The 21-year-old just edged North Vancouver’s Ryan Anderson of Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies and Astellas Cycling Team rider Brandon Feehery to take the victory. The orange helmets of Optum were prominent in the final laps of the race, as it looked like they’d be able to hang on for the win.
“There was a whole Optum lead out train there and they’ve proved to be strong absolutely everywhere, but I was pretty keen to test my ability against them and was pretty surprised to come out on top,” said Lowndes, who’s from Kalgoorlie, Australia. “I’ve been sprinting pretty well this year, so I’m pretty happy.”
The Brenco Criterium is an extremely fast course, which sees riders navigating the tight corners of the downtown core of the historic fishing village of Ladner. The speed of the race was on display especially a quarter of the way through when close to 15 riders were lapped and subsequently withdrawn from the field.
2015 marks the fourth straight year that Anderson has found himself on the podium at the Brenco Criterium, after a third place finish last year along with a second place in 2013 and a win in 2012. The 27-year-old product of the Victoria Academy of Cycling also finished atop the podium at this race in 2009. Anderson was quick to give the credit for this year’s second place finish to his Optum teammates.
“The guys did unreal tonight for me, it was really nice,” he said. “We just were beaten in the finish, but the team was really good tonight.”
Despite the drowsy nickname, Lowndes is excited about what Sunday brings with the White Spot | Delta UCI 1.2 Road Race and is relishing the opportunity to be on top of the podium for the second straight day.
“Tomorrow’s been on my radar for a long time, a flat UCI race… they’re not everywhere so (a first place finish) is a result I’m looking for at the moment,” he said.
Although Anderson knows he’ll need his teammates to be successful in Sunday’s Road Race, a win would be extra special for him on an individual level.
“The road race is one of the stages of the Tour de Delta I haven’t won, so I’d really like to do that tomorrow,” he said, before acknowledging the fans, sponsors, and organizers. “We’re really thankful for everyone coming out, the community and all of Delta. It’s really nice to have this event, and it’s fantastic every year.”
Women’s Race
The primes at the Tour de Delta Brenco Criterium are famous across North America, but sprinting for the big bucks wasn’t on the mind of 2015 winner Leah Kirchmann of Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. The Winnipeg native finished the 40-lap, 36 kilometre race in 56 minutes and five seconds, winning it for the second straight year.
“I knew it was the (final) sprint that counted the most, so I’m happy about that,” said Kirchmann. On the final lap, Kirchmann was set up well by her Optum teammates Annie Ewart and Lex Albrecht, who claimed the crowd prime.
“It was perfect, Lex was right up there, she got the last prime, (and was) keeping everything together,” said Kirchmann, who is the only woman to win the road race, time trial and criterium at the Canadian Road Championships, which she did in 2014. “Annie just killed it on the last lap, gave me a lead out through that last corner and I had a clean sprint to the line… it was perfect.”
One rider who cleaned up on primes came in second place, Ale Cipollini’s Shelley Olds of Gilroy, California. At one point, she won four primes in a row and finished with six overall. Afterward the race, Olds admitted that going for the primes may have expended too much energy when it came to the final lap.
“I think maybe it did, but it’s all for training,” said the 34-year-old who is using BC Superweek as a tune up for the women’s Tour de France next month. “I want to get as many sprints in as I can here, so it’s all good.”
Finishing third in the sprint was Aussie Lauretta Hanson of Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheels Racing. Hanson made her BC Superweek debut back in 2013 with a second place finish at the UBC Grand Prix – and the 21-year-old was hooked.
“I love this series and this race in particular,” she expressed. “I wanted to be on the podium with girls as high calibre as Shelley and Leah.”
Her teammate Laura Van Gilder, who’s a veteran of more than 20 years of cycling, set up Hanson with a fantastic lead out at the end.
“She’s an excellent competitor and I wanted to be riding with her this series,” said Hanson of Van Gilder. “She’s come on board with Fearless Femme and we’re hoping to keep the results coming.”
With eight laps to go, the rain that British Columbia has so desperately needed lately started to fall, which changed the already challenging course significantly and made the roads very slick.
“I hasn’t rained here in a long time and when it does, all the oil comes out from the road and I was actually scared at the end of the race,” explained Kirchmann. “I was losing my rear wheel around some of the corners, so I took it pretty chill on the last lap – as chill as you can – and was really careful, just knowing it was really slippery.”
The Tour de Delta wraps up with the White Spot | Delta UCI 1.2 Road Race in Tsawwassen on Sunday, which the women’s field immediately began looking forward to as soon as the Brenco Criterium was in the books. Hanson knows her Fearless Femme team is geared up for the potential to gain UCI points.
“We’ve got some really strong girls, we’ve got Mandy Heintz who’s just coming back from a broken collarbone so we’re hoping to put together some good results and we’re looking forward to it,” she said.
As for Kirchmann, the two-time defending champion at the White Spot | Delta Road Race, she hopes to ride a wave of success right into the women’s Tour de France.
“After the White Spot | Delta Road Race tomorrow, I’m actually heading to Europe with Optum and doing a month-long block of racing over there that will include the La Course by the Tour de France race – I’m excited to return – and we’re also doing the Sparkassen World Cup and the Route de France.”
BC Superweek is Canada’s biggest professional road cycling series and features more than $120,000 in prize money available during eight races over nine days. BC Superweek runs from July 10 – 18, and is made up of the Tour de Delta (July 10, 11, 12), UBC Grand Prix p/b Mahony & Sons (July 14), Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix (July 15), Giro di Burnaby p/b Appia Development (July 16) and Beverley by Cressey presents Tour de White Rock (July 17, 18).
Results
Women Pro/1/2/3
1. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:56:05.3
2. Shelley Olds (USA) Ale-Cipollini
3. Lauretta* Hanson (Aus) Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheels Racing
4. Irena Ossola (USA) independent
5. Jamie Gilgen (Can) Rise Racing p/b Cyclepath Woodbridge
6. Marie-Soleil Blais (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
7. Sara Bergen (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
8. Annie* Ewart (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
9. Kinley Gibson (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
10. Sabrina David (USA) Groove Subaru-Excel Sports
11. Alice Georgia Simmerling (Can) independent
12. Ashley Barson (Can) Rise Racing p/b Cyclepath Woodbridge
13. Sarah Coney (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
14. Sara* Poidevin (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
15. Lex Albrecht (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
16. Maggie* Coles-Lyster (Can) Local Ride Racing
17. Heidi Wood (USA) independent
18. Lindsay Bayer (USA) BMW presented by Happy Tooth Dental
19. Catherine* Ouellette (Can) independent
20. Juliette* Wheler (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
21. Annie Foreman-Mackey (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
22. Kimberley Johnson (USA) Naked Women’s Racing
23. Emily* Flynn (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
24. Meghan Grant (Can) Alete-FLC 0:56:10.0
25. Suzanna Dupee (USA) Pepper Palace p/b The Happy Tooth
26. Amalie* Bruneau (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
27. Rachel Canning (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
28. Suzanne Hamilton (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
29. Ellen Watters (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
30. Jannalyn Luttrell (USA) Roosters Bikers Edge
31. Natalie Koncz (USA) Nemesis Racing
32. Allison Daniel (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
33. Ariane* Bonhomme (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
34. Alysia Withers (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 0:56:15.7
35. Kelsey* Macdonald (Can) BOC Racing / Team Giant Vancouver
36. Claire Cameron (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
37. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheels Racing
38. Cady Chintis (USA) Garage Racing – 1 lap
DNF Leah Guloien (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Jennifer Gerth (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
DNF Janna Gillick (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
DNF Emma Lujan (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
DNF Brenna* Pauly (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
DNF Melanie Von Stetten (Can) Women’s Team ATAC
DNF Jessica Uebelhart (Sui) BMW presented by Happy Tooth Dental
DNF Jody Rechenmacher (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Mandy Heintz (USA) Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheels Racing
DNF Jennifer Vollmer (USA) Roosters Bikers Edge
DNF Michele Schaeffer (USA) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics
DNF Allie Guenther (Can) independent
DNF Margaret Ovenell* (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics
DNF Gabrielle* Pilote-Fortin (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Carrie Cartmill (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
DNS Tara Whitten (Can) The Cyclery-Opus
DNS Gillian* Ellsay (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Denise Ramsden (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Shoshauna Routley (Can) BMW presented by Happy Tooth Dental
DNS Morgan Cabot (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Justine Clift (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Amy Charity (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNS Joanne Kiesanowski (Nzl) Team TIBCO-SVB
DNS Christy Keely (USA) Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheels Racing
DNS Genevieve Krahn (Can) Holiday Inn Calgary Northwest / P-K Express
Men Pro 1/2
1. Jason Lowndes (Aus) Garneau Quebecor 1:13:25.50
2. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
3. Brandon Feehery (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
4. Tobin Ortenblad (USA) California Giant/Specialized
5. Elliott Doyle (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
6. Sam Bassetti (USA) iRT Racing
7. Kristofer Dahl (Can) Team SmartStop
8. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
9. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:13:27.40
10. Michael Sheehan (USA) Elbowz Racing 1:13:28.30
11. Brandon Etzl (Can) Team NCCH p/b Dec Express
12. Anton Varabei (Can) Garneau Quebecor
13. Christoph Schweizer (Ger) Team Bike Aid 1:13:31.20
14. Matt Chatlaong (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
15. Robert Hargrove (Can) Sante Universalle // Marin Bikes
16. Isaac Leblanc (Can) Team NCCH p/b Dec Express
17. Derrick St-John (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
18. Olivier Brisebois (Can) Garneau Quebecor
19. Jack Burke (Can) Team NCCH p/b Dec Express
20. Curtis Dearden (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team 1:13:35.00
21. Mason Burtnik (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
22. Mackenzie Champlin (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
23. Torey Phillipp (USA) California Giant/Specialized 1:13:36.40
24. Chris Harland-Dunaway (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
25. James Mowatt (Aus) Data#3 Symantec
26. Stefan Rothe (USA) Elbowz Racing
27. Travis Samuel (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team 1:13:40.00
28. Garrett Mcleod (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
29. Gevan Samuel (Tto) Ride with Rendall 1:13:40.30
30. Kaler Marshall (USA) Canyon Bicycles-Shimano
31. Pat Casey (USA) Canyon Bicycles-Shimano
32. Jeffrey Werner (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
33. Nathan Elliott (Aus) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
34. Connor Toppings (Can) Synergy Racing
35. Craig Richey (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
36. Joshua Carling (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
37. Brett Wakefield (Can) Team Giant Vancouver
38. Amiel Flett-Brown (Can) TaG Cycling 1:13:43.80
39. Jordan Landolt (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
40. Hendrik Werner (Ger) RRG Porz 1987
41. Marc-Antoine Soucy (Can) Garneau Quebecor
42. Michael Van Den Ham (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 1:13:46.10
43. Max Jenkins (USA) Astellas Cycling Team 1:13:49.00
44. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:13:56.50
45. Curtis White (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:14:02.70
46. William Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:14:10.40
47. Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 1:14:15.20
48. Nigel Ellsay (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
49. Alexander Cowan (Can) CycleMeisters-Bow Cycle 1:14:17.60
50. Edward Walsh (Can) Team NCCH p/b Dec Express
51. Alex Cataford (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
52. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Canyon Bicycles-Shimano
53. Dan Gardner (Gbr) Astellas Cycling Team
54. Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Cycling Team 1:14:54.40
55. Jan Niklas Droste (Ger) Team Gießen u. Weiseck 1:14:56.80
56. Lars Teutenberg (Ger) Team Lexxi Speedbike
57. Cortlan Brown (USA) Astellas Cycling Team 1:15:07.10
58. Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Canyon Bicycles-Shimano
59. Benjamin Perry (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 1:15:16.10
60. Florenz Knauer (Ger) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team 1:15:18.50
60. Bailey Mcknight (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team 1:15:24.20
60. Jure Rupnik (Slo) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
60. Jacob Schwingboth (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
60. Walton Brush (USA) iRT Racing
60. Rene Corella (Mex) iRT Racing
60. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
60. Eamon Lucas (USA) iRT Racing
DNF Felix Cote Bouvette (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNF Chris D’Arcy (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Jackson Pickell (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Sherwood Plant (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Jonathan Wood (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Ty Andrews (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNF Normand Richard (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNF Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNF Nate Freed (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
DNF Ariel Herrmann (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
DNF William Myers (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
DNF Nick Schaffner (USA) Herbalife p/b Marc Pro-Strava
DNF Alexander Ray (Nzl) Silber Pro Cycling
DNF Lukas Adomonis (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNF Noah Epp (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNF Jacob Howard (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNF Teddy Kozlowski (USA) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNF Joshua Kropf (Can) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNF Stefano Barberi (USA) California Giant/Specialized
DNF Coty Greenberg (USA) iRT Racing
DNF Willem Boersma (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Geordie Morrison (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Trevor Stothard (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Michael Parrish (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Kevin Massicotte (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
DNF Luke Vanlauwe (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
DNF Tony Baca (Mex) Elbowz Racing
DNF Fergus Horrobin (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics
DNF Michael Pincus (USA) Super Squadra p/b Austin Bikes
DNF Christian Shubart-Knapton (Can) TaG Cycling
DNF Cory Ostertag (Can) Mighty Cycling
DNF Alex Hui (Can) Pro City Racing / Rumble Drinks
DNF Andrew Attwell (Can) Pro City Racing / Rumble Drinks
DNS Adam De Vos (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNS Stuart Wight (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
DNS Emile De Rosnay (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNS David Gerth (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
DNS Nigel Kinney (USA) Langlois Brown Racing
DNS Arturo Suarez (Mex) Langlois Brown Racing
DNS Danick Vandale (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNS Dylan Cunningham (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNS Cody Canning (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNS Raphael Lalumiere (Can) Russ Hays Accent Inns Cycling Team
DNS Julien Gagne (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNS Bruno Langlois (Can) Garneau Quebecor
DNS Brad Neagos (USA) SMARTSAVVY+ p/b IRIS Cycling Project
DNS Jacob Albrecht (USA) California Giant/Specialized
DNS Zeke Mostov (USA) California Giant/Specialized
DNS Ben Wolfe (USA) California Giant/Specialized
DNS Adam Myerson (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
DNS Frayre Eder (Mex) iRT Racing
DNS Coulton Hartrich (USA) iRT Racing
DNS Nic Hamilton (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Jay Lamoureux (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Joel Taylor (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Mat Stephens (USA) Canyon Bicycles-Shimano
DNS Braydon Bourne (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
DNS Chris Prendergast (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
DNS Max Korus (USA) Team Mike’s Bikes p/b Equator Coffees
DNS Chris Jameson (Can) Gastown Cycling
DNS Edouard Angue (Can) Musette Racing
DNS Mark Faas (Can) independent
Men 3/4
1. Cameron Fitzmaurice (Can) TaG Cycling 00:26:00.5
2. Riley Pickrell (Can) Tripleshot Youth
3. Neil Davies (Can) Jubilee Racing
4. Michael Wegner (Can) Langlois Brown Racing
5. Julian Base (Can) Team Giant Vancouver
6. Brendan Armstrong (Can) TaG Cycling
7. William Lewis (Fra) Amical Cycliste Bisontine
8. Jem Arnold (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
9. Brendan Cowley (Can) Jubilee Racing
10. Greg Inkster (Can) V02 Min
11. Alan Zoller (Can) independent
12. Jesse Klassen (Can) independent
13. Daniel Owsiany (Can) independent
14. Matt Hornland (Can) Mighty Cycling-Pirates
15. Steve Bouvette (Can) Veloselect
16. Ted Matson (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
17. Dan Gronross (Can) Steed Cycles
18. Sean Zoschke (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics
19. Emil Marcetta (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics
20. Hunter Lowden (Can) Steed Cycles 00:26:08.7
21. Dylan Wiwad (Can) Gastown Cycling 00:26:13.3
22. Emile Vogel-Nakamura (Can) TaG Cycling 00:26:14.3
23. Max Duso (Can) TaG Cycling
24. Rowan Morris (Can) TaG Cycling 00:26:23.9
25. Ben Auxier (Can) UBC Cycling Team 00:26:57.1
26. Jeffrey Kemp (Can) independent
27. Maxwell Kelsch (Can) TaG Cycling 00:26:58.2
28. Adam Holcombe (Can) Gastown Cycling
29. Matan Guttmann (Can) TaG Cycling 00:27:01.2
30. John Warnock (Can) independent 00:27:03.1
31. Steven Hewick (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics 00:27:25.1
DNF Tom Birk (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Andrew Coelho (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Ian Hilts (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Carmen Marin (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF John Tani (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Kurt Withers (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Kendrick Wong (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNF
DNF Jake Cullen (Can) Steed Cycles DNF
DNF Kevin Owens (Can) Steed Cycles DNF
DNF Owen Scott (Can) Steed Cycles DNF
DNF Bradley Dean (Can) Gastown Cycling DNF
DNF Chris Walls (Can) Gastown Cycling DNF
DNF John White (Can) Gastown Cycling DNF
DNF Wilson Tran (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics DNF
DNF James Kirker (Can) UBC Cycling Team DNF
DNF Mark Mathew (Can) UBC Cycling Team DNF
DNF Blair Benjamin (Can) Alete FLC DNF
DNF Jeroen Rijken (Can) CRC Coastal Race Club DNF
DNF James Thompson (Can) independent DNF
DNF Eric Inkster (Can) EV/DEVO pb Catalyst Kinetics DNF
DNS Ryan Newsome (Can) Team Giant Vancouver DNS
DNS Ian Melhado (Can) independent DNS