July 21, 2007 (Delta, BC) – The “B” in BC Superweek now stands for Bell. Zach Bell of Burnaby won his 3rd event of BC Superweek and his second straight in the Tour de Delta. The 24-year-old, born and raised in Watson Lake, Yukon powered away from a field of sprinters to win the Lehigh Cement Criterium in Ladner, a night after destroying the field in the Brenco Hill Climb. The 2007 Tour de White Rock champ won a showdown with the hottest rider in North America, edging out Kirk O’Bee (Health Net) of North Vancouver who has won six races in the last four weeks in Canada and the US, including Superweek’s Tour de Gastown and Giro Di Burnaby.

“This is huge for me,” said Bell, a wrestler at the University of Calgary who didn’t become a serious bike rider until he won the 2003 Tour De Delta Brenco Hill Climb. “I always feel great when I come to Superweek. It’s a great place to test my development and progress as a rider against some of the best riders around.After this I’d say I’m pretty happy with my development.”

A full field of 142 of the best riders in BC, Canada and the US started the 54km, 60-lap Lehigh Cement criterium in a steady downpour. The cool, dark night made it feel like mid-November in mid-July but the slick streets of Ladner were still lined by several thousand dedicated fans and several thousand umbrellas.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable to see this kind of turnout, it’s a testament to the spirit of this community and how it’s been touched by this event,” said John McMurchy, retiring after seven years as Race Organizer. “In the first year people came out with quizzical looks on their faces, wondering what this was all about. This year they came out in a pouring rain to see phenomenal riding and incredible bike handling by some of he best riders we’ve ever seen here.”

It took the most experienced bike handlers to deal with the elements as the increasingly heavy rain slowly turned the race into the Tour de Misery. 20 laps and 20 minutes into the race many of the pre race favorites went down like bowling pins in a crash that had one sliding rider taking out the wheel of another and then another. Nearly a dozen of them hit the pavement. They all got up and rejoined the race except hometown favourite, Cam Evans (Symmetrics). He was through for the night and the weekend after falling on his bad knee that was seriously injured two years ago. He wasn’t seriously injured, but he was shaken up enough to be scratched from Sunday’s White Spot Road Race, in Tsawwassen.

The race evolved into a team chess match on wheels in the closing laps. The top pro teams Langley-based Symmetrics, Health Net and Navigators took turns sending riders out on a break while the sprinters like Kirk O’Bee and Andrew Pnfold sat safely conserving their energy and legs in the middle of the pack. For three laps 42-year-old Eric Wohlberg, the 2003 Lehigh Cement Criterium champion, took off on his own and pushed the pace, trying to break up the pack.

Four laps from the finish Irish National Champion, David O’Laughlin (Health Net) won the sprint to the finish line to win the race within a race for an $1,100 prime collected from a huge crowd that appreciated their fearless efforts in miserable conditions.

The real race came down to the final corner and the sprint to the finish. O’Bee had a slight lead but Bell, who has the thunder thighs of a speed skater, buried his head and sneaked past O’Bee by 3/100ths of a second in a winning time of 1 hour, 18 minutes and 39 seconds. Bell’s team mate Andrew Pinfold of Victoria took third giving Symmetrics 13 podium finishes in seven men’s races during BC Superweek.

Women’s Race

The birth of the Tour de Delta seven years ago and the creation of BC Superweek has created a boom in women’s racing on the West Coast. It was reflected by the highest turnout for a women’s race in the 28-year history of the Tour de White Rock last week. It also established a new record of 48 women registered to ride in the Tour de Delta Lehigh Cement criterium. Almost all of them showed up at the start line Saturday night despite the relentless rainfall that soaked the streets and turned each of the four 90 degree corners into an invitation to disaster

Everyone rode cautiously until the weather and slick streets thinned out the field. The first serious break of the night occurred with 11 laps to go. New Zealander Rushlee Buchanan, 2007 Tour de White Rock criterium champion, led a 3-rider breakaway.

“I was really nervous out there tonight because I crashed three times in the rain in Gastown,”said Buchanan. “It was a little bit edgy but I figured if I could stay in the top 10 I’d be alright because they’re all safe, smart riders.”

In the final five laps the breakaway had doubled to six with the rest of the survivors only 10 seconds back. With two laps remaining the breakaway had been reeled in and the tightest race in Tour de Delta history would come down to the final sprint. The slippery conditions forced everyone to cautiously jockey for position around the final turn.

“I knew I couldn’t let Leah (Goldstein, 2007 Tour de White Rock road race champ) create a gap, so I stayed on her wheel heading into that last corner,” said the 19-year-old Buchanan. “I wasn’t too worried about anyone else and I knew if I stayed with Leah I’d be able to sprint away from her.”

Buchanan emerged at the head of the pack and lived up to her boast, sprinting away with her 2nd BC Superweek title. She raised her arms in victory crossing the finish line while Calgary’s Jenny Trew won a furious fight for 2nd place, out-sprinting her Team Giant teammate, Lisa Howard of Langley.

“I’ve never considered myself a great sprinter,” revealed Buchanan, “But we’ve been here (in North America) for two months racing crit after crit so you do get faster. I also get pumped up by crowds like this. It’s awesome here with all these people turning out on a night like this. We never see anything like that at home.

It was the 2nd straight win in Delta for the New Zealanders. Jazz Apple’s Malindy Maclean won the Brenco Hill climb on Friday night. They’ll go for the Kiwi sweep in the Tour de Delta at Sunday’s White Spot Road Race from North Delta to Tsawwassen. It begins at 9 am.

Results

Women

1. Rushlee Buchanan (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 58:22.4
2. Jenny Trew (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 58:22.6
3. Lisa Howard (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 58:22.6
4. Leah Goldstein (Isr) Symmetrics Cycling 58:23.0
5. Leah Guloien (Can) Team Giant 58:23.3
6. Malindills Maclean (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 58:23.9
7. Sarah Stewart (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 58:25.0
8. Jennifer Schultz (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 58:25.8
9. Laura Brown (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 58:26.6
10. Alena Radomsky (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 58:27.4
11. Heather Kay (Can) ERTC/redbike 58:27.7
12. Gillian Kornell (N/A) Total Restoration Cycling Team 58:28.3
13. Marie-Claude Gagnon (Can) Team Integrale 58:28.3
14. Claire Cameron (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 58:28.5
15. Lisa Tasa (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale 58:28.7
16. Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Team Coastal 58:29.7
17. Karen Watson (Can) Team Integrale 58:30.1
18. Lisa Dorian (Can) Chicks Cycling Club 58:31.1
19. Sarah Kerlin (Usa) Velo Bella-Kona 58:37.5
20. Susy Pryde (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 59:08.7
21. Stephanie Roorda (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 59:21.1
DNF Alison Shanks (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team
DNF Sarah Murdoch (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team
DNF Anna Webb (Usa) A E Sport Devolpment
DNF Stella Carey (Usa) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Fiona MacLeod (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Monica Nelson (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Marian Hunting (Usa) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Jenelle Cassidy (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada Women
DNF Chelsea Bilsbarrow (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada Women
DNF Leslie Vice (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNF Sarah Nathan (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNF Courtney Albert (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Megan Rathwell (Can) Independent
DNF Sara Laliberte (Can) Team Integrale
DNF Olga Ast (Can) Independent
DNF Shoshauna Laxson (Can) Team Whistler
DNS Marni Hambleton (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Stephanie Ossenbrink (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNS Barbara Zimich (Can) Team Integrale
DNS Lee Darling (Can) Team Integrale
DNS Natasha Kuzmak (Can) Synergy Racing Cycle Club
DNS Anne-Marie Lefrancois (Can) Team Integrale
DNS Heather Gerth (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNS Margaret Pugh (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNS Carmen Diges (Can) Independent
DNS Jaymie McGowan (Can) Oak Bay Bikes

Men – Pro 1/2

1. Zach Bell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:39.2
2. Kirk O’Bee (Usa) Health Net 18:39.5
3. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:39.6
4. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 18:40.0
5. Evan Elken (Usa) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 18:40.1
6. Gord Fraser (Can) Carmichael Training 18:40.4
7. Kirk Carlsen (Usa) Team Rubicon-ORBEA 18:40.5
8. Ryan Anderson (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale 18:40.6
9. Scott Laliberte (Can) Team Intregrale 18:40.7
10. Aaron Tuckerman (Nzl) Team Rubicon-ORBEA 18:41.1
11. Nick Rowe (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 18:41.2
12. Tim Sherstobitoff (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 18:41.5
13. David Veilleux (Can) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 18:41.6
14. David Richter (Usa) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 18:41.9
15. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:42.1
16. Cory Forrest (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 18:42.7
17. Daniel MacDonald (Can) Masi-Adobe 18:43.1
18. Tyler Trace (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team 18:44.2
19. Tim Abercrombie (Can) Escape Velocity 01 18:44.5
20. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:44.6
21. Josh James (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale 18:45.0
22. Marcel Aarden (Can) independent 18:45.1
23. Owen Harrison (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 18:45.2
24. Stephen Ferris (Can) ERTC redbike 18:45.6
25. Peter Sanowar (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 18:45.8
26. Maurice Worsfold (Can) Team Glotman Simpson 18:47.9
27. Chris Worsfold (Can) Team Glotman Simpson 18:48.5
28. Jonathan Gormick (Can) Masi-Adobe 18:49.4
29. Jamie Sparling (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team 18:56.3
30. Robin White (Can) Aviawest-Rocky Mountain Bicyc 18:56.3
31. Kevin Noiles (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale 18:57.5
32. Zachery Garland (Can) Masi-Adobe 18:57.5
33. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:58.4
34. Brandon Crichton (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 18:58.5
35. Jackson Buehler (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale 18:58.9
36. Logan Hunn (Nzl) Team Rubicon-ORBEA 18:59.3
37. David O’Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance 19:04.5
38. Doug Ollerenshaw (Usa) Health Net 19:07.1
39. Matt Shriver (Usa) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 19:11.2
40. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 19:25.9
DNF Roman Kilun (Usa) Health Net
DNF Oleg Grishkin (Rus) Navigators Insurance
DNF Kristian House (Gbr) Navigators Insurance
DNF Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance
DNF Kyle Wamsley (Usa) Navigators Insurance
DNF Austin King (Usa) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team
DNF Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNF Alistair Howard (Can) Masi-Adobe
DNF Chris Reid (Can) Masi-Adobe
DNF Brad Payne (Aus) Team Rubicon-ORBEA
DNF Dan Harm (Usa) Team Rubicon-ORBEA
DNF Dave Vukets (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Bjorn Ossenbrink (Ger) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF John Perkins (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF Murray Solem (Can) Team Integrale
DNF Jay Hawranik (Can) Team Integrale
DNF William Goodfellow (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
DNF Kenneth Johnson (Usa) Harley-Davidson/Baselines Pub
DNF Thorben Wieditz (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire
DNF Stefan Rothe (Ger) MERCY Cycling Team
DNF Shane Savage (Can) Mighty Cycling
DNF Simon Craig (Can) Spoke N Motion
DNF Bradley Fairall (Can) SuperSport 35 ACNC
DNF Jim Tsilemos (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Chris Squire (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Damien Waugh (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Jason Thompson (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Jeff Ain (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Jonathan Page (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Paul Beard (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Brad Kerr (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Carlos Capela (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Dan Skinner (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Gary Wade (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Sean Williams (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Attila Hajdu (Can) Independent
DNF Cyrus Kangarloo (Can) Team H&R Block
DNF Matthew Martyniuk (Can) Boh’s Cycle/Moose Jaw Pavers
DNF Teron Singh (Ind) Ciclowerks
DNF Chris Reynolds (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Steve Kraetzer (Can) Fresh Air Experience
DNF Shaun Adamson (Can) Juventus/RVC/Kona
DNF James Larmer (Can) Sudbury Cycling Club
DNF Craig DeBellefeuille (Can) Synergy Racing
DNF Ryan Olson (Can) Team BH/Integrale
DNF Marco Sabatino (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team
DNF Jeff Castenmiller (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Nathan MacDonald (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Anthony Steenbergen (Can) Team H&R Block
DNF Rob Britton (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team
DNF Philippe Abbott (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire
DNF Mike Elliston (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Jesse James Collins (Can) Bicisport Gruppo Sportivo Campione
DNF Dave Brooks (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team
DNF Owen Sturgess (Can) Escape Velocity 02
DNF Mike Scheske (Can) Escape Velocity 02
DNF Mike Bidniak (Can) TREK-Red Truck Ale
DNF Ryan Hopping (Can) La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
DNF Nic Hamilton (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycles
DNF Matt Potma (Can) Team Integrale
DNF Hunter Anderson (Can) FloraGlo-Norco-StreetHawkExpress
DNF Ryan McNamara (Can2) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team
DNF Jack Okuniewicz (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF John Tolkamp (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNF Evan Flater (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycles
DNS Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Allan Prazsky (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNS Hugh Trenchard (Can) Island Racing Club

Warning: Brandon Crighton for using physical contact against another rider.

Men – Cat 3/4

1. Julian Base (Can) Team Whistler 33:06.9
2. Austin Macdougall (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:07.0
3. Kevin Thorpe (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:07.2
4. Bob Welbourn (Can) Independant 33:07.3
5. Roy McBeth (Can) Local Ride-Maple Ridge 33:07.6
6. Anselmo Rossiello (Can) Team Coastal 33:07.8
7. Kurtis Vallee (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycle 33:07.8
8. Vaughn Hildebrand (Can) IRC p/b R.W.Cameron Law 33:08.0
9. Mark Dormer (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:08.0
10. Jakub Wasiela (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:08.2
11. Wendell Challenger (Can) Mighty Cycling 33:09.8
12. Bruce Denis (Can) Independant 33:12.1
13. Russell Stead (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:14.3
14. Daniel Owsiany (Can) Independant 33:15.3
15. Mike Laxdal (Can) Team Integrale 33:44.8
16. Scott Vigliotti (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling 33:50.0
17. Michael Rothengatter (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 33:51.7
18. Maurizio Giraldi (Can) Mighty Cyclist 33:52.5
19. Owen Sampson (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling 33:53.0
20. Brian Wong (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling 34:01.5
21. James Thompson (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling 34:01.8
22. Horacio Chaves (Can) Mighty Cyclist 34:04.2
23. Johnson Jung (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 34:04.4
24. Brian Griffin (Can) Independant 34:14.8
DNF Jason Manning (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Guy Biggar (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Tim Harman (Aus) Coburg Cycling Club
DNF Tom Birk (Can) Steed Cycles
DNF Doug Preston (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Cameron Thorpe (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Alexander Pope (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Curtis Jung (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Tony Zackery (Usa) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Kyle Chura (Can) Independant
DNF Colin Reddin (Can) Independant
DNF Gavin Day (Can) Lazboy Cycling
DNF Ian Fingler (Can) Masi Adobe
DNF Derek Sakamoto (Can) Masi Adobe
DNF Roger Bing-Wo (Can) Atomic Racing Club
DNF David Nelson (Can) Gerick Cycle
DNF Clayton Sansbury (Can) Masi Adobe
DNF Bill Yearwood (Can) Mighty Cyclist
DNF David Kosick (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Rod Siudut (Can) Independant
DNF Eric Van veen (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Tyler Dumont (Can) FloraGlo-Norco-StreetHawkExpress
DNF Savy Spada (Can) CVC-Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Riley Milavsky (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Erich Zwick (Can) Independant
DNF Darrin Grund (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Gerry Van Gaans (Can) Independant
DNF Anthony King (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF Trevor Young (Can) Independant
DNS Joseph Piscitello () Philadelphia Ciclismo
DNS Neil Perry (Can) B.C. Masters Cycling