Day 7 – Last Stage: Whistler Mountain 46km

Day 7 – Last Stage: Whistler Mountain

Too tired to write last night after the final stage, we now make our way back home relishing in our accomplishment.
What a great race. To our amazement, we finished unbroken and in one piece, which includes our bikes: we had not one mechanical, not one flat. Truly amazing. Over 500 kms and both our bikes and our bodies are in one piece. Not even a major fall. Considering over 50 teams did not finish the race due to mechanical issues or crashes, we did amazingly well. Grant’s smooth technical descending worked well. Not too fast, not too slow, just right. We passed so many riders whose rapid descents caused minor and major issues. Grant is the man.. As you can see from the photo.. all nicely dressed in the Bike Rx kit.

Yesterday’s final stage commenced with one of the hardest climbs of the race. After a short road hill climbs, we quickly hit double track up one of Blackcomb’s double track/cat track trails up the mountain. A 40 minutes climb, 3000 feet. Though the stage’s total distance was the shortest thus far, just 47kms, we did over 5000+ vertical feet for a second day at race pace and the first climb nearly killed us. Riders were cracking all over. I think we too showed our fatigue. While the opportunity presented itself for a 20th place position if we attacked on the hill, the legs were just not there. Knowing we were in for a hilly day, we decided to take it steady like all week long and once again it did us well. I think we finished 25th for the day.
We took the shop video camera so we have some race video that we are now going to edit for your review. We can’t show you how we cracked or were passed by the pro girls team in the last 1km.

All in all, today’s finish was glorious. Once again no issues, neither mechanical nor mental nor physical. We did “our thing” as Grant says and are now on our way home with only positive things to say of the BC Bike Race.

A summary entry of the week to follow...

Day 6 - The Best of Squamish

An epic BC single track day. Hard climbs (think climbing Bobcat in TV 8 times straight) then descending the sickest, most illegal trail on Tam (x 10 in quality).. think northside to Potrero meadows to cross country boys.. all day long. Super fun and fast. Race time 4:22 minutes; 65k.

The competition is crumbling around us. War of attrition. We currently sit in 22nd place. With no major falls and no flats again today we are riding a very good race and now wish it went on for another week (not really; but if it did, we would be top 10 for sure). The race-pace starts are the hardest part but fortunately today there were no major crashes.

A good day on the hill and now time for bed. We are staying in Squamish, a town known for its single track.

tomorrow we are off to Whistler for the final stage. While only 47km, it is suppose to be an epic 4hr race.

Wish us luck.

Day 5 Sechelt - Squamish

another long day. only 64 km but with 5 days under our legs (and on our asses) we are getting tired. 4:50 minutes. not our best ride thus far. I think the long days, early mornings and late nights are taking their toll.

Today's stage was very technical with lots of climbs. What we anticipated to be a shorter stage than yesterday turned out to be longer and harder. Grant's cold showed its signs today and his inability to eat made it a long and hard stage. Fortunately he is a kiwi and rides hard no matter what the situation. I on the other hand have no excuse. I am simply tired. These young, untested legs showed their limits today. And while it sounds bad, our overall position is unchanged. We held steady at 25th position, gaining on a few and loosing to a few (in overall minutes).

The ride began again with a hard road start that lead to another ugly road crash. One of the top 10 riders caught the wheel of another at 40km/hour on a downhill and sure enough it was load cracks and bodies all over the ground. Ugly. Not a fun way to start a 5hr race. Fortunately Grant and I were far enough away that we were unaffected. The pace quickly increased and the pack entered the first single and double track for the day w/ a long 5km climb to the first downhill section. As usual the 500 rides began to split up and we settled in for another long, hot day on the hills.

The technical riding was superb and final 10 km were all downhill w/ banked corners, log bridges and sweeping switch backs. I truly unique cycling experience.

that is all for now.. back to a large pizza and lots of water. Grant is already sleeping, with two nyquil down the hatch. I hope the poor guy feels better tomorrow. I am so proud of him for sticking it out. Begin sick is no fun and boy he is digging deep to finish this race.

Stage 6 tomorrow. 9am start.

Scott

a post race dip in the pacific ocean (Georgia Straits)

Sick Grant at 5am Day 4

Day 4 Earls Cover to Sechelt: Only 60km!

The single track continued today. 4:01 ride time. Grant is a stud! Sick w/ a cold (yeah, that’s right a summer cold -- first one in two years... can you believe it?), Granted rallied more than one could ask for today. Up all night blowing his horn and coughing, today’s surprise recovery is one to highlight.

Up at 4:25am, today’s beginning was long and tiring. We hit the bus at 4:55 for the local ferry station and proceed to Earls Cover, via another bus and another ferry, making this morning one of the longest and mundane thus far. Despite the tediousness of travel, the views of the Cumberland to Sechelt area were tremendous.
Starting at 0 meters today’s stage climbed and descending over and over for 60k. With two aid stations and lower tempertures than the previous three days, today’s race was another tough one. We followed the suncoast trails and made good time w/ no incidentals.

The single track throughout the race was really good, with classic wood bridge crossings along the way. We also encountered a number of river crossing again, soaking our fit for another day. The descents were challenging but nothing too difficult. Grant once again tempered me to ensure we got no flats and suffered no injury….. he sure is a wise fella!

Unsure of our overall standing we are confident we moved up again in the rankings. After yesterday’s finish we were seated well at 25th place. Considering that more than twelve teams are pro athletes we are really pleased with our performance thus far. If we can make top 20 we will be really happy.

Now resting back at the Bella hotel on the waterway with west and north, it’s time to relax and prepare for another day: Stage 5 tomorrow is said to be even more technical than today. A downhill start w/ a tough single track up 30k! Then lots of single track. We hope our 29ers treat us well again.
See you tomorrow. Scott and Grant

Day 4 Revised.

Grant just reminded me that today, and most of the previous days, were much like this. (not as described in the previous flowery postings—writing by myself.. after all Grant doesn’t even know what a computer is). This is the real BC bike race experience: We feel like laboratory rate, force fed gu’s, electrolyte drinks, bananas and more water than you would think humanly possible to drink. All the while, we endure granny ring climbs, brutal hike-a-bike sections, fast-pro riding starts to enter the single track, gasping for air w/ dust filling our lungs ( see above picture). It’s hard to believe that there nothing in the way, riding by brail as grant describes it. It’s hot, dusty and many times the mud is deep. While the weather is good, the steam crossings are deep, slippery and usually cold. Talk is little and competitors not so friendly at times, barking “let me pass” on the single track even though there are so many riders ahead. We push the bikes up the steep hills like Sherpas carrying their beast of burden. Once we get to the top, it’s an all out race for position on the next road or single track toward the end.
A few falls here and there, mud in the eye , and wet shoes, it’s pretty much a day of all out suffering. So why did we choose to do this 7-day bike race. The end. At the conclusion of each day, our hard work is rewarded when we safely enter the finish area with the announcing congratulation Scott and Grant from Team Bike Rx and we dive into recovery drinks, cookies and more. Unfortunately, the glory is short lived. We then proceed to our daily chores of washing and tuning the bikes, cleaning our cloths by hand and preparing for the next day (oh, and of course we eat and drink until sickness sets in), knowing we burned more than 5000 calories over the course of the race.. 5k calories.. Is that possible Dr. Stagliano? ‘till tomorrow.