July 10, 2019 (New Westminster, BC) – For the third straight year, the New West Grand Prix was truly a race of attrition as the women’s field got quickly whittled down less than halfway into the 40-lap, 37.4 kilometre course. And there was an added wrinkle to the most difficult criterium in BC Superweek – a steady rain began to fall with less than ten laps to go. In the end, it was a TIBCO – Silicon Valley Bank rider atop the podium for a third straight day at BC Superweek and for the second straight day, Vermillion, Alberta’s Alison Jackson was the cyclist in question.

Despite the diminished field, 30-year-old Jackson thought the race would break out on its own. “We thought there would be a sprint from the group, but my teammate Sharlotte Lucas was doing a great job covering some things and I was feeling really strong,” the former Trinity Western University triathlete and cross-country runner described. “Since it was raining, I didn’t trust that the last corner would be too safe, it was a bit risky.”

On the last lap, Jackson attacked on the back half of the course up the Carnarvon Street hill, going from the bottom to the top of the hill and past the field to speed into the last stretch to the finish line. “I felt good on the climb, so I just went all in and then looked behind me on the final straight and it was clear. I did that for the crowd – it’s fun to kind of gamble like that and I think the crowd appreciated it.”

Jackson also won Sunday’s White Spot | Delta Road Race and Kendall Ryan took Saturday’s Tour de Delta Ladner Criterium. For Jackson, who was the 2015 Canadian National Criterium Champion, she is selflessly thrilled to see her team pick up another win. “I consider me to have three straight wins, because when Kendall wins, I feel like I’m winning too,” she said.

Second place went to Maple Ridge, BC’s Maggie Coles-Lyster, who rides for US-based Pickle Juice Pro Cycling team. The 20-year-old noticed that no one was too aggressive in the last few laps of the race, with everyone just keeping a keen eye on the other riders in the peloton. “It was a cat and mouse kind of game. There were teams watching on that last lap and it just became a matter of surviving the slippery course,” said Coles-Lyster, who won the Tour of Somerville in New Jersey in May. It’s the oldest major bike race in the US and is known as the “Kentucky Derby of Cycling”.

In third was Leigh Ann Ganzar, a native of Austin, Texas who rides for Hagens Berman – Supermint. It’s her second podium appearance at BC Superweek this year after Ganzar won Friday’s Tour de Delta North Delta Criterium.

MEN’S RACE

2019 is the third edition of the New West Grand Prix and since the inaugural race two years ago, fans in The Royal City have seen only one man atop the podium – Florenz Knauer. The 30-year-old has made a name for himself with his results over the years at BC Superweek, but he hasn’t dominated any race like the New West Grand Prix’s 55-lap, 51.4 kilometre loop.

Knauer, riding for Herrmann Radteam, sat back in the peloton and attacked on the last half of the final lap – the notorious climb up Carnarvon Street on the back side of the course. It’s a tactic he used to win in 2017 and 2018. This year, he wasn’t prominent in moves during the race, on the last lap looked to be around 20th place, and not even in the top five in the climb up Carnarvon. However, it’s exactly what he was waiting for. “It’s always the same, I carry so much momentum and speed (on that climb), so no one can go on my wheel – it’s a trick,” he explained.

New Zealand National Team member Campbell Stewart was second in the race. He tried to attack like Knauer, but just couldn’t catch the German. “I just gave it a crack, I jumped on Sam Bassetti’s wheel at the climb. I got a good little lead out from my teammate Corbin Strong, he smashed it on the first hill, and I had to take over after that. I don’t know how Florenz does it, he just goes up on his way, he’s gone, got the gap and the speed to be able to make a break down the hill.”

Fans and riders alike were shaking their head with disbelief at how Knauer did it, but he admitted post-race that it wasn’t as easy as it looked. “I think the rain played a little bit in my favour. I have good tires, I’m confident in my bike and my skills riding around the corners, so I always try to get as much speed as I can into two of the turns. This time someone got in front of me, so I had to kick on again and I had to go really deep – it was close at the end, I was just happy to see the line.”

Despite not getting the win on Tuesday night, Bassetti, riding for Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling, is having a tidy trip to BC Superweek. The third place finish in New Westminster is his fourth straight podium at the series after a win in Sunday’s White Spot | Delta Road Race, a third place result in Saturday’s Ladner Criterium and a second place finish in Friday’s North Delta Criterium. He too was wondering how Knauer was able to get away with making the exact same move three years in a row.

“He’s really cagey and you’d think one of us would figure out to be on his wheel at the bottom of the hill, but none of us were and he came by us hard and timed it perfectly,” said Bassetti. “Florenz was strong all the way to the top of the hill and we just couldn’t get him.”

By the time the men crossed the finish line to wrap up the 2019 edition of the New West Grand Prix, a steady rain was falling. It’s expected to continue into Wednesday. The roads were slick in New Westminster but riding on the famed cobblestones at the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix when they’re wet offers a completely different challenge to the riders. Knauer was second in Gastown a year ago, fans and fellow competitors will have to see if he has any tricks up his sleeve to make it to the top of the podium like he has at the New West Grand Prix over the years.

North American’s richest criterium is next in BC Superweek with the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix coming up on Wednesday night. The women race at 6:15 pm while the men race at 7:30 pm.

Results

Women
1. Alison Jackson (AB) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 1:00:21.61
2. Maggie Coles-Lyster (BC) Pickle Juice Pro Cycling 0:00:06.04
3. Leigh Ann Ganzar (TX) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 0:00:09.20
4. Sharlotte Lucas (NZL) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:09.20
5. Emily Spence (BC) Gray Coat – Bullseye Total Media 0:00:09.20
6. Frederique Larose Gingras (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda 0:00:09.20
7. Lindsay Goldman (VA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 0:00:12.67
8. Olivia Baril (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda 0:00:17.24
9. Georgia Danford (NZL) Independent 0:00:23.76
10. Kinley Gibson (AB) The Cyclery 0:00:23.76
11. Michele Schaeffer (BC) InstaFund La Prima 0:00:27.76
12. Haley Gill (BC) InstaFund La Prima 0:00:29.45
13. Holly Breck (CA) InstaFund La Prima 0:01:21.39
14. Marie-Soleil Blais (QC) Astana Women Team 0:04:11.39
15. Liza Rachetto (ID) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 0:04:38.39
16. Starla Teddergreen (OR) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 0:05:38.39
DNF Isabella Bertold (BC) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Esta Bovill InstaFund La Prima
DNF Helena Coney (BC) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Anna Talman (BC) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Brenna Wrye-Simpson (OR) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Whitney Allison (CO) Hagens-Berman | Supermint
DNF Harriet Owen (GBR) Hagens-Berman | Supermint
DNF Julie Kuliecza (VA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint
DNF Zoe Saccio (WA) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Claire Cameron (BC) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Madeleine Dupuis (MN) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Evelyn Sifton (ON) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Holly Simonson (BC) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Sarah Van Dam (BC) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Jasmine Soh (WA) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Brenna Pauly (BC) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Holly Henry (BC) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Elizabeth Gin (BC) Trek Red Truck (women)
DNF Kendall Ryan (CA) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Emily Marcolini (ON) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Nina Kessler (NED) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Josephine Peloquin (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNF Lily Plante (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNF Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNF Adele Desgagnes (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNF Beatrice Lesauteur (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda
DNF Ann Pascale Ouellet (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda
DNF Caitlin Wallin (BC) Cannondale p/b Fortius
DNF Pamela Troyer (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Caroline Kenning (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Emily Flynn (ON) LA Sweat
DNF Ariane Bonhomme (QC) The Cyclery
DNF Steph Roorda (BC) Twenty20
DNF Allison Beveridge (AB) Rally
DNF Margot Clyne (CO) Sho-Air Twenty20
DNF Nicole Shields (NZL) Independent
DNF Samantha Hargreaves (AB) Independent
DNF Gabrielle Lehnert (OR) LUX Cycling
DNF Kara Lilley (AB) Peloton Racing p/b Momentum Cycling
DNF Joanie Caron (QC) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Ngaire Barraclough (AB) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Tori Kalyniuk (BC) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNS Ivy Audrain (OR) InstaFund La Prima
DNS Rachel Langdon (KY) InstaFund La Prima
DNS Beth Ann Orton (OR) InstaFund La Prima
DNS Sarah Macarthur (AB) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNS Adele Normand (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNS Sonia Taylor (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Georgia Simmerling (AB) Twenty20
DNS Janelle Cole (MI) Fast Chance p/b The Happy Tooth Foundation Women’s Pro Team

Men
1. Florenz Knauer (GER) Rad Team Herrmann 1:13:20.57
2. Campbell Stewart (NZL) New Zealand 0:00:00.00
3. Samuel Bassetti (CA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:00:00.00
4. Evan Burtnik (AB) X-Speed United Continental 0:00:01.61
5. Travis Mccabe (CO) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 0:00:01.61
6. Cole Davis (CA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:00:04.69
7. Corbin Strong (NZL) New Zealand 0:00:04.69
8. Travis Samuel (ON) DC Bank Pro Cycling 0:00:08.60
9. Ryan Roth (ON) X-Speed United Continental 0:00:09.78
10. Eder Frayre (MEX) Team California 0:00:11.54
11. Noah Granigan (CO) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 0:00:14.02
12. Hayden Strong (NZ) Texas Roadhouse 0:00:18.19
13. Christopher Hatz (GER) Independent 0:00:18.19
14. Regan Gough (NZL) New Zealand 0:00:20.14
15. Jack Bardi (WA) Hangar 15 BIcycles Racing Team 0:00:20.14
16. Alec Cowan (AB) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 0:00:20.14
17. Adam De Vos (BC) Rally UHC Cycling 0:00:24.50
18. Ulises Castillo Soto (MEX) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:00:42.37
19. Emile Jean (QC) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 0:00:49.96
20. Marcel Franz (GER) Heizomat rad-net 0:00:51.64
21. Leon Echtermann (GER) Independent 0:00:54.30
22. Edward Walsh (NS) X-Speed United Continental 0:01:40.69
23. Eric Young (CO) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:01:40.69
24. Tom Sexton (NZL) New Zealand 0:01:55.12
25. Jonathan Clarke (NC) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 0:02:06.20
DNF Jonathon Noble (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Taj Jones (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Ashley Mackay (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Kai Chapman (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Matthew Rice (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Zack Gilmore (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Amarni Drake (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Alastair Mackellar (AUS) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Brendan Armstrong (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Kyle Buckosky (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Alexander Murison (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Chris Macleod (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Clarke Lind (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Cole Glover (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Nicholas Diniz (ON) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Dylan Mckenna (AUS) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Jasper Albrecht (AUS) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Connor Sens (AUS) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Antoine Leplingard (FRA) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Jake Cullen (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Jean-Denis Thibault (QC) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Joshua Kropf (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Jure Rupnik (SK) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Marko Pavlic (SVN) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Thomas Schellenberg (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Nicholas Kergozou (NZL) New Zealand
DNF Jordan Kerby (NZL) New Zealand
DNF Harry Waine (NZL) New Zealand
DNF Felix Pelletier (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Antoine Ippersiel (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Gabriel Guay (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Charles-Antoine Forest-Leblanc (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Alexis Rochette (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Pierre-Olivier Santerre (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Philippe Mireault (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Nigel Kinney (BC) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Sherwood Plant (BC) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Dylan Davies (BC) Langlois Brown Racing
DNF Noah Simms (ON) Floyd’s Pro Cycling
DNF Gavin Hoover (CA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
DNF Alfredo Rodriquez Victoria (MEX) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
DNF Kyle Swanson (TX) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
DNF Olivier Brisebois (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Connor Toppings (AB) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Felix Boutin (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Mitchell Ketler (MB) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Thierry Kirouac Marcassa (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF William Myers (CA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF Colin Patterson (CA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF Kyle Kirby (CA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF Gavin Murray (CA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF John Borstelmann (NE) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF Sam Horn (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Lukas Conly (SK) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF John Willcox (BC) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF Brendan Cowley (BC) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF Justin Purificati (ON) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF Tim Mcbirney (CA) Team California
DNF Enrique Serrato (MEX) Team California
DNF Kaler Marshall (WA) Hangar 15 Bicycles Elite Cycling Team
DNF Griffin Park (UT) Hangar 15 BIcycles Elite Cycling Team
DNF Keelan Ontiveros (OR) Hangar 15 BIcycles Racing Team
DNF Ethan Palamarek (AB) Toronto Hustle
DNF Kurt Penno (MN) Toronto Hustle
DNF Sam Titter-Dower (NZL) Toronto Hustle
DNF Isaac Niles (AB) Toronto Hustle
DNF Mark Bonar (BC) Hewdog Racing
DNF Mason Burtnik (AB) Hewdog Racing
DNF Marc Dupuis (BC) Hewdog Racing
DNF Chris Ernst (ON) Hewdog Racing
DNF Jackson Kinniburgh (AB) Hewdog Racing
DNF Graham Lock (MB) Hewdog Racing
DNF Elijah Louttit (SK) Hewdog Racing
DNF Tim Savre (MN) Project Echelon Racing
DNF Jacob Rubuliak (BC) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNF Christopher Gill (QC) VeloSelect Racing Team
DNF Michael Rice (AUS) Hagens Berman Axeon
DNF Carne Groube (NZL) Subaru AnchorPoint
DNF Ethan Frankel (CA) Subaru Santa Monica Racing
DNF Zach Zionts (NC) ADHD Catella
DNF Justin Shoubridge (QC) Factory Five-thePACK
DNF Wolfgang Brandl (GER) Movistar Team Ecuador
DNF Paul Moffat (BC) PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings
DNF Zachary Kovalcik (OR) Independent
DNF Johannes Daniel Mallie (BC) Independent
DNF George Brian Jackson (NZL) Independent
DNF Dylan Simpson (NZL) Independent
DNF Henry Levett (NZL) Independent
DNF Theo Gilbertson (NZL) Independent
DNF Patrick Collins Toronto Hustle
DNF Jackson Bocksnick (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Jordan Cheyne (BC) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
DNF Pier-André Cote (QC) Rally UHC Cycling
DNS Alexander Fraser-Maraun (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNS Riley Pickrell (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNS Jordan Schmidt (BC) X-Speed United Continental
DNS Hendrik Pineda (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNS Grant Gill (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNS Max Rubarth (ON) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNS Zachary Konings (ON) Hewdog Racing
DNS Alex Webb (AB) Hewdog Racing
DNS Titus Chan (AB) Hewdog Racing
DNS Daniel Owsiany (BC) Musette / Enroute
DNS Taylor Little (BC) PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings
DNS Evan Hartig (IA) Project Echelon Racing
DNS Eric Inkster (BC) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNS Julian Georg (NY) Project Supertraining
DNS Brett Wakefield (BC) Giant Vancouver
DNS Josh Kench (NZL) Independent
DNS Kent Ross (OR) Wildlife Generation p/b Maxxis
DNS David Dubé (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell