May 31/05 10:33 am - Team Symmetrics report from BC Provincial Road Championships

Posted by Editoress on 05/31/05
 

Symmetrics’ Andrew Pinfold and Marni Hambleton win BC Provincial Road Championships

May 28, Victoria, BC
Photos

Men’s Race

Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics) took the BC Provincial Road Championships for a second year in a row on the 140km out and back course between Sooke and Port Renfrew. The winding, rough and hilly course took its toll on the majority of the field including mountain bike stars Roland Green (Kona) and Seamus McGrath (Haro).

After a number of attempts to form an early break the winning selection ended up forming after about 30 km into race. Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics), Tom Evans (Bike Barn), Rick Minichiello (Trek-Red Truck) and Brad Fairall (Symmetrics) formed what would be the winning move. At the half-way point the 4-man break ramped the pace and shed Tom Evans which whittled the group to three. Back in the peloton there were numerous chase attempts put on by Roland Green (Kona), Seamus McGrath (Haro), Derek McMaster (Ryders Cycles) and a selection of other riders. “Rollie and Seamus chased hard and they put is a great ride. I couldn’t work with them for obvious reasons but my hats off to them for laying it down hard.” Commented Svein Tuft after rolling in sixth place behind McGrath and Green.

Pinfold, Minichiello and Fairall stayed together until the last 500 meters where Pinfold and Fairall were able to capture the top two podium positions leaving the last spot to Minichiello. “Rick rode awesome today, “ said Pinfold “his form has come back around this year so I have to hand it to him.”

This course is not made for the weak. If you can’t climb or descending you are in trouble and Pinfold accounts for much of the break’s success to their ability to descend really well. “We were flying on the descents trying to make up as much time as possible. There was a time when the field was pretty close to us and we just kept driving it on the climbs and on the descents and I think the combination made all the difference.”

Those same descents also created a number of casualties out on the road including Escape Velocity President, Gord Ross, who broke his collar bone and hand and tore the finger tips off most of one hand. Jordan Guennette of Adobe-Solo also crashed in a cork screw turn taking him out of the race. Both were taken to hospital and released later in the day.

Women’s Race

Marni Hambleton captured the provincial title after winning a small pack sprint to take 2nd overall in the race behind Leah Goldstein (Trek – Red Truck). Goldstein is officially an Israeli so she was not eligible for the provincial title. The remainder of the field was less concerned about Goldstein’s solo break and more focused on who would win the title. Goldstein was definitely the strongest of the road and showed this by winning by more than six minutes over Hambelton. Samantha McGlone captured third with Maria Lee taking fourth.

Symmetrics’ Mandy Poitras was in the small group including Hambleton, McGlone and Lee coming into the final kilometers but broke a spoke in her rear wheel which she limped in on a few minutes behind the main pack.

“I wasn’t really concerned with Leah, “ said Hambleton following the race. “My main focus was winning the provincial title and my teammates really helped make that happen. The course is hard and there is no point in working super hard when the race for the title was in our group.”

Get Well Soon Note

We were sad to hear that Symmetrics’ Directeur Sportif, Jeremy Storie, crashed on his motorcycle while riding out to the feed zone during Saturday’s race. Jeremy was riding an enduro-style bike with knobby tires and hit a patch of gravel in a tight turn. He went down hard, severely breaking his ankle and injuring his wrist. Jeremy will remain in the Victoria General Hospital for the remainder of this week. He has undergone one surgery on his ankle and is expected to have a second. Everyone at Symmetrics wishes Jeremy all the best and look forward to seeing him out on the road soon.