Amusement on the Road

From Mont Tremblant we packed up the car and headed to Hardwood Hills Ontario. On the way we had a few adventures. This photo is worth sharing.

There was a plastic 10L water container in the middle of the road, that Sandra figured she could just drive over. Apparently this car does not have the same clearance as the Audi, and the container was caught on the exhaust of our overloaded car.

Canada Cup #2 - Mont Tremblant QC

Canada Cup #2 was a very close and competitive race, with the addition of Mical Dyck to the start line and the full contingent of racers from last weekend. The start was fast, with Mical unleashing the World Cup start and instantly getting a gap off of the line. Sandra towed the line and took lead the group up into the single track. For the majority of the race Mikaela Kofman, the current Canada Cup leader, trailed Mical, with Jean Ann close behind her, followed by Aleksandra Mooradian of Poland, and then Sandra and Catherine. On the last lap of the race there were some big changes though. Catherine worked her way through the field, and her and Aleksandra joined Mikaela and Jean Ann at the base of the climb. Catherine attacked halfway up the open climb, and no one could follow. She then caught Mical at the top of the final climb. Mical flatted at the bottom of the descent, pitted and got a new wheel. By that time Catherine was gone, and rode in for the win, Mical held off Aleksandra for second, Mikaela was 4th, and Jean Ann and Sandra placed 5th and 6th in a very close race.

Jeanne Ann And Sandra Post Tremblant | Canada Cup #2 Mont. Tremblant on CyclingDirt

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Here are the top ten results:

Elite Women
1. Catherine Vipond (Can) Norco Factory Team 1:38:43
2. Mical Dyck (Can) Trek Canada 0:31
3. Aleksandra Mooradian (Pol) Bedford/Verge/Spin 0:43
4. Mikaela Kofman (Can) 3 Rox Racing 0:51
5. Jean Ann McKirdy (Can) Local Ride Women's Team 1:20
6. Sandra Walter (Can) Ride Elite Womens Team 1:46
7. Cindy Montambault (Can) CVM Val-David 5:25
8. Sue Trimble-Haviland (Can) Norco Evolution 8:27
9. Marie-Claude Surprenant (Can) XPREZO - BORSAO 9:02
10. Caroline Villeneuve (Can) Norco Factory Team 10:20

On the Way to Tremblant ...

After a fun opener at Canada Cup #1 in Baie Saint Paul, we made the trip over to Mont Tremblant for Canada Cup #2. The week leading up to the race was relaxing and sunny, and we saw some of the dryest and fastest conditions we have ever seen on that course.

Some of the exciting mid week adventures included converting, our travel buddy, Sam's wheels to tubeless. Sandra and I convinced her that tubeless is way better: less flats, supple ride, lower pressure... Of course she did manage to prove to us that tubeless does not mean flat free - when she whacked her rim on some of the sharp pointy rocks on course, bent her rim, and flatted on her first ride. We had to do an emergency pre-race repair. She did have success on her second try, and raced flat-free on Saturday.

Sam's pre-race quote was:

“I’m too klutzy. All I’m going to do is crash the whole time and get flats.” - Samantha Grover (AB) Pedalhead, who flatted twice last weekend in Baie-St-Paul, and again today in pre-ride after converting to tubeless.

Thankfully she had a flat free race and loved her tubeless Maxxis Crossmark tires. High five for no flats!

In addition to some excitement with tires, we also had some great eats this week. We had a delicious pizza feast after the race in Baie Saint Paul, where we experimented with thin crust pizzas on the BBQ. Delicious! We also sampled some great wine, including some Borsaro rose. Princess Sandra also experimented with drinking a post race glass out of her 3rd place chalice. Note the wine stains on the tablecloth.

Other adventures included dress shopping. I'm getting married this fall to Mike Berkenpas (YAY!!!) and I've convinced Sandra to be a bridesmaid. We also fed grass to some lambs, and named and created facebook persona's for our bikes (so productive).

Sandra's bike - aka "Piglet" or Pi Glet ...

Canada Cup #1 Race Report

Local Ride Elite Women's MTB Team is off to a good start in the Canada Cup Series. Sandra finished in 3rd today in Canada Cup #1 in Baie Saint Paul QC, with Jean Ann following in 4th. The two were part of the initial lead group that gained a gap on the field from the start of the race, with Jean Ann and Catherine Vipond (Norco) setting a fast pace from the start. It was Mikaela Kofman (Can) 3 Rox Racing who took the eventual win over Aleksandra Mooradian (Pol) K.Bedford/Verge/Spin. Sandra was close behind in 3rd, followed by Jean Ann in 4th.

The course consisted of a short 5km lap, with an abundance of rooty rocky singletrack and punchy climbs. It was spectator friendly, technical, and incredibly fun to race. Congratulations Sandra, on the first Canada Cup podium of the year!

Jean Ann's BC Cup #1 Report- Sunshine Coaster

Anne Yew (2nd), Me (1st), Joele Guenup (3rd)

Last Saturday Steve, Ryan, Jeanine and I hopped the ferry over to the Sunshine Coast to take part in the first XC BC Cup of the season. It was a spectacular day for mountain biking, with the sun finally starting to give some heat making the fun twisty trails dry and fast. After a classic BC Ferries breakfast of oatmeal, coffee and bagel we squashed in an early pre ride and then got ready to race.

Jeanine raced first, and set the team precedent, by winning her race in the Master 30+ women’s category. Ryan, Steve and I all raced together, with Ryan getting a 3 minute head start in the fast-but-not-actually-old Master 30+ category. Steve and I managed to both win our races, in the Senior Men and Elite Women’s races. Ryan set the fastest team time of the day, but because he was racing with those speedy 30+ers he had to settle for 7^th.

It was nice to race some great singletrack, see the friends I haven’t seen since the summer races, and spend the day out with the good company of Steve, Ryan and Jeanine.

Steve's Giant, and my Xprezo T4 in pink.

Steve enjoys a good BC Ferry's dinner.

Now Sandra, Samantha Grover, and I are in Quebec, prepping to race the Canada Cups in Quebec and Ontario. We flew into Toronto and enjoyed a nice stay with our friends Dawn and Ron in Orillia. The single-track near their place is amazingly fun, twisty, fast, hard-packed…ahhh so good. Then we made the long drive to Baie Staint Paul, where we will race the first Canada Cup of the year on Sunday. We just arrived at our nice apartment today, and Sandra is treating us to a yummy curry dinner. Tomorrow we are going to check out the racecourse.

For entertainment value: Mike and Rich raced the 24" tandem in the Escape Velocity TT last Sunday. They were crazy fast, and even more ridiculous and fun.

Race the Ridge - The Jean Annimal Report

Jean Ann all smiles at Race the Ridge. Photo: Steve Devantier

Race the Ridge is one of my favorite road races, not only because it is my “home race”, but also because the events are always very challenging, varied and fun. This year was no different, with the return of the gorgeous Golden Ears Park Time Trial and exciting Town Core Criterium, as well as the hilly Thornhill Road Race. Although I did not place where I had hoped in the overall general classification, I did find my sprinting legs, and was able to take a stage win in the Town Core Criterium.

The event kicked off with the Thornhill Road Race on Saturday morning. The Cat 1/2 Women’s field did seven laps of the hilly 10km course, for a total of 70km. The race was jumpy from the start, with several attacks going on the hills. Jessica Hannah (Total Restoration Cycling Team) and I were the most active in initiating these attacks, as it seemed we both wanted to have a break start on the hills. Our efforts gained little, as the group continually came back together on the downhill or flats. Eventually it came down to a group sprint up the short uphill finish. I was second wheel coming into the last corner. Claire Cameron (Mighty Riders), who was in front of me, pulled off after the corner so I went for the sprint early, but it was too early and I faded over the last pitch of the climb. Claire’s teammate, Jenny Lehmann, caught me at the line and I had to settle for second. Jasmin Glaesser was a close third. Another highlight of the road races, was watching Local Ride Racing teammate Zach Young get away in an early two-man break in the Cat 3/4 men’s race, and outsprint David Stephens (Team Coastal) for the win.


Local Ride Racing's Rachel Canning sittin' pretty. Photo: Alan Young

I definitely faced the biggest challenge in the Time Trial. Mike and I headed over to my place to get our bikes TT ready, shower, eat and nap, and then we rode over to the start/finish area from my house. It was gorgeous in the park, and the sun was shining, but I was definitely still hurting and did not feel recovered. After 21.5km of suffering, I finished the TT in an unimpressive time of 35:28 and in sixth place. Laura Brown (Total Restoration Cycling Team) schooled us all, and finished in 33:00, a full minute ahead of Jasmin in second. On the men’s side, it was Jamie Sparling (Total Restoration Cycling) who won with a new course record of 28:49. Luckily there were no altercations with the curious bear that wandered out to watch the races, or maybe it’s the reason the times were so fast.


Jean Ann leads the pack in the crit. Photo: Alan Young

I went into the Town Core Criterium, Sunday morning, sitting in sixth place overall, about 30 seconds back of fifth, without a lot of hope to move up with only the crit remaining. My teammate Rachel Canning and I decided we should go for the stage win. I attacked immediately after the first prime sprint, at about the 1/3 point in the race. I gained a significant gap on the group right away, but no one came with me, so I was stuck out in the wind working alone. After a few laps I looked back and saw that Jessica was bridging up to me, so I took a few breaths as she joined me. Later, we were joined by Andrea Bunnin (Devo-Escape Velocity), and close to the end, Claire also bridged up to our group. With three laps to go, the pace in our group began to lag a little as people started to prep for the finish. I was afraid the main group was going to catch us, so tried my best to keep the rotation moving. At the beginning of the last lap there was a lag in the group, as riders began to look around. We only had about 15 seconds on the main group at that point, so I took the opportunity and attacked. I got away with a gap, but Claire chased hard and began to close quickly as we pulled onto the finishing stretch. I was able to dig just deep enough to hold her off by half a bike length and take the win. It was an exciting way to finish off the weekend.


The Jean Annimal strikes in the crit. Photo: Alan Young

Laura took the overall win. Behind her was Jasmin in second, Kristine Brynjolfson (Westwoond Cycle/Cannondale) in third, Sarah Stewart (Total Restoration Cycling Team) in fourth and Jessica in fifth. I finished in sixth place overall. All in all it was a fun weekend, with some great racing!

Natural Disasters in Europe - Sandra's Report

The first natural disaster of note to this post is the volcano in Iceland that kept hundreds of thousands of flights and passengers earthbound last month, including little ol' me. Funnily enough, I was oblivious to Eyjafjallajökull's shenanigans for the first three days of flight groundings, because I was happily and heedlessly enjoying some quality time with friends at my family's cottage in Naramata, training on the fast and flowy Three Blind Mice Trails during the day, and sleepily sipping local vintages in the sunshine in the evenings.

Our cottage, I should add, does not have internet, telephone, or TV, so it wasn't like I just had my head in the clouds. It was finally Melissa, who after listening to the news on the car radio during the drive over, told me of the happenings.

Enjoying an evening beverage on the deck in Naramata. (The baby bottle is not mine.)

Melissa is forever the optimist, however, and comfortingly parenthesized the news with, "But I'm sure it won't affect your flight."

Eyjafjallajökull, though, was in no mood to be optimistic, and continued to spew jet- engine-destroying ash into the atmosphere, resulting in the cancellation of my flight to England on April 19. After waiting on hold with Air Canada for eons, I was finally able to reschedule for arrival on April 26 - the day after World Cup #1 (very useful). I was told that as flights started to go and airlines added extra flights and larger planes, I was bound to be bumped up in line. I therefore called Air Canada every day at least twice a day only find that planes were still not flying, would-be passengers were piling up, and April 26 was still the earliest available flight... to ANYWHERE in Europe. (Believe me, I had considered flying to Rome, like National Team mechanic, Scott, and U23 athlete, Cody, who then took a train ride of over 1,500km to Brussels, rented a vehicle there, and drove another 700+km and over 8 hours to England.)

When the ash cloud finally dissipated enough for flights to resume, I called again. And again. And again. Nothing new. April 26 was still the day to go. The frustrating thing, however, was that almost all of the other athletes were getting on earlier flights and slowly arriving at Dalby Forest with time to spare before the big race. I felt stranded and frustrated. Why wasn't I getting on these early flights? I soon learned that I had been Tier One'd - a term we (all of us yahoos on the National Team Project) developed to describe when someone with higher "status" (be it elite Aeroplan status or Tier One National Team status) waltzed to the front of the line and scooped up an earlier plane ticket, the last pastry at the bakery, the final massage of the day, or the National Team's Ford Focus fun car. Being Tier One'd is just a fact of life, I suppose. I'm just looking forward to the day I'm on the good end of the deal. :-)

Finally, when I wasn't on a plane by Thursday, I realized the World Cup at Dalby was out. I did make the best of it, however, by getting in some quality training at home and spending time with friends, including one last BOC at Local Ride Bike Shop. Ah, good times!

The second natural disaster to affect me in Europe was the failing of my body in World Cup #2 in Houffalize. Yes, I did finally make it to Belgium. Everything went off without a hitch, I slept most of the way across the Atlantic, and was met at Brussels airport by Amanda and the rest of the team. I prepared as best as I possibly could in the short time before my race (I slept a tonne, ate well [waffles and Nutella - yum!], trained smart, and spent a lot of time focusing and recovering).

My race detonated at the start. My legs felt heavy and slow (like big hands were gripping my quads, squeezing and pushing them down - try pedaling like that!) and I felt like I wasn't getting enough oxygen. By the time I reached the top of the start climb (a 3-minute 19% mother also used in Liege-Bastogne-Liege), my vision was going black around the edges and I was trailing near the back of the pack. My World Cup experience and Frogger savvy allowed me to bound ahead a little once the 125-woman field hit singletrack (which meant "everybody off your bikes!"), but once we all remounted and actually had to pedal, the hands were back on my quads and it was all I could do to move forward. To make matters worse, a cold rainstorm before the race had soaked me to the skin, hindered my warm-up, and made the Houffalize course a slip-slidy mess. Zinging out-of-control around corners did hold an element of excitement, but the steep open climbs (with which organizers decided to replace fun, rooty singletrack ascents from years past) were not-so enjoyable.

Lookin' good in the Canadian kit. Despite everything, it still felt great to represent Canada in a World Cup. It's such a cool feeling to have people yelling "Allez Canada!" as I gave my best on the steep climbs. Courtesy of Marloes Decraemer/MTB-Live.com

In the end, I finished the race (despite the conviction that I would be pulled) and I did not die or suffer injuries other than to my pride and confidence. Leave it to a World Cup race to put me squarely in my place and remind me that everyone who is there has worked as hard as I have and has at least as much talent as I do, and will take advantage of any weakness or lack of focus that I show. It's racing after all. But despite what may sound like a miserable, discouraging experience, a true competitor must dig for scraps of positivity and chalk it all up to learning... and do everything possible to make it better next time.

Over and out from Ontario, where I'm waiting out the (snow) storm and regaining my balance.

Check out that weather forecast! Wicked.

My animalistic team mate, Jean Ann (who recently became engaged - congrats!), and Samantha will join me here on Tuesday as we plan our assault on the Canada Cup series, commencing with race number one in Baie-St-Paul, Quebec on May 16.