July 19, 2006 (Vancouver, BC) — Symmetrics’ Brad Fairall took a fantastic second behind New Zealand’s Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the 2006 Tour de Gastown last night.

The action in the 50-lap men’s race began from the line. The S-Team drove the pace from the first pedal stroke, with all members of the team not only showing their face and legs at the front, but also ripping the field apart with speeds hovering at 50km/h on the slight false flatted and cobbled finishing straight. A third into the race a 12-man dangerous move escaped with Canadian Gord Fraser (Health Net p/b Maxxis), but was well-marked with Symmetrics’ reigning National Champions Svein Tuft and Cam Evans, and Brad Fairall.

With so many riders in the move, and with so many Symmetrics riders well represented, the other riders knew their chances were diminished; soon enough the move began attacking itself. Ultimately, it was BC’s phenom Brad Fairall that made the winning move with two well-known foreign riders, Health Net’s American Kirk O’Bee and Kiwi Hilton Clarke (Navigators). The three riders quickly established a huge lead that would see the trio lap the field. Fairall, knowing the team had the numbers behind him, was savvy and knew that the onus was on the two others to drive the move.

“We got away in the confusion there with 20 to go. I was working for Svein, and all of a sudden us three had a gap,” Fairall said. “But I knew we had so many good guys in the move so I could let those two pull more. I had hoped Cam or Svein could make it up to me, but everyone in the pack knew how powerful those two are.”

Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics) elaborated by saying that the move was definitely a good one. With one of the fastest sprinters in North America in the move, Health Net’s Fraser, the team had to rely on Fairall for the win. “The last thing we wanted was Gord in the finale. This is am important race for us, and we absolutely knew we had to win, or in the worst case, podium. Brad rode a great race and we’re all really proud of him – it shows he’s one of the big guns now.”

The three riders worked so well they ended up lapping the field. With four laps to go, the bunch galloped for fourth – won in a beautiful sprint by Andrew Pinfold, over none other than Fraser. “It was a great ride by Pinner. Sort of a passing of the torch, I think, since Gord is retiring after this year,” Matt Barth, Team Director, said after. “It just shows he’s now become one of the fastest sprinters around.”

After the pack pulled off, the three breakaway riders had three laps to play cat-and-mouse. The wiley Clarke launched a surprise attack with two to guy that saw Fairall do everything he could to pull back, but with an unwilling O’Bee to assist, Clarke would stay away for the win. But Fairall was not content with just a third, the young rider gave it his all and flew past the muscular O’Bee, taking second, and the top B.C. rider, and top Canuck.

BC Superweek continues this weekend, with the three-stage Tour of Delta…

Results

Men Pro 1/2 – 60 kms

1 Hilton Clarke (AUS) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1:16:25.50
2 Bradley Fairall (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 1:17:12.48
3 Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 1:17:12.50
4 Andrew Pinfold (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:29.0
5 Gord Fraser (CAN) Health Net p/b Maxxis 48:29.2
6 Vassili Davidenko (RUS) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 48:29.3
7 Ciaran Power (IRL) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 48:29.5
8 Eric Wohlberg (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:29.7
9 Trent Wilson (AUS) Jittery Joe’s 48:30.0
10 Chad Nikolz (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:30.2
11 Philippe Abbott (CAN) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:30.4
12 Dave Richter (USA) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:31.2
13 Peter Sanowar (CAN) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:31.4
14 Jacob Erker (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:31.4
15 Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 48:32.6
16 Dan Martin (CAN) Safeway/G.A. Communications 48:33.0
17 Jonny Sundt (USA) AxleyUSA.com Cycling Team 48:33.5
18 Siro Camponogara (ITA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 48:33.7
19 Jeff Hopkins (AUS) Jittery Joe’s 48:34.3
20 Andrew Randell (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:34.3
21 Ryan Roth (CAN) Team R.A.C.E. 48:34.3
22 Cameron Evans (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:34.5
23 Ryan Anderson (CAN) Avia West 48:34.7
24 Scott Laliberte (CAN) GS Campione 48:34.9
25 Nick Rowe (CAN) Espoirs Laval 48:35.2
26 Svein Tuft (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:35.3
27 Morgan Schmitt (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:36.5
28 Maurice Worsfold (CAN) Team Coastal 48:36.6
29 Chris Teufel (USA) Byrne Specialty Gas 48:36.7
30 Max Plaxton (CAN) Rocky Mountain – Business Objects 48:36.7
31 Justin Lillie (USA) Boston Scientific Cycling 48:37.0
32 Andreas Hestler (CAN) Rocky Mountain – Business Objects 48:37.2
33 Nick Clayville (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:37.3
34 Cameron Hughes (AUS) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:37.5
35 Chris Worsfold (CAN) Team Coastal 48:37.6
36 Matt Guse (CAN) Team R.A.C.E. 48:37.6
37 Dan MacDonald (CAN) unattached 48:37.7
38 Jackson Buehler (CAN) TREK – Red Truck Ale 48:37.9
39 Brandon Chrichton (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:38.0
40 Jamie Sparling (CAN) Bicisport Gruppo Sportivo 48:38.3
41 Oleg Grishkin (RUS) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 48:39.0
42 Kirk Carlsen (USA) Team Rubicon/Gleukos 48:39.1
43 Michael Sayers (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 48:39.2
44 Marsh Cooper (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:39.3
45 Will Routley (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:39.3
46 Ryan Hopping (CAN) ERTC Redbike 48:39.8
47 Per Strom (CAN) Bicisport Gruppo Sportivo 48:40.2
48 Jesse james Collins (CAN) Bicisport Gruppo Sportivo 48:40.2
49 Tim Abercrombie (CAN) Escape Velocity / DEVO 48:40.3
50 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net p/b Maxxis 48:40.8
51 Derek McMaster (CAN) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:40.8
52 Christian Meier (CAN) Symmetrics Cycling Team 48:41.0
53 Fraser Hayes (CAN) Aviawest-Vega 48:41.1
54 Braden Bingham (USA) Team CenturyTel 48:41.4
55 Roy Pickavance (USA) Team CenturyTel 48:41.8
56 Craig De gier (CAN) GS Campione 48:42.0
57 Scott Slater (CAN) Masi Adobe 48:42.2
58 Kevin Noiles (CAN) Masi Adobe 48:42.6
59 Jeff Schiller (CAN) Team R.A.C.E. 48:43.0
60 Jay Hawranik (CAN) GS Campione 48:43.3
61 Andrew Thompson (NZL) Trek New Zealand 48:43.8
62 Dan Schmit (CAN) TREK – Red Truck Ale 48:44.9
63 Kevin Calhoun (CAN) Rocky Mountain – Different Bikes 48:45.0
64 Daniel Maggiacomo (CAN) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire C.C. 48:45.2
65 Nick Friesen (CAN) Pedalhead Road Works 48:45.4
66 Dave Vukets (CAN) Team R.A.C.E. 48:46.8
67 John Tolkamp (CAN) Escape Velocity / DEVO 48:47.0
68 Brett Boniface (CAN) IRC Cameron Law 48:47.9
69 Damien Waugh (CAN) Masi Adobe 48:49.1
70 Robin White (CAN) Avia West 48:49.6
71 Ryan Smith (CAN) Total Restoration 48:50.2
72 Chris Squire (CAN) Escape Velocity / DEVO 48:50.7
73 Daniel Neyens (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:51.4
74 Sean Williams (CAN) Total Restoration 48:52.1
75 Dan Wood (CAN) ERTC Redbike 48:52.2
76 Allen Krughoff (USA) Team CenturyTel 48:52.4
77 Ed Makarchuk (CAN) KHS Bicycles Canada 48:52.4
78 John Perkins (CAN) GS Campione 48:52.7
79 Adam Curry (NZL) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:53.0
80 Taylor Shelden (USA) Team CenturyTel 48:53.1
81 Conor Hurley (USA) Boston Scientific Cycling 48:54.1
82 Brad Slater (CAN) Masi Adobe 48:54.4
83 Philip Burgess (IRL) Masi Adobe 48:55.8
84 Bradley Marquardt (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 48:55.9
85 Murray Solem (CAN) GS Campione 48:56.6
86 Jonathan Gormick (CAN) Steed Cycles / SRAM / RCBDS 48:57.0
87 Richard Speer (NZL) Team Rubicon/Gleukos 48:57.2
88 Ryan Clarke (CAN) Team Coastal 48:58.5
89 Sven Sturm (GER) TREK – Red Truck Ale 49:10.4
90 Taylor Kneuven (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP 49:33.3
91 Jeff Ain (CAN) Escape Velocity / DEVO 49:35.8
92 Matthew Walker (CAN) Gigabike/La-Z-Boy 49:43.3
DNF Owen Gue (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP
DNF Brian Hall (USA) Broadmark Capital/Hagens Berman LLP
DNF Jordan Guenette (CAN) Masi Adobe
DNF Jim Tsilemos (CAN) Team Coastal
DNF Ron Klopfer (CAN) Team Coastal
DNF Aaron Tuckerman (NZL) Team Rubicon/Gleukos
DNF Logan Hunn (NZL) Team Rubicon/Gleukos
DNF Cory Forrest (CAN) Total Restoration
DNF Tim Sherstobitoff (CAN) Total Restoration
DNF Dan Skinner (CAN) Total Restoration
DNF Ryan McNamara (CAN) Gigabike/La-Z-Boy
DNF Marcel Aarden (CAN) Gigabike/La-Z-Boy
DNF Dave Brooks (CAN) Gigabike/La-Z-Boy
DNF Garth White (CAN) TREK – Red Truck Ale
DNF Axel Bergman (CAN) Escape Velocity / DEVO
DNF Matthew Hall (USA) Team CenturyTel
DNF Brian Vaughan (USA) Boston Scientific Cycling
DNF Harley Borlee (CAN) H&R Block
DNF Scott Malone (CAN) Steed Cycles / SRAM / RCBDS
DNF Mike Hainsworth (USA) Dewars Scotch
DNF Simon Craig (CAN) Spoke N Motion
DNF Brian Nelson (USA) First Rate Mortgage
DNF Daniel Carruthers (NZL) Hansaton Hearing Systems
DNF Shaun Adamson (CAN) Juventus
DNF David Dunnison (CAN) Team Coastal
DNF Jack Okuniewicz (CAN) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Mike Elliston (CAN) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling
DNS Carl Jacobson (CAN) Masi Adobe
DNS Scott Goguen (CAN) Masi Adobe
DNS Keith Stark (CAN) Rocky Mountain – Different Bikes
DNS Cameron McKnight (CAN) ERTC Redbike
DNS Shawn Taylor (CAN) H&R Block
DNS Anthony Steenbergen (CAN) H&R Block
DNS Trevor Connor (CAN) Chris Cookies/Swan Cycles
DNS Vinko Poldrugovac (CAN) Fast Twitch Cycling
DNS Trevor Matulys (USA) Gotham Cyclists/Hensley Racing
DNS Craig DeBellefeuille (CAN) Synergy Racing
DNS Blair Murray (IRL) First Rate Mortgage