FOX Racing Shox athletes dominate BC bike race in mixed pairs and solo categories
Rarely does the opportunity arise for Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain racers to participate in racers other than World Cups, US Cups, or Canada Cups.
Rocky Mountain Bicycles recently signed on as official bike sponsor of BC Bike race. "It was a no brainer to get more involved with BC Bike Race this year", commented Rocky Mountain's Sports Marketing Manager, Peter Vallance. "It's in our backyard and it's the event that everyone wants to be part of with its amazing singletrack and festival atmosphere. With the launch of our new Element RSL platform, 2011 will be a big year for us and we're happy to have Geoff Kabush and Chris Sheppard racing and winning on it here."
Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain's Geoff Kabush teamed up with fellow Canadian National Champion, Catharine Pendrel of the Luna team. Both World Cup winners, Kabush and Pendrel went into the race as clear favorites. "We knew coming into the race that Catharine and I would be heavy favourites considering our international results. We definitely wanted to win but our primary motivation was to have fun and ride the amazing trails that BCBR offers. The trails were incredible and as the days wore on it was impressive to see the caliber of the men that Catherine and I were racing with and beating", said Kabush.
Kabush and Pendrel, both on Shimano's brand new 2011 XTR groupset, did exactly as expected and decimated the mixed pairs field. The duo regularly finished within the top ten male finishers, even placing as high as fifth on the Sechelt to Langdale stage. "Catharine and I both rode Maxxis' new Icon tires and the new XTR and the bikes worked flawlessly. The brakes are especially impressive", commented Kabush. "After eight days of racing, I was getting a bit fatigued, but I was also bummed that all that great singletrack had to come to an end. I'll certainly be back at BCBR if I get the chance. There's simply no other event like it." The Rocky Mountain Factory Team was represented by 2009 TransRockies winners Marty Lazarski and Stefan Widmer in the mens pairs category. Lazarski and Widmer had strong early stages, but a crash by Widmer hampered their changes at the overall title. Consistent top three placings gave the Vancouver based riders third place overall.
Chris Sheppard, who won the 2009 BC Bike Race with partner Seamus McGrath, returned for 2010 in the solo category, this year wearing the colors of the Rocky Mountain Factory team. This would be Sheppard's first year racing solo, up against stiff competion from Jamis's Jason Sager and Kona's Cory Wallace. Sheppard dominated the first few stages of the race, building a lead of over eight minutes by the end of day three. Sheppard developed a lung infection after day four, but managed to hang onto his lead, winning the overall solo mens title. Sheppard commented, "Racing solo is definitely a lot different than as a pair. When you're solo, there's no one to help motivate you or help you when you get into trouble. I love BC Bike Race and I'm really happy to come away with the win despite getting sick."
Rounding out Rocky Mountain's athletes at the event were Colin Kerr and Greg Day of Team Rocky Mountain-K Capital Source. Kerr won the solo category and Day had several top ten stage finishes in the 2009 edition of BCBR. After a mechanically disastrous day on the Sechelt to Langdale stage, Colin sought revenge on his hometown Squamish trails the next day. In Squamish, he took off from the gun, taking advantage of his local knowledge and dropped the entire field, eventually coming across the finish line two minutes ahead of the next finisher. Kerr would finish 4th and Day, 9th overall.
