June 20, 2006 – On Sunday June 18,2006, the residents and merchants awoke to the sounds of cycling, wheels spinning, cleats clacking and coffee brewing. The racing got underway promptly at 7:30 am with the Masters Men 78 km event, the Category 4-5 Men 65km event, and the Category 4 and Junior Women 52km race.

The arduous 13km loop starting and finishing in Point Grey Village on 10th Avenue and traveling west through through UBC, descending down to Spanish Banks before starting the fiercest of the two climbs per lap. 2nd Avenue would provide spectators the chance to see some great cycling in action with up to 20% gradients in spots. The riders made their way back to 10th Avenue before descending down to Wallace St and climbing back up the South side of 10th to the finish line.

The Riley Law Masters Men found the racing fast a furious from the start, the men ranged in age from 30 to 60 plus years old. The younger A group formed the bulk of the lead group, but winners from the other age groups were represented in the first 20. A few solo breaks were attempted but all came back until Joe Wessel attacked going into the last lap and held off the field for the win and the Riley Law Master A BC title. Merritt Jamieson took the Riley Law Master B title with Chris Cameron taking the Riley Law Master C jersey. Certainly not to be missed in the race was Riley Law Master D winner Peter Kerklaan who finished with the lead pack and riders half his age.

The Women’s Category 4 and Junior event saw a pretty stable pack stay together for the bulk of the race and by the end 6 ladies were together coming up to the finish line and a mass sprint resulted in victory for Anne-Marie LeFrancois. Sitting at the back of that group was the lead junior rider Chelsea Bilsbarrow, who has only been competing on the bike for 2 months and now finds herself as the BC Champion.

The next group of races were the biggies with the Senior Men, Senior Women and Junior Men competing for the BC Championships. The senior Men would ride 122km with the Women and Juniors riding 78km each.

The Junior men despite their relatively small field always put on a good show and this years race was no exception. Matt Savage took off early and extended his lead up to 35 seconds a few laps later, but either fatigue or a mechanical had him with the pack with 2 laps to go and the final time down 10th Ave he had jumped away with his friend Graeme Bant. The two worked well together on the descent and lower slopes of 10th Ave and then put tactics aside and did a two man head to head sprint to the line, much to joy of the big crowd. Bant took the win and BC Champ jersey by a tire width.

There was no doubt left in the minds of spectators or racers alike that Symmetrics Cycling is the strongest force in BC and probably Canadian cycling.

In the Men’s field Symmetrics sent Cam Evans off early and with him went Ryan Anderson of Avia West Vega. Cam took the La Bicicletta first lap prime as the early instigator. Soon after, Cam’s veteran teammate Eric Wohlberg bridged up to the two riders and Symmetrics plan was in motion. Trying to hang with multiple Olympian and Canadian Champion Wohlberg and his teammate proved too much for Anderson and he dropped back into the pack. Evans and Wohlberg just ticked off the laps with a steady gap and not much chasing from the pack. Once it was clear they wouldn’t get caught Symmetrics sent Brad Fairall off to take care of the rest of the podium which he did handily finishing in third a couple of minutes behind his teammates for a clean sweep. Eric Wohlberg took the friendly sprint between teammates as compensation for helping Evan’s take the BC Champions jersey as the first BC licensed rider. Wohlberg also collected the Stonefield Consultants King of the Mountain award.

The womens field was ready for a hard day of racing but no one expected a repeat of last year. Leah Goldstein won the 2005 edition of the Formwerks Westside Classic in an amazing 70 km solo effort and nearly a six minute advantage over her world-class competitors. That was just two months before a horrific crash had her in a hospital with a broken pelvis and numerous other fractures and wounds. The thought was that she would stop racing competitively, but Leah had other plans and with support from her family and friends and with an eye on competing for Israel at the 2008 Olympics she got on the bike and started to train. This years Formwerks Westside Classic was the first measuring stick for her recovery and everyone would agree that she has fully recovered and may be stronger than ever. Now riding with the Symmetrics Cycling Team, Goldstein leapt off the front as soon as the climb began and soloed for over 70km to victory taking the La Bicicletta first lap prime and Cannacord Capital Queen of the Mountain prize along the way. One brave soul took a chance and went after her and that was Claire Hall-Patch riding for Oak Bay Bikes. She was able to maintain the gap to Goldstein and held her margin from the pack to claim the BC Championship Jersey as the first BC licensed rider. The sprint for third was won by Marni Hambleton riding for Symmetrics Cycling.

Next up for the Wedgewood Cycling Team is the Tour de Gastown coming to Vancouver Wednesday July 19th again in support of the BC Cancer Foundation