July 09, 2014 (Vancouver, BC) – BC Superweek wasn’t on the 2014 schedule of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, but the men’s team of riders knew the prestige of the series and as such, paid their own way to come and race. And if Tuesday’s results at the UBC Grand Prix p/b Mahony & Sons are any indication, it was a good decision for the team to make. UnitedHealthcare finished 1-2-3 on the podium after a seven rider sprint to the finish.

Road Captain Hilton Clarke of Australia, a 13-year pro who finished second behind teammate Luke Keough, expressed how thrilled UnitedHealthcare is to be at BC Superweek.

“It’s great to be here at UBC, this is a great event and our team is really happy to be here this year. Our team is really strong, we work really hard at this and we know how special tomorrow night (in Gastown) is as well, so we’ve really put a big emphasis on that too,” mentioned Clarke. “We’re not really trying to come 1-2-3, but it’s a credit to our team, they just do such hard work for us every week and I’m really happy for them doing what they did and it’s great to be on the podium.”

Being on the podium is nothing new for Keough, as the Sandwich, Massachusetts product has been finished in the top three on nine different occasions in 2014, including a first place finish in Stage 2 of the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Criterium last month. As for his win Tuesday at UBC, the 22-year-old gave all the credit to his teammates.
“These guys are so drilled, so strong, and it’s just great to have a group of guys who work so well together,” Keough said. “To be able to deliver us to the line like that, it’s something like nothing else.”

Team UnitedHealthcare is one of the strongest at BC Superweek, but not many would have predicted the clean sweep of the podium in their first race of the series. Keough adds that they’re always trying to win each race, but they don’t set out with a goal of finishing first, second, and third specifically.

“We set it up so we try and guarantee something on the podium. When we can run (the race) that late, we can obviously even sweep it,” he explained. “We’re always happy for any good result, the racing is super fast here (at BC Superweek) and we’re psyched for that.”

The race was marred by numerous crashes, most of which occurred at a hairpin turn not far from the start/finish line. Third place finisher Ken Hanson was a victim of a crash on the 20th lap, but was able to get back into the race and claim a spot on the podium.

“A rider crashed in front of me in the 180 (degree turn) and when that happens, there’s really no place to go, so I ended up on the ground too,” said Hanson. “Fortunately, I was okay and the bike just needed some adjustments, I got back in and then just wanted to make sure I could help the team finish strong in the sprint.”
As a result of the fall, Hanson was nursing some battle wounds afterwards. He sported a nasty gash on his left elbow and left knee and had a scrape on his rear end where his shorts ripped.

Women’s Race
Fans who watched the UBC Grand Prix p/b Mahony and Sons in 2013 when seven riders broke away early in the race and a bunch sprint finished it may have thought it was deja vu this year – except for one difference. 12 months ago, it happened during the men’s race and this year it happened during the women’s race.

Early on in the 40 lap, 32 kilometre race, seven riders staked their claim ahead of the peloton and it stayed that way until the very end, when New Zealand’s Joanne Kiesanowski of Team TIBCO To The Top sprinted past Winnipeg’s Leah Kirchmann of Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies to grab the victory in her first visit to BC Superweek.
“It was a strong break because there were a couple of other teams, so they were really content to drive it and I worked for a little bit, but then I saw I was the only one from my team and it wasn’t really my job to push it. I was actually happy that if it came back to a sprint, I would have backed myself for a big bunch sprint,” the 35-year-old explained. “I tried to attack them with five laps to go, I had a little dig there to see what I could do and then it came back together again so I just waited for the sprint and I jumped really early and managed to hold it all the way to the line.”

With the break occurring so early in the race, the riders had to think that maybe it was too early. “I wasn’t sure if our break was going to be successful at first, but it was full of really strong riders and most of the big teams were represented and so that really worked to our advantage,” said Kirchmann.

For Kirchmann, it’s her third straight time on the podium at BC Superweek after wins in Sunday’s White Rock | Delta Road Race and Saturday’s Brenco Criterium. Both Kiesanowski and third place rider, Laura Van Gilder of Team Mellow Mushroom Racing, were well aware of their competition in the sprint to the finish.

“Leah’s been in really good form lately, she’s been riding super strong so I knew she was definitely one of the ones to beat today as well as some of the other ones in the break. So I’m really, really happy to win,” Kiesanowski said of Kirchmann, who won the Canadian National Championship Road Race, Individual Time Trial, and Criterium last month.

49-year-old Van Gilder, who is a 22-year pro, felt the pressure from the other high- powered riders. “There were very fast women in there in Joanne Kiesanowski and three-time Canadian Champion (Leah Kirchmann) and their teammates, so I knew I had to be as cagey as I could and both Jo and Leah beat me to the final corner, and it was really about that corner today,” said Van Gilder. Despite racing professionally since 1992, it’s just the second time she’s raced the UBC Grand Prix.

“Jo had the advantage in that she was the only one from her team in the breakaway and so she didn’t have to do as much of the work when we were away and we didn’t necessarily expect her to,” Kirchmann continued. “Myself and my teammate, we probably did a little more work in the breakaway and I just wasn’t in the right position there at the end to get the win today.”

The UBC Grand Prix course is short (about 800 metres per lap) with a number of sharp corners, but that suits Kiesanowski just fine.

“I really love technical courses. I grew up riding track, so I love the hairpins, it’s like a standing start every time, just like on the track. I was happy when I saw the course whereas some people might be scared,” she smiled.
BC Superweek features $120,000 in prize money available during nine races over 10 days. BC Superweek runs from July 4-13, and is made up of the Tour de Delta (July 4, 5, 6), UBC Grand Prix p/b Mahony & Sons (July 8), Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix (July 9), Giro di Burnaby p/b Appia Developments (July 10) and the Tour de White Rock (July 11, 12, 13). For more information, visit here.

Results

Pro 1/2/3 Women
1. Joanne Kiesanowski (NZL) Team TIBCO 57:28.1
2. Leah Kirchmann (CAN) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
3. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Mellow Mushroom
4. Gillian Carleton (CAN) Vanderkitten
5. Jamie Gilgen (CAN) RealDeal/Gears p/b WASPcam 57:29.8
6. Elle Anderson (USA) Vanderkitten
7. Annie Ewart * (CAN) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits 57:34.4
8. Miranda Griffiths (AUS) Vanderkitten 58:31.7
9. Tina Pic (USA) Mellow Mushroom 58:33.3
10. Sam Schneider (USA) Team TIBCO
11. Liza Rachetto (USA) Vanderkitten
12. Maria Luisa Calle (COL) Team Colombia
13. Allison Beveridge * (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
14. Lauretta Hanson * (AUS) independent
15. Kate Chilcott (NZL) Vanderkitten
16. Courteney Lowe (NZL) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
17. Jade Wilcoxson (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
18. Gina Haatz (GER) independent
19. Amy Cutler (USA) FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore
20. Joanie Caron (CAN) Garneau Factory Team
21. Sara Headley (USA) Team TIBCO
22. Denise Ramsden (CAN) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
23. Catherine Dessureault (CAN) sas-mazda-macogep-specialized
24. Leah Guloien (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
25. Annie Foreman-Mackey (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery
26. Patricia Schwager (SUI) Team TIBCO
27. Ellen Watters (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery
28. Anika Todd (CAN) Team TIBCO
29. Marie-Soleil Blais (CAN) RealDeal/Gears p/b WASPcam 58:39.4
30. Heather Kay (CAN) ATAC Sportswear
31. Lauren Dagostino (USA) independent
32. Kinley Gibson * (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
33. Shoshauna Routley (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 58:41.7
DNF Tiffany Pezzulo (USA) Vanderkitten DNF
DNF Rosalie Cardin * (CAN) sas-mazda-macogep-specialized DNF
DNF Anne Morin * (CAN) sas-mazda-macogep-specialized DNF
DNF Adriane Provost * (CAN) sas-mazda-macogep-specialized DNF
DNF Sarah Coney (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes DNF
DNF Tessa Pinckston * (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes DNF
DNF Ashley Barson (CAN) RealDeal/Gears p/b WASPcam DNF
DNF Sarah Anne Rasmussen * (CAN) RealDeal/Gears p/b WASPcam DNF
DNF Krista Ruby (CAN) RealDeal/Gears p/b WASPcam DNF
DNF Sara Bergen (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNF
DNF Meghan Grant (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNF
DNF Katie Rushton (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNF
DNF Amelie Bruneau * (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery DNF
DNF Carrie Cartmill (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery DNF
DNF Emily Flynn * (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery DNF
DNF Milena Salcedo (COL) Team Colombia DNF
DNF Emma Lujan (CAN) Bike Barn DNF
DNF Emily Spence (CAN) CRCA BH/Comedy Central DNF
DNF Amy Bradley (AUS) Garneau Factory Team DNF
DNF Maggie Coles-Lyster * (CAN) Local Ride Racing DNF
DNF Natalie Koncz (USA) Nemesis Racing DNF
DNF Brenna Pauly * (CAN) Tripleshot Cycling DNF
DNF Maddi Campbell * (NZL) independent DNF
DNF Norrene Godfrey (USA) independent DNF
DNS Lizzie Williams (AUS) Vanderkitten DNS
DNS Kristi Lay * (CAN) sas-mazda-macogep-specialized DNS
DNS Jenny Lehmann (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes DNS
DNS Kristine Brynjolfson (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNS
DNS Rachel Canning (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNS
DNS Megan Rathwell (CAN) ATAC Sportswear DNS
DNS Ariane Bonhomme * (CAN) Stevens-The Cyclery DNS
DNS Justine Clift (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling DNS
DNS Krista Rawlings (CAN) Mount Royal Bagel Factory DNS

Pro 1/2 Men
1. Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 18:18.7
2. Hilton Clarke (AUS) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
3. Ken Hanson (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
4. Sebastian Molano (COL) * Team Colombia
5. Simon Lambert-Lemay (CAN) Garneau-Quebecor
6. Kristofer Dahl (CAN) * SmartStop
7. Adam Myerson (USA) SmartStop 18:20.9
8. Jan-Niklas Droste (GER) Team Heizomat 18:27.8
9. Jordan Parra (COL) * Team Colombia
10. Brandon Etzl (CAN) * Jet Fuel Coffee / Norco Bicyles
11. Kevin Mullervy (USA) Champion System – Stan’s NoTubes
12. Mat Stephens (USA) Boneshaker Project
13. Stephen Clancy (IRL) * Team Novo Nordisk
14. HAM Van Den (CAN) Michael * Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 18:29.5
15. Hogan Sills (USA) Astellas Cycling Team 18:30.5
16. Dylan Davies (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank 18:31.9
17. Ole Quast (GER) KED Stevens Radteam Berlin 18:34.8
18. Florenz Knauer (GER) Team Heizomat
19. David Guttenplan (USA) SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching
20. Issac Howe (USA) Champion System – Stan’s NoTubes
21. Karl Menzies (AUS) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 18:43.9
22. Shannon Johnson (AUS) NCCH p/b Dec Express 18:48.5
23. Michael Schweizer (GER) Baku 18:56.4
24. Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 18:57.4
25. Brad Huff (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
26. Alexander Ray (NZL) Hincapie Devo
27. Chris Prendergast (CAN) * Team H&R Block 18:59.5
28. Dustin Andrews (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
29. Bailey Mcknight (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
30. Tom Soladay (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
31. Alexander Grad (GER) Team Heizomat 1:00 19:16.1
32. Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:00 19:17.4
33. Jonaton Restrepo (COL) * Team Colombia 1:00 19:25.7
34. Aaron Perry (NZL) Team Novo Nordisk 1:00 19:29.0
35. Robert Hargrove (CAN) Musette Racing 1:00 19:31.2
36. Charles Eldridge (USA) Team Novo Nordisk
37. Ryan Roth (CAN) Silber Pro Cycling Team 1:00 19:35.8
DNF Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF Thomas Brown (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Matt Green (GBR) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Max Korus (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Clay Murfet (AUS) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Chris Uberti (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Justin Williams (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
DNF Cody Canning (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Greg Christian (USA) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Raphael Lalumiere (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Cid Martinez (BOL) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Mike Rothengatter (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Jeffrey Werner (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNF Fabian Schormair (GER) * Team Heizomat
DNF William Elliott (CAN) * NCCH p/b Dec Express
DNF Luke Vanlauwe (CAN) * NCCH p/b Dec Express
DNF Ruud Cremers (NED) * Team Novo Nordisk
DNF Justin Morris (AUS) Team Novo Nordisk
DNF Benjamin Dilley (USA) Team Novo Nordisk
DNF Brad Clifford (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Henri De Boever (CAN) * Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Geordie Morrison (CAN) * Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Joel Taylor (CAN) * Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Benjamin Chaddock (CAN) Garneau-Quebecor
DNF Simon-Pierre Gauthier (CAN) * Garneau-Quebecor
DNF Jacob Kauffman (AUS) Garneau-Quebecor
DNF Pierrick Naud (CAN) Garneau-Quebecor
DNF Luke Ockerby (AUS) * Garneau-Quebecor
DNF Kyle Buckosky (CAN) * Team H&R Block
DNF Ryan Macdonald (CAN) * Team H&R Block
DNF Federico Marchiori (ITA) Team H&R Block
DNF Stuart Wight (CAN) * Team H&R Block
DNF Drew Christopher (USA) Champion System – Stan’s NoTubes
DNF Gavi Epstein (CAN) Champion System – Stan’s NoTubes
DNF Conor Mullervy (USA) Champion System – Stan’s NoTubes
DNF Nigel Kinney (USA) Musette Racing
DNF Kevin Massicotte (CAN) Jet Fuel Coffee / Norco Bicyles
DNF Travis Samuel (CAN) * Jet Fuel Coffee / Norco Bicyles
DNF Matteo Dal-Cin (CAN) * Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Elliott Doyle (CAN) * Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Jean-Michel Lachance (CAN) Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Robert Ralph (CAN) * Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Ben Andrew (CAN) * Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery
DNF Braydon Bourne (CAN) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery
DNF Conor O’Brien (CAN) * Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery
DNF Stephen Rockwood (CAN) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery
DNF Christoph Schweizer (GER) Baku
DNF Christopher D’Arcy (CAN) * Todd’s Racing
DNF Marvin Guzman (CAN) Tranquilio/Code Sports
DNF Mackenzie Garvin (CAN) * Cyclemiesters BowCycle
DNF Jure Rupnik (SLO) * Range Road Racing
DNF Mark Mcconnell (CAN) Synergy Racing
DNF Vladi Riha (GER) VC Vegesack
DNF Glenn Ferreira (USA) Team Metra / Cycles 54
DNF Aurelien Passeron (FRA) Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Dominik Roels (GER) independent
DNF Derrick St-John (CAN) Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Chris Stastny (USA) Firefighters Upsala
DNF Garett Olsen (USA) Team Skyline
DNF Ryan Anderson (CAN) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
DNF Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
DNF Alex Candelario (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
DNF William Routley (CAN) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
DNF Eric Young (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits
DNS Dylan Cunningham (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNS Curtis Dearden (CAN) Accent Inns / Russ Hay’s p/b Scotiabank
DNS Simon Fothergill (CAN) * NCCH p/b Dec Express
DNS Eric Johnston (CAN) * NCCH p/b Dec Express
DNS Jacob Restall (AUS) * NCCH p/b Dec Express
DNS Craig Richey (CAN) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Trevor Stothard (CAN) * Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Adam De Vos (CAN) * Team H&R Block
DNS Garrett Mcleod (CAN) Team H&R Block
DNS Anton Varabei (CAN) Jet Fuel Coffee / Norco Bicyles
DNS William Goodfellow (CAN) * Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNS Daniel Echavarria (COL) Team Colombia
DNS Hendrik Werner (GER) RRG Porz
DNS Bruno Nella (CAN) independent
DNS Ira Sy (CAN) Echelon Racing

Cat 3/4 Men
1. Neil Davies (CAN) Jubilee 35:07.8
2. Michael Wegner (CAN) independent
3. Brett Wakefield (CAN) Local Ride Racing 35:08.9
4. Simon Stanlake (CAN) independent
5. Wai-Ben Wong (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling
6. Brendan Cowley (USA) DEVO/EV p/b Catalyst Kinetics
7. Mike Elliston (CAN) Speed Theory
8. Joshua Kropf (CAN) Range Road Racing
9. Mark Mathew (AUS) UBC
10. Hunter Lowden (CAN) Steed Cycles
11. Greg Inkster (CAN) VO2min 0:35 19.4
12. Chris Jameson (GBR) Gastown Cycling 35:35.5
13. Masa Higuchi (CAN) BiciSport 35:42.7
14. Ian Hilts (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling 36:13.6
15. Eric Hung (CAN) Steed Cycles 36:18.8 -1 lap
16. Ryan Jones (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling 36:27.3 -1 lap
DNF Tom Birk (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Bart Egnal (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Conor Fox (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Michael Parrish (CAN) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Dan Gronross (CAN) Steed Cycles
DNF Bradley Dean (CAN) Gastown Cycling
DNF Adam Holcombe (CAN) Gastown Cycling
DNF Simon Le Pine (CAN) Gastown Cycling
DNF Derek Ulrich (CAN) Gastown Cycling
DNF Julian Base (CAN) Local Ride Racing
DNF Albert Nomura (CAN) Triple Crown Racing
DNF Andrew Pickell (CAN) Daryl-Evans Racing
DNF Brian Storey (CAN) EV pb Catalyst Kinetics
DNF Steven Hewick (CAN) Fortius PowerWatts
DNF John White (GBR) Racing Reds, Gastown Cycling
DNF Sean O’Mahony (CAN) Todd’s Racing
DNF Kevin Atkinson (CAN) independent
DNF Alberto Crane (CAN) independent
DNF Mackenzie Dupuy (CAN) independent
DNF Jonathan Slywka (CAN) independent
DNF Kurt Withers (CAN) independent
DNF Cameron Fitzmaurice (CAN) TAG
DNF Tony Zachary (USA) Echelon Racing
DNS James Kirker (CAN) UBC
DNS Richard Wooles (CAN) Cycling BC

Communique: Warning for not signing in:
Mark Mathew (AUS) UBC
Brendan Cowley (USA) DEVO/EV p/b Catalyst Kinetics
Cameron Fitzmaurice (CAN) TAG

* = U23