July 11, 2019 (Vancouver, BC) – The year was 1987 when the last cyclist from New Zealand was atop the podium at the $50,000 Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix, but that changed on Wednesday night as Kiwi Regan Gough sprinted ahead of Canadian Emile Jean and German Marcel Franz to win one of North America’s most presitgious and richest criterium races.

Gough, Jean, Franz and Ulises Castillo Soto were part of a four man break to go up the road just 19 laps into the race and were able to make it stick until the end. “It was a hard finish, we were all watching one another,” said Gough, who was a member of the New Zealand team that rode the second fastest time in history at the Cambridge World Cup this past January. “This finish is so hard and it’s just a matter of who’s going to risk it and who’s got the horsepower to do it. It was an honest finish and I’m glad to come out on top.”

With New Zealand, Floyd’s Pro Cycling and Elevate-KHS Pro Cyling represented in the break, it was clear the peloton would have a tough time reeling them in. “I think that break had all the big elements – a rider from the big teams – so that allowed us to get a pretty good gap early on,” said Jean, who made his second podium appearance at BC Superweek this year. “From there it was just hard riding till the finish and then just a sprint between the four of us.”

Gough, a 26-year-old former Olympian for New Zealand was riding in Gastown for the first time, nabbed his second win of BC Superweek after he was victorious at Friday North Delta Criterium to kick off the nine race, ten-day series. “These courses are gnarly, it’s some of the most fun and hardest racing I’ve ever done and to have the crowds here cheering away, and it’s awesome,” he added. “You don’t experience this in many other places so I’m grateful for everyone coming out and cheering and watching.”

Jean showed clear disappointment post-race as he just couldn’t catch Gough on the final straightaway to the finish line along Water Street, which is Vancouver’s oldest street. “There was a lot of cat and mouse on that last lap, a lot of looking around and then it was just all about that last turn, heading for the line full gas,” he explained. “I was third here last year and this year I’m one better, but to be honest this one kind of hurts because I was so close. But it happens, that’s just bike racing.”

Franz is riding for Heizomat Rad-Net at BC Superweek and the third place finish in Gastown is his best result of the week. The 23-year-old was ninth in Sunday’s White Spot | Delta Road Race. Meanwhile, Boulder, Colorado’s Eric Young, riding for Elevate-KHS Pro Cyling, was looking to make history as the only rider to win the 50-lap, 65 kilometre Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix four times, but he wound up in 12th place. His teammate Castillo Soto finished fourth.

Women’s Race
Kendall Ryan made history on Wednesday in the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix women’s race, taking the win for the third straight year. It’s an accomplishment that only one other woman has ever achieved as Verna Buhler also won the race three times in a row (1981-83). Ryan also joins a select group of riders to win the prestigious race three times overall.

Buhler and Gina Grain have each posted three victories in the famed race and Grain was in attendance front row for Ryan’s victory. She shared some words post-race with the 26-year-old from Ventura, California. “She said come back next year and win four, you’ve got to beat me,” laughed Ryan.

A field that featured 82 registered riders – the largest in the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix’s storied history – didn’t make it easy on Ryan as she had fewer of her TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank teammates on the start line and found herself chasing throughout the race. “They threw the kitchen sink at us today, so that was fun – I threw up in my mouth a little bit, had a flat – just a whole bunch of stuff happened,” the three-time US National Champion described.

Despite a downpour a couple of times earlier in the day that left huge puddles on the road, the skies cleared up in time for the 40-lap, 52 kilometre race start. However, the dampness caused the riders to be a bit more cautious. “This is a crazy course, especially when it was wet, but it dried throughout the race so we could take the corners a little hotter,” said Ryan, who pockets $12,000 for the win. “I was just testing it the whole time to see how fast I could take that last corner. I just came off my teammate Sharlotte’s wheel after a huge lead out by her on the last half a lap, turned the turbos and hoped for the best.”

In second place was Lily Williams from the Hagens Berman – Supermint team. She improved on a sixth place finish in Gastown a year ago. Maple Ridge, BC’s Maggie Coles-Lyster was third – her first podium at the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix after finishing fifth in 2018 and eighth in 2017. The 20-year-old knew Ryan was the rider to keep an eye on in the final lap.

“I knew I had to be on Kendall’s wheel to have a chance to podium in that sprint. It was just elbows bumping through that last corner and it came down to my confidence in riding on wet cobble,” said Coles-Lyster, who riders for the US-based Pickle Juice Pro Cycling team. “I just took a chance to shoot that last corner on the inside and it put me in the perfect position because I lost her wheel for a bit. I felt like I was gonna puke on that last sprint, but I got on the podium, so it was worth it!”

Coles-Lyster has become a crowd favourite over the years at BC Superweek, since she first began riding the series as a junior at age 14. “It feels so amazing, I remember my first year doing this – six years ago – and going into it, my dad always told me, ‘Every race you go into, just say you’re going to win it!’ So I went into it saying that, but of course I didn’t finish it at that time,” she said. “Now to be able to actually make that dream a reality and get on the podium, and in the future, hopefully win.”

Along with Grain and Buhler, Ryan joins Ron Hayman and Eric Young as the only cyclists to ever win the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix three times. “It feels awesome, I love this race, the crowd’s amazing and there’s just great vibes here in Vancouver.”

BC Superweek continues Thursday with the Giro di Burnaby presented by Appia Development in the historic Heights Neighbourhood of Burnaby. The women race at 6:15 pm while the men race at 7:30 pm.

Results

Women Results
1. Kendall Ryan (USA) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 1:10:40.35
2. Lily Williams (USA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:00
3. Maggie Coles-Lyster (BC) Pickle Juice Pro Cycling 00:00
4. Allison Beveridge (AB) Rally 00:00
5. Marie-Soleil Blais (QC) Astana Women Team 00:00
6. Georgia Danford (Nzl) Independent 00:00
7. Helena Coney (BC) InstaFund La Prima 00:03
8. Emily Spence (BC) Gray Goat – Bullseye Total Media 00:04
9. Rachel Langdon (USA) InstaFund La Prima 00:04
10. Sharlotte Lucas (Nzl) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank 00:04
11. Rachel Canning (BC) Levine Law Group p/b Huseby.com 00:04
12. Frederique Larose Ingras (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda 00:04
13. Liza Rachetto (USA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:04
14. Starla Teddergreen (USA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:04
15. Leigh Ann Ganzar (USA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:07
16. AM Sarah Van (BC) Trek Red Truck (women) 00:07
17. Ariane Bonhomme (QC) The Cyclery 00:10
18. Holly Simonson (BC) Trek Red Truck (women) 00:18
19. Haley Gill (BC) InstaFund La Prima 00:20
20. Holly Breck (USA) InstaFund La Prima 00:20
21. Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill (QC) Quebecor – Stingray 00:21
22. Josephine Peloquin (QC) Quebecor – Stingray 00:21
23. Emily Flynn (ON) LA Sweat 00:24
24. Kinley Gibson (AB) The Cyclery 00:44
25. Lindsay Goldman (USA) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:51
26. Harriet Owen (Gbr) Hagens-Berman | Supermint 00:51
DNF Esta Bovill (CAN) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Brenna Wrye-Simpson (USA) InstaFund La Prima
DNF Anne Ouellet (BC) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Zoe Saccio (USA) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Madeleine Dupuis (USA) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Evelyn Sifton (ON) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNF Jasmine Soh (USA) 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 Emily Marcolini (ON) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Nina Kessler (Ned) Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
DNF Lily Plante (QC) Quebecor – Stingray
DNF Ann Pascale Ouellet (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda
DNF Olivia Baril (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda
DNF Janna Gillick (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Sonia Taylor (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Pamela Troyer (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Caroline Kenning (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Katherine Enns (BC) Mighty Riders
DNF Sarah Coney (BC) LA Sweat
DNF Georgia Simmerling (AB) Twenty20
DNF Steph Roorda (BC) Twenty20
DNF Margot Clyne (USA) Sho-Air Twenty20
DNF Angie Buonassisi (BC) WOWride Cycling Race Team
DNF Nicole Shields (Nzl) Independent
DNF Carolyn Russell (BC) Independent
DNF Gabrielle Lehnert (USA) LUX Cycling
DNF Kara Lilley (AB) Peloton Racing p/b Momentum Cycling
DNS Claire Cameron (BC) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNS Sarah Macarthur (AB) Fluevog’s Crit Nasty
DNS Beatrice Lesauteur (QC) Macogep-Tornatech-Specialized p/p Mazda
DNS Janelle Cole (USA) Fast Chance p/b The Happy Tooth Foundation Women’s Pro Team

Men
1. Regan Gough (Nzl) New Zealand 01:18:27.40
2. Emile Jean (QC) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 00:00
3. Marcel Franz (Ger) Heizomat rad-net 00:00
4. OTO Ulises Castillo (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
5. Travis Mccabe (USA) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 00:00
5. Samuel Bassetti (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
7. Florenz Knauer (Ger) Rad Team Herrmann 00:00
8. Campbell Stewart (Nzl) New Zealand 00:00
9. Pier-André Cote (QC) Rally UHC Cycling 00:00
10. Evan Burtnik (AB) X-Speed United Continental 00:00
11. Corbin Strong (Nzl) New Zealand 00:00
12. Eric Young (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
13. Matthew Rice (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 00:00
14. Cooper Rombold (USA) Team California 00:00
15. Hayden Strong (Nzl) Texas Roadhouse 00:00
16. Leon Echtermann (Ger) Independent 00:00
17. OS Adam De (BC) Rally UHC Cycling 00:00
18. Alexander Murison (BC) Trek Red Truck (men) 00:00
19. Chris Ernst (ON) Hewdog Racing 00:00
20. John Borstelmann (USA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One 00:00
21. Ashley Mackay (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 00:00
22. Michael Rice (Aus) Hagens Berman Axeon 00:00
23. Nigel Kinney (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
24. Laurent Gervais (QC) Aevolo Cycling 00:00
25. Christopher Hatz (Ger) Independent 00:00
26. Jack Burke (BC) Leopard 00:00
27. William Myers (USA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One 00:00
28. Jure Rupnik (SK) DC Bank Pro Cycling 00:00
29. Lukas Conly (SK) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 00:00
30. George Brian Jackson (Nzl) Independent 00:00
31. Edward Walsh (NS) X-Speed United Continental 00:00
32. Ed Veal (ON) RealDeal Racing 00:00
33. Nick Monette (ON) Mighty Cycling 00:00
34. Gavin Murray (USA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One 00:00
35. Sam Horn (BC) Mighty Cycling 00:00
36. Isaac Niles (AB) Toronto Hustle 00:00
38. Patrick Collins (ON) Toronto Hustle 00:00
39. Sherwood Plant (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
40. Eder Frayre (Mex) Team California 00:00
41. Chris Macleod (BC) Trek Red Truck (men) 00:00
42. Connor Toppings (AB) Probaclac/Devinci 00:00
43. Griffin Park (USA) Hangar 15 BIcycles Elite Cycling Team 00:00
44. Ryan Anderson (BC) Really UHC Cycling 00:00
45. Jonathon Noble (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 00:00
46. Dylan Mckenna (Aus) X-Speed United Continental 00:00
47. Brett Wakefield (BC) Giant Vancouver 00:00
48. Thomas Schellenberg (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling 00:00
49. Marko Pavlic (Svn) DC Bank Pro Cycling 00:00
50. Brendan Cowley (BC) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 00:00
51. Gabriel Guay (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell 00:00
52. Noah Simms (ON) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 00:00
53. Warren Muir (BC) The Lead Out Project 00:00
54. Andy Hill (BC) Independent 00:00
55. Antoine Ippersiel (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell 00:00
56. Ethan Palamarek (AB) Toronto Hustle 00:00
57. Nicholas Jones (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
58. Patrick Riddell (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
59. Amiel Flett-Brown (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling 00:00
60. Olivier Brisebois (QC) Probaclac/Devinci 00:00
61. Brendan Armstrong (BC) Trek Red Truck (men) 00:00
62. Jack Bardi (USA) Hangar 15 BIcycles Racing Team 00:00
63. David Dubé (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell 00:00
64. Noah Granigan (USA) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 00:00
64. Alec Cowan (AB) Floyd’s Pro Cycling 00:00
65. Wolfgang Brandl (Ger) Movistar Team Ecuador 00:00
66. Kyle Buckosky (BC) Trek Red Truck (men) 00:00
67. Jackson Bocksnick (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling 00:00
68. Keelan Ontiveros (USA) Hangar 15 BIcycles Racing Team 00:00
69. Joshua Kropf (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling 00:00
70. Connor Sens (Aus) X-Speed United Continental 00:00
71. Kyle Swanson (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
72. Kyle Kirby (USA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One 00:00
73. Cam Fitzmaurice (BC) TaG Cycling Race Team 00:00
74. Zack Gilmore (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 00:00
75. Mason Burtnik (AB) Hewdog Racing 00:00
76. Nicholas Kergozou (Nzl) New Zealand 00:00
77. Gavin Hoover (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
78. ICTORIA Alfredo Rodriguez (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 00:00
79. Travis Samuel (ON) DC Bank Pro Cycling 00:00
80. Dylan Davies (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
81. Clarke Lind (BC) Trek Red Truck (men) 00:00
82. Justin Homewood (BC) Langlois Brown Racing 00:00
83. Kurt Penno (USA) Toronto Hustle 00:00
84. Zachary Kovalcik (USA) Independent 00:00
85. Philippe Mireault (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell 00:00
DNF Taj Jones (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Kai Chapman (Aus) Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
DNF Cole Glover (BC) Trek Red Truck (men)
DNF Ryan Roth (ON) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Jasper Albrecht (Aus) X-Speed United Continental
DNF Jake Cullen (BC) DC Bank Pro Cycling
DNF Tom Sexton (Nzl) New Zealand
DNF Jordan Kerby (Nzl) New Zealand
DNF Harry Waine (Nzl) Independent
DNF Felix Pelletier (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Charles-Antoine Forest-Leblanc (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Pierre-Olivier Santerre (QC) Desjardins-Ford p/p Cromwell
DNF Jonathan Clarke (USA) Floyd’s Pro Cycling
DNF Hendrik Pineda (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Felix Boutin (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Mitchell Ketler (MB) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Thierry Kirouac Aracassa (QC) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Colin Patterson (USA) Marc Pro Cycling p/b Gym One
DNF Scott Wannop (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Grant Gill (BC) Mighty Cycling
DNF Ryan Golbeck (ON) Mighty Cycling
DNF John Willcox (BC) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF Justin Purificati (ON) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNF Enrique Serrato (Mex) Team California
DNF Jeffrey Kemp (BC) Lost Boys Hit Squad
DNF Tomas Kobylka (BC) Lost Boys Hit Squad
DNF Marcus Van Er Sande (BC) Hewdog Racing
DNF Marc Dupuis (BC) Hewdog Racing
DNF Graham Lock (MB) Hewdog Racing
DNF Wai-Ben Wong (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Christopher Bradbury (BC) Musette / Enroute
DNF Travis Tomlin (BC) PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings
DNF Evan Hartig (USA) Project Echelon Racing
DNF Tim Savre (USA) Project Echelon Racing
DNF Zola Mehlomakulu (ON) RealDeal Racing
DNF Christopher Gill (QC) VeloSelect Racing Team
DNF Carne Groube (Nzl) Subaru AnchorPoint
DNF Ethan Frankel (USA) Subaru Santa Monica Racing
DNF Zach Zionts (USA) ADHD Catella
DNF Julian Soh (USA) Audi Cycling Team
DNF Justin Shoubridge (QC) Factory Five-thePACK
DNF Kevin Smith (BC) Gastown Racing Reds
DNF Andrew Arnold (AB) Peloton Racing p/b Momentum Cycling
DNF Kevin Scott (BC) Team Super Vacation
DNF Erik Hammerquist (USA) Independent
DNF Johannes Daniel Mallie (BC) Independent
DNF Dylan Simpson (Nzl) Independent
DNF Henry Levett (Nzl) Independent
DNF Theo Gilbertson (Nzl) Independent
DNF Cole Davis (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
DNF Kent Ross (USA) Wildlife Generation p/b Maxxis
DNF Ethan Pauly (BC) TaG Cycling Race Team
DNS Max Rubarth (ON) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
DNS Tim Mcbirney (USA) Team California
DNS Kaler Marshall (USA) Hangar 15 Bicycles Elite Cycling Team
DNS Elijah Louttit (SK) Hewdog Racing
DNS Julian Georg (USA) Project Supertraining
DNS Adam Holcombe (BC) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Mateusz Rozycki (Pol) TaG Cycling Race Team