once the results were announced for the first ride by the women at the Homelife Realty Hill Climb, it became clear that the event would likely be won by a member of Team NOW and Novartis for MS, which was co-founded by Phil Keoghan, Host and a Producer of “The Amazing Race” on CBS - namely because they had three of the five best times on Friday night in White Rock.
First place finisher Lex Albrecht, who won the MK Lands Delta Criterium to open BC Superweek seven days ago, lead the NOW and Novartis for MS charge. Teammates Lauren Rauck Komanski and Olivia Dillon were second and third respectively.
"This is my first time riding the events at BC Superweek and it was really important for me to bring my team to come and ride and show them what it was all about," Albrecht claimed. "I've heard a lot of great things about it and we're all super impressed, the organization is great, I love the crowds that come out and support us and cheer us on, I think that it's a fun event not only for us, but for everybody else."
"BC Superweek's been fantastic and we've had a lot of fun up here," Rauck Komanski said confidently. "We're looking forward to the entire Tour de White Rock - this was a great way to kick it off!"
The grueling climb was difficult for some spectators to walk up, let alone race a bike, but the riders took a bit of morbid pleasure in pushing themselves to the limit.
"It's a good 'suffer-fest', we loved it," Rauck Komanski said in all seriousness. "It's only 700 metres, so it's not too long, it's about a two minute effort and it's something completely different than what we typically do."
Albrecht went on Twitter earlier in the day and proclaimed, “Pre-rode the BC Superweek Tour de White Rock hill-climb race course: 700m 16% grind!”
"We did come up earlier today for a pre-ride and I'm not sure if it was a good or bad thing to know what was coming because it was intimidating," smiled Rauck Komanski.
"I definitely give credit to Lex Albrecht, she's the Canadian on our team and she really pushed for us to come to this," added Rauck Komanski. "It's been a really great time, we appreciate her getting this together for our team and really encouraging us to come, it's a fantastic event."
BC Superweek and the Tour de White Rock continues on Saturday with the Choices Market Criterium and wraps up with the Peace Arch News Road Race on Sunday.
Press release
Results from the opening stage of the final event of the 2013 BC Super week, Tour de White Rock
Stage 1: Homelife Realty Hill Climb
| Women | |
| 1 Lex Albrecht (Can) NOW and Novartis for MS | by position |
| 2 Lauren Rauck Komanski (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | by position |
| 3 Olivia Dillon (Irl) NOW and Novartis for MS | by position |
| 4 Jenny Lehmann (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | by position |
| 5 Anika Todd (Can) Ind | by position |
| 6 Kathryn Donovan (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | 2:04.06 |
| 7 Jasmin Glaesser (Can) Team TIBCO | 2:06.23 |
| 8 Megan Rathwell (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:07.45 |
| 9 Shoshauna Laxson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:10.39 |
| 10 Maura Kinsella (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | 2:10.91 |
| 11 Devon Gorry (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | 2:13.39 |
| 12 Justine Clift (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 2:14.91 |
| 13 Maggie Coles-Lyster (Can) Local Ride Racing | 2:15.12 |
| 14 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Ind | 2:16.81 |
| 15 Erin Redl (Can) Steed Cycles | 2:16.83 |
| 16 Allison Beveridge (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:18.03 |
| 17 Robin Farina (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | 2:19.75 |
| 18 Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:19.90 |
| 19 Jana Schemmer (Ger) RSV Unna | 2:20.25 |
| 20 Stacey Spencer (Can) Republic | 2:20.67 |
| 21 Carrie Cartmill (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:21.59 |
| 22 Beth Duryea (Aus) Specialized-lululemon | 2:22.85 |
| 23 Annie Foreman-Mackey (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:25.05 |
| 24 Jennifer McMahon (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 2:26.20 |
| 25 Candice Vermeulen (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:26.97 |
| 26 Adriane Provost (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:33.04 |
| 27 Emily Flynn (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:36.81 |
| 28 Haley Warkentin (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | 2:37.97 |
| 29 Sarah Coney (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:39.19 |
| 30 Allison Arensman (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS | 2:39.71 |
| 31 Audrey Bernard (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery | 2:52.85 |
| dns Meghan Grant (Can) Local Ride Racing | |
| dns Gina Haatz (Ger) Ind | |
| dns Tessa Pinckston (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Katie Rushton (Can) Oak Bay Bikes | |
| dns Jessica Cutler (USA) Vanderkitten | |
| dns Joëlle Numainville (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Kate Chilcott (NZl) Vanderkitten | |
| dns Sophie Williamson (NZl) Vanderkitten | |
| dns Denise Ramsden (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Gillian Carleton (Can) Specialized-lululemon | |
| dns Rhae Shaw (Can) Vanderkitten | |
| Pro/1/2 Men | |
| 1 Brandon Etzl (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/Norco Bicycles | by position |
| 2 Florenz Knauer (Ger) Team Baier Landshut | by position |
| 3 Yannick Mayer (Ger) Team Baier Landshut | by position |
| 4 Anton Varabei (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/Norco Bicycles | by position |
| 5 Louis Crosby (NZl) Ind | by position |
| 6 Bailey McKnight (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:34.15 |
| 7 Cody Canning (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:34.59 |
| 8 Chris McNeil (Can) Soul Sportif | 1:36.46 |
| 9 Colin Gibson (USA) Keller Rohrback Cycling | 1:36.53 |
| 10 Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1:36.82 |
| 11 Ed Veal (Can) RealDeal / Gears p/b Fieldgate | 1:37.25 |
| 12 Will Routley (Can) Accent-Jobs-Wanty | 1:38.19 |
| 13 Jon Hornbeck (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | 1:38.41 |
| 14 Trevor Pearson (Can) Ind | 1:40.03 |
| 15 Jeffrey Werner (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | 1:40.14 |
| 16 Chris Stastny (USA) Hagens Berman Cycling | 1:41.32 |
| 17 Jesse Reams (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:42.75 |
| 18 Luke Koolman (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | 1:42.77 |
| 19 Michael Van Den Ham (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | 1:43.39 |
| 20 Noah Bloom (Can) Garneau Evolution | 1:43.41 |
| 21 David Gerth (Can) Triple Crown Racing | 1:43.62 |
| 22 Daniel Bichlmann (Ger) Ind | 1:44.00 |
| 23 Dustin Andrews (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:45.15 |
| 24 Tim Gebauer (Ger) National Team Germany | 1:45.34 |
| 25 Mackenzie Garvin (Can) Cyclemiesters Bow Cycle | 1:45.90 |
| 26 Thomas Raeymaekers (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk | 1:46.45 |
| 27 Brad Tuhi (NZl) Full Circle Cycling | 1:46.61 |
| 28 Yuri Hrycaj (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/Norco Bicycles | 1:46.88 |
| 29 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk | 1:46.89 |
| 30 Richard Machhein (Can) Local Ride Racing | 1:47.38 |
| 31 Daniel MacDonald (Can) RideOkanagan.com | 1:48.67 |
| 32 Tom Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 1:48.84 |
| 33 Clayton Meisner (Can) Ind | 1:48.85 |
| 34 Stuart Wight (Can) Hagens Berman Cycling | 1:49.66 |
| 35 Dylan Davies (Can) Super Champion | 1:49.76 |
| 36 Christopher Williams (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk | 1:50.11 |
| 37 Ty Andrews (Can) Cyclemeisters Bow Cycle | 1:50.20 |
| 38 Matthew O'Hagan (Can) Ind | 1:52.62 |
| 39 Hendrik Werner (Ger) Team HED by STAPS | 1:54.86 |
| 40 Michael Schweizer (Ger) NSP Ghost / Team Germany | 1:54.97 |
| 41 Marcel deLisser (USA) Ind | 1:55.37 |
| 42 Mac Brennan (USA) BISSELL Pro Cycling Team | 1:56.05 |
| 43 Gregory Christian (USA) Garneau Evolution | 1:57.25 |
| 44 Henri De Boever (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:58.18 |
| 45 Benjamin Stauder (Ger) Team Baier Landshut | 1:58.26 |
| 46 Teklit Zeweldi (Eri) Tranquilo Racing PMS/ Code Performance Wear | 1:59.07 |
| 47 Andrea Ciacchini (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk | 2:02.64 |
| 48 Brad Clifford (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:19.60 |
| 49 Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEDGE | 2:19.97 |
| 50 Ken Hanson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | 2:21.79 |
| 51 Travis Samuel (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee/Norco Bicycles | 2:22.13 |
| 52 Tommy Nankervis (Aus) BISSELL Pro Cycling Team | 2:23.50 |
| 53 Adam de Vos (Can) Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes | 2:32.69 |
| dns Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly Belly presented by Kenda | |
| dns Zachary Bell (Can) Champion System | |
| dns Guido Palma (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman | |
| dns Demis Aleman (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman | |
| dns Luis Amaran (Cub) Jamis Hagens Berman | |
| dns Gabriel Varela (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman | |
| dns Philip Mooney (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman | |
| dns Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Alex Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Sebastian Salas (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies | |
| dns Kyle Buckosky (Can) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Kristofer Dahl (Can) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Justin Kerr (NZl) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Ryan MacDonald (Can) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Federico Marchiori (Ita) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Garrett McLeod (Can) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Ben Wortelboer (NZl) Team H&R Block | |
| dns Thomas Radermacher (Ger) Team HED by STAPS / Team Germany | |
| dns Joachim Tolles (Ger) Team HED by STAPS / Team Germany | |
| dns Maurice Worsfold (Can) Tranquilo Racing PMS/ Code Performance Wear | |
| dns Chris Worsfold (Can) Tranquilo Racing PMS/ Code Performance Wear | |
| dns Bruno Nella (Can) Tranquilo Racing PMS/ Code Performance Wear | |
| dns Matt Usborne (Can) Tranquilo Racing PMS/ Code Performance Wear | |
| dns Cid Martinez-Arroyo (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | |
| dns Steven Grandy (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns p/b Pacific Cycling Centre | |
| dns Travis Streb (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Mark Rainer (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Emil Marcetta (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Ted Matson (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Bartholomew Ludbrook (NZl) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns David Gillam (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Marvin Isaza Guzman (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Brett Boniface (Can) Garneau Evolution | |
| dns Geoffrey Parslow (Can) Todd's Racing | |
| dns Sherwood Plant (Can) Musette Caffe | |
| dns Nigel Kinney (USA) Musette Caffe | |
| dns Chad Adair (NZl) Full Circle Cycling | |
| dns Branden Russell (USA) Team Novo Nordisk | |
| dns Craig Jones (GBr) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Colter Young (Can) Ind | |
| dns Geoffrey Homer (Can) Opus/OGC | |
| dns Jonathan Braunstein (Can) Todds Racing | |
| dns Chris Gruber (Can) Champion System p/b Stans NoTubes | |
| Cat 3/4 Men | |
| 1 Brett Wakefield (Can) Local Ride Racing | 1:37.63 |
| 2 Michael Dew (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 1:40.95 |
| 3 Wai-Ben Wong (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 1:45.08 |
| 4 Jon Bula (Can) Fulgas | 1:49.36 |
| 5 Kurt Withers (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | 1:49.86 |
| 6 Dan Gronross (Can) Steed Cycles | 1:50.03 |
| 7 Graham Tutti (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes | 1:55.01 |
| 8 Erich Harvey (Can) Atomic Racing | 2:03.73 |
| 9 Ryan Golbeck (Can) Mighty Cycling | 2:04.39 |
| 10 Tyler Wardle (Can) Ind | 2:04.57 |
| 11 Darren Walton (Can) Musette Caffe | 2:05.36 |
| 12 James Thompson (Can) CVC Racing | 2:27.20 |
| dns Mike Whittle (Can) Todd's Racing | |
| dns Roland Rabien (Can) Pro City Racing | |
| dns Cameron Adam (GBr) Atomic Racing | |
| dns Keegan Rowe (Can) Triple Crown Racing | |
| dns David Gilmour (GBr) Atomic Racing | |
| dns Jeff Gardner (Can) Ind | |
| dns Andrew Pickell (Can) Daryl-Evans Racing | |
| dns Michael Goodman (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Conor Fox (Can) CVC Racing | |
| dns Eric Hung (Can) Steed Cycles | |
| dns Daniel Owsiany (Can) Ind | |
| dns Ian Hoffman (Can) Steed / Sugoi | |
| dns Brian Geerts (Can) Coastal Race Team | |
| dns Devan McClelland (Can) Ind | |
| dns John Sonnenschein (Can) Escape Velocity | |
| dns Tony Routley (Can) Team Whistler | |
| dns Andrew Summers (Can) Mighty Cycling | |
| dns Zachary Renwick (Can) Ind | |
| dns Jason Brooks (Can) Triple Crown Racing | |
| dns Ben Jackson (Can) Triple Crown Racing | |
| dns Robert Hargrove (Can) Mighty Cycling | |
| dns Alberto Crane (Can) Ind | |
| dns Graeme Oliver (Can) Todd's Racing | |
| dns Joe Maika (Can) Team Whistler Cycling | |
| dns Kevin Macdonald (Can) Triple Crown Racing | |
| dns Robert Bescott (Can) CVC Racing | |
| dns Matt Hornland (Can) Mighty Cycling | |
| dns Kendrick Wong (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling | |
| dns Jesse Klassen (Can) Ind |
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