June 17/05 9:57 am - Blizzard Bike Club News, BC Superweek Update

Posted by Editoress on 06/17/05
 

Blizzard Bike Club Fort St. John, BC

June 16th

Mike Heintzman won, yet again, at the Thursday night Blizzard 16 km time trial. He won with a time of 24:51 minutes. Pat Ferris was second at 25:20 and Tim Gladysz third at 25:33. Bob Andrews was 4th at 26:36 and Matt Sparling 5th at 26:40.

Trisha Gladysz won the women's with 29:24. Barb Polehoykie was second at 31:14.

Other times were Rod Lewis at 26:43 for 6th, Roger St. Jean 26:48, Sam Keats 27:50, Gord Å’The Hammer' Harris 28:25, Steve Sparling 29:57, Kevin Cooper 30:12 and Owen Giebelhaus 30:59. Wim Kok had 51:00 and Tania Bell 54:00 after suffering flat tires.

Cayle Bell had 17:47 for the 8 km with Lois Harris at 19:08 for a personal best.

Coming up:
-Sunday Montney Loop 60 km road race at 10:00 am from Humpty's.

For more details and pictures, check out the club web site


Young Guns Ready to Challenge Stars at Superweek
From the Tour de Delta folks

As usual cycling fans will see many of the top stars of pro racing in North America during BC Superweek which includes the Tour de Delta, July 15,16, 17, the Tour de Gastown July 20 and the Tour de White Rock, July 22, 23, 24.

This year they will also get to see the emergence of "Generation Next," a new wave of young guns expected to duel with the fastest riders in Canada and the United States.

They got a preview of the future last year in the Tour de Delta when two of the brightest young stars on the continent, teenagers Tyler Farrar of Bellingham, WA and Tsawwassen's Cam Evans left a talented field behind and sprinted down the home stretch in the White Spot Road Race. Farrar nosed out the hometown hero to win the Tour's glamour event. Farrar is expected back to defend his title. Unfortunately Evans has been sidelined for the summer with a broken kneecap. His place at the head of the local challengers will be taken by another talented group of riders still in or just out of their teens. They include BC riders, Marsh Cooper,19, of Langley, Josh James, 18, of Vancouver, Brad Fairall, 20, of North Vancouver, Jackson Buehler, 17, of Nelson and Christian Meier, 20, from Sussex, New Brunswick.

"There's quite a few good young riders, looking really strong," says Cooper. "I've been racing since 1998 and this is the best I've ever seen. A few years ago all the young guys had to go to the US to get the kind of help and competition they needed to get better. Things have changed since BC Superweek started. They set the precedent and the standard for the entire country. Now you can stay home and get to any level you want."

The young guns are fast learners. Cooper was an impressive 3rd overall against many of the top riders in the western US in the Columbia Plateau, a 3-day stage race. Fairall recently finished a close 2nd in the BC Road Racing Championships. And Meier was 2nd, only 38 seconds behind Langley's Svein Tuft who averaged nearly 49 kilometers an hour, in a hilly time trial in the Mt. Hood stage race in Oregon.

"Cam Evans is the template for great young riders," says Symmetrics team boss Kevin Cunningham." He's the best in Canada and Christian (Meier) is not far behind him. He's an unbelievable talent who was made to be a bike rider."

He may have been born with natural talent but Meier knew he had to move to refine it. The harsh weather of the Maritimes made year round training impossible so at 17 he started leaving home in winter to ride in Europe where he quickly became good enough to make Canada's National Team. "I hung around with Marsh (Cooper) at the National camps and found out that BC was where I wanted to be. I was thrilled when Symmetrics recruited me last fall after I raced alone in BC Superweek. (His best finish was 26th in Delta's White Spot Road Race.) Gastown is incredible with the crowds. The Delta crit is really cool but my favourite is the White Rock road race. I love the longer, races with hard climbs. I'm looking forward to racing there with a team this year. We've got an unbelievable support system here. There's nothing like it. Everyone's willing to do their share. Moving out here was the best thing I could ever have done. I love it here."

Meir, Cooper and Fairall may have a chance to make the podium this summer but the best is still a year or two away for the 17-year-old Buehler and 18-year-old James, son of prominent Vancouver businessman, Mark James. "Josh has successfully gone from junior to holding his own in races against the big guys this year," says his coach, Sara Neil. "I'm amazed. Not too many can transfer from junior to the big time and finish each and every race and that's what Josh has done. He'll race all the BC Superweek events but his biggest goal this year is to make the Canada Summer Games and it's looking good."

James is improving thanks to some unofficial coaching from fellow teenager Marsh Cooper. The 19-year-old Cooper has received an accelerated racing education from veteran teammates like 2002 Tour de Delta criterium champion, Eric Wohlberg and he's eagerly passing it on, revealing another example of why this "Generation Next" may be one of the most talented ever.

"One thing I've learned and try to pass on to Josh and others is that if you want to get to the next level you have to forget about trying to win and concentrate on racing hard. Get the right head on your shoulders and that will be your biggest asset. Just attack real hard and you'll get stronger and the results will start to come."

For more BC Superweek information visit our website at www.bcsuperweek.com

For more Tour de Delta information phone (604) 952-3545 or visit our website at www.tourdedelta.com.

For more Tour de Gastown information phone (604) 836-9993 or visit our website at www.tourdegastown.com

For more Tour de White Rock information phone (604) 541-2161 or visit our website at www.city.whiterock.bc.ca.