CanadA Cup #5 -- Fernie, BC

August 6 , 2005

Read the report on PedalMag.com >>

After a week of riding, camping and playing in Fernie, I got to do another Canada Cup race. This time the course was a 45-kilometre point to point from Fernie to Sparwood. Most of the route was super buff, twisty singletrack. Oh-so-much fun!

It was a mass start and I drafted in the front pack as the group split. The first several kilometres were on gravel road, but it still wasn't enough to spread the riders out. By the time I hit the singletrack, it was backed up and people were walking. I walked for several minutes until I could finally get on my bike and ride again. Pretty much the entire race was about picking riders off, which is what I'm good at.

I was the fifth woman going into the singletrack, but I could see Wendy Simms (BC, Frontrunners) about six riders ahead of me in line. I kept seeing her for a long time, but I decided to stay steady. At some point, she must have put the hammer down, because she was suddenly out of site. I'm still trying to decide whether I should have attacked when she was still in sight or if that would have made me blow up like what happened to Mical Dyck (AB, Terrascape Racing).

Anyway, because the race was long and hot, I decided to set a steady pace. I felt good, but not amazing. I was still in fifth going through the first feed zone and I think through the second one as well. I caught up to Catharine Pendrel (BC, Bike Barn) on a section of long, relatively flat, but rough singletrack. I was surprised at how quickly I came up on her, thinking maybe she had flatted. We attacked back and forth a couple of times until finally I got a gap on her. Right after I gapped Catharine, I saw Mical right in front of me. She was clearly hurting, but that girl is tough. She put up a fight, but I finally manged to put some distance between us. When we hit a big section of flattish fire road, a section that was all about carrying speed and power, I put it into high gear and hammered. I put a lot of time between myself and the two girls I'd just passed.

I hung in there until the end, pushing hard and trying to keep Catharine and Mical at bay. I crossed the line third. I was super excited. Finally I felt like I should have been feeling all season long. Finally I'd put it all together. I was only two minutes off of Simms and eight minutes behind Kiara Bisaro (BC, Gears Racing), the winner.

It was great to have Jenny there to cheer me on and feed. Thanks Jenny! And thanks (of course) to Keith, for feeding me once again. You're a pro.