July 19, 2010 (White Rock, BC) – Svein Tuft didn’t feel great to start the Tour de White Rock Road Race on Sunday, but had enough left to finish BC Superweek with a bang. For that Tift thanked Christian Meier, his teammate on a Garmin-Transitions ProTour squad that races at cycling’s highest level.

“The first few times up the climb I was hurting,” Tuft said. “I was lucky Christian was just jumping into every move. If I didn’t have him up there covering it would have been a bad day for me. It ended up being the perfect situation because I came around as the day went on.”

The plan going into the 134-kilometer race was actually for Tuft to get into any early breakaways, it went out the window after the first few climbs. Perhaps feeling the effects of lapping the field and finishing the 60-kilometer Criterium in just 86 minutes the night before, Tuft sat back in the peleton instead while Meier jumped into an early three-man breakaway with Will Routley and Ryan Anderson.

“I was tapped out from last night’s effort,” said Tuft. Tuft bridged up to the break on the last of 11 laps around a larger 10.1-kilometer circuit. But they didn’t stay together long in the final six laps around a shorter 3.8-kilometer circuit. Anderson was dropped by a series of attacks by the Garmin-Transitions riders, and Tuft took off on Routley with a lap and a half left, finishing the hill-filled 134-kilometer ride alone in three hours, 35 minutes and eight seconds.

“It was probably one of the fastest Tour de White Rocks I’ve ever done,” said Tuft, who added his first omnium title in the 31-year-old event to his first-ever win in the historic road race along the beach.

“This is probably one of the hardest circuits you’ll do in North America for sure. It’s 130 km but it’s one of the hardest 130 km I know of.” Tuft, who won a silver medal in the 2009 World Championships Time Trial for Canada and raced the last Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana with Garmin-Transitions, was quick to pass along lots of credit.

The first went to Meier for keeping things within striking distance, and then to Routley, who bravely withstood a series of attacks from the two Gamin-Transitions riders over the final few laps before cramping up as Tuft finally got away for good with a lap and a half left.

Routley, who won the Canadian Road Race championship last month in Edmonton and rides for U.S.-based Jelly Belly Pro Cycling, finished 53 seconds behind, while Meier was third another 50 seconds back.

“Will was absolutely amazing; for sure the strongest guy in the race today,” said Tuft, adding later that Routley was ready for the ProTour. “We hit him with probably 20 different attacks and he covered every single one. They guy was unreal. Unfortunately we have two guys against one. But he proved why he is the national road champion.”

Routley said cramping finally caught up to him over the final two laps, but knew it would be harder as soon as Tuft bridged to the break. “Initially when it was the three of us away I thought that was a good move for me,” Routley said. “But sure enough on that last (big) lap Svein came across and it was a totally different ball game. You had two teammates, two ProTour riders, so that makes it more difficult, and they didn’t waste any time. As soon as he got there they started going back and forth, one-two, Svein attacks then Christian attacks.”

Routley actually mounted a few bold counterattacks of his own, and managed to lose Meier in the process. But that left a rested Svein, who was content to sit on his back wheel and let him do all the work. “I towed him around for all I could but I started cramping,” he said.

While Routley didn’t make the podium in Saturday’s criterium after he got caught up in a late crash, it was a repeat performance for the Garmin-Transitions duo, who finished first and third both days.

The women’s race also finished with familiar faces on the podium, but the path they took to get there was decidedly different from the men. Joelle Numainville, who won the Canadian Road Race championship in Edmonton late last month, won a bunch sprint in the 80-kilometer women’s race, edging out Leah Kirchmann of Vancouver’s Trek Red Truck Pro Cycling and Alberta’s Heather Kay of United Cycle.

Numainville, a Montreal native who also won Saturday’s criterium in a sprint, finished in two hours, 35 minutes and seven seconds, with the second and third place both within three-tenths of a second behind.

Numainville was also third in Friday night’s Hillclimb – after posting the fastest time up in the opening heat – and won the Omnium, or overall. All of which had her worried about running out of gas in the sprint. “I was getting tired,” said Numainville. “I was chasing down a lot of things today and getting tired and I was worried.”

To the surprise of many, the women stayed together, with occasional breakaway attempts always reeled in quickly. Numainville, who was the lone representative of the San Francisco-based Webcor Builders team, was often a part of those chases, making sure none of the local squads with a numbers advantage could get too far ahead. As for getting away by herself at any point, Numainville knew she was being watched closely as the newly crowned national road race champion.

“For sure (there’s a target) and I felt it today, but that’s part of the deal,” she said. “I just race as hard as I can and see how they react.” Kirchmann, who won the Canadian Criterium championship at the Tour de Delta last weekend, came closest to clipping her at the line, while Kay came from the back of the pack on the last climb to finish third.

For the 35-year-old United Cycle rider from Sherwood Park, Alberta, it was nice to finally make a podium in the historic road race after a handful of top-10 finishes in the past, and third-place in both the Criterium and Hillclimb at last year’s 30th Tour de White Rock.

“I’m thrilled to podium,” said Kay. “Joelle is an amazing sprinter. There was no chance I could get around her, but it was a great finish.” It was also a great conclusion to the $40,000 BC Superweek.

For more information visit www.bcsuperweek.ca

Results

Women

1. Joelle Numainville (Can) Webcor Builders 2:35:07.00
2. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
3. Heather Kay (Can) United Cycle
4. Jasmin Glaesser (Ger) Total Restoration Cycling Team
5. Amy Dearden (Can) Keller Rohrback
6. Shailie Sanbrooks (Can) Russ Hays Cycling Club
7. Jessica Hannah (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
8. Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
9. Angela McClure (Aus) Webcor/ Alto Velo
10. Megan Rathwell (Can) Aviawest/Blue Competition Cycles
11. Laura Brown (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
12. Lauren Roschen (Usa) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
13. Sarah Stewart (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
14. Annie Ewart (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
15. Rachel Mcbride (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
16. Courtney Albert (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 03:53.00
17. Marie-Claude Gagnon (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
18. Shoshauna Laxson (Usa) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 05:17.00
19. Margaret Pugh (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports 05:19.00
20. Andrea Bunnin (Can) dEVo Escape Velocity
21. Nik Vogler (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports 10:22.00
22. Lisa Rogers (Can) Independent 21:29.00
DNF Naomi Cooper (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Erin Redl (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Leslie Vice (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Morgan Cabot (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Rachel Canning (Can) Local Ride Racing
DNF Jenny Lehmann (Can) Mighty Riders
DNS Jennifer Kohm (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Sarah Coney (Can) Independent

Men
1. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin – Transitions 3:35:08.00
2. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 00:53.00
3. Christian Meier (Can) Garmin – Transitions 01:43.00
4. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 02:04.00
5. Nic Hamilton (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 05:57.00
6. Tim Abercrombie (Can) Garneau Evolution
7. Cyrus Kangarloo (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 06:32.00
8. Mike Sidic (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
9. William Goodfellow (Can) BikeReg.com/Cannondale 06:47.00
10. Curtis Deardon (Can) Garneau Evolution 07:29.00
11. Garrett McLeod (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 08:24.00
12. David Stephens (Can) Team Coastal 09:12.00
13. Justin Kerr (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 17:36.00
14. Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 17:40.00
15. Chris McNeil (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 17:43.00
16. Jeffrey Werner (Can) Garneau Evolution 17:49.00
17. David Gillam (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 18:07.00
18. Kyle Buckosky (Can) Team Coastal 18:38.00
19. Jason Kilmartin (Can) Balance Point Racing 18:40.00
20. Hugh Trenchard (Can) Dr. Walker Chiropractor 20:13.00
21. Bradley Clifford (Can) ERTC Revolution 20:39.00
22. Dan MacDonald (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
23. Mike Elliston (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
24. Steven Devantier (Can) Local Ride Racing
25. Bailey Mcknight (Can) Synergy 20:41.00
26. Bart Ludbrook (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 20:42.00
DNF Andrew Pinfold (Can) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
DNF Roman Kilun (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
DNF Marsh Cooper (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Alex Candelario (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Cheyne Hoag (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Sebastian Salas (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNF Adam Thuss (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Dan Skinner (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Boris Martin (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNF Jamie Sparling (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Shawn Bunnin (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Marcel Aarden (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Christopher McGarity (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Matthew O’Hagan (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Geoff O’Toole (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF Jesse Reams (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNF John Perkins (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Maurice Worsfold (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Chris Worsfold (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Zachary Young (Can) Local Ride Racing
DNF Mike Rothengatter (Can) dEVo
DNF Marvin Guzman (Can) Independent
DNF Stephen Ferris (Can) Calgary Cycle/top gear
DNF Allan Prazsky (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNF Dustin Andrews (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNS Morgan Schmitt (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
DNS Adrian Hegyvary (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
DNS Mark MacDonald (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNS Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
DNS Tyler Trace (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Mathew Bell (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Nathan MacDonald (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
DNS Andrew Kyle (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNS Guy Biggar (Can) Garneau Evolution
DNS Rory McAdams (Usa) Glotman Simpson Cycling
DNS Cuylar Conly (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
DNS Geoff Macdonald (Can) ERTC Revolution
DNS Cody Campbell (Can) Trek-Livestrong U23

Final Omnium

Women

1. Joelle Numainville (Can) Webcor Builders 35
2. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 24
3. Amy Dearden (Can) Keller Rohrback 22
4. Jessica Hannah (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 20
5. Jasmin Glaesser (Ger) Total Restoration Cycling Team 20
6. Heather Kay (Can) United Cycle 19
7. Shailie Sanbrooks (Can) Russ Hays Cycling Club 19
8. Andrea Bunnin (Can) dEVo Escape Velocity 13
9. Lauren Roschen (Usa) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports 10
10. Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports 9
11. Rachel Mcbride (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 8
12. Sarah Stewart (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 8
13. Laura Brown (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 5
14. Shoshauna Laxson (Usa) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 4
15. Courtney Albert (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 3
16. Angela McClure (Aus) Webcor/ Alto Velo 3
17. Megan Rathwell (Can) Aviawest/Blue Competition Cycles 3
18. Annie Ewart (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 3
19. Lisa Rogers (Can) Independent 3
20. Sarah Coney (Can) Independent
21. Nik Vogler (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
22. Leslie Vice (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
23. Rachel Canning (Can) Local Ride Racing
24. Naomi Cooper (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
25. Erin Redl (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
26. Morgan Cabot (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
27. Jennifer Kohm (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
28. Margaret Pugh (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
29. Jenny Lehmann (Can) Mighty Riders
30. Marie-Claude Gagnon (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling

Men

1. Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin – Transitions 29
2. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 24
3. Nic Hamilton (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 24
4. Christian Meier (Can) Garmin – Transitions 23
5. Justin Kerr (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 14
6. Jamie Sparling (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 13
7. Sebastian Salas (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 10
8. Mike Sidic (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 10
9. Cyrus Kangarloo (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 10
10. Shawn Bunnin (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 9
11. Marsh Cooper (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 9
12. William Goodfellow (Can) BikeReg.com/Cannondale 8
13. Bailey Mcknight (Can) Synergy 7
14. Garrett McLeod (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 7
15. Roman Kilun (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling 3
16. Cheyne Hoag (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies 3
17. Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 3
18. Chris McNeil (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 3
19. Adam Thuss (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 3
20. Dan Skinner (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 3
21. Boris Martin (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes 3
22. Dan MacDonald (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 3
23. Christopher McGarity (Can) Garneau Evolution 3
24. Matthew O’Hagan (Can) Garneau Evolution 3
25. Geoff O’Toole (Can) Garneau Evolution 3
26. Jesse Reams (Can) Garneau Evolution 3
27. Kyle Buckosky (Can) Team Coastal 3
28. Bradley Clifford (Can) ERTC Revolution 3
29. Jason Kilmartin (Can) Balance Point Racing 3
30. Jeffrey Werner (Can) Garneau Evolution 3
31. Marvin Guzman (Can) Independent 3
32. Bart Ludbrook (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling 3
33. Dustin Andrews (Can) Team H&R BLOCK 3
34. Morgan Schmitt (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
35. Adrian Hegyvary (Usa) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
36. Mark MacDonald (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
37. Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Team H&R BLOCK
38. Tyler Trace (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
39. Mathew Bell (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
40. Nathan MacDonald (Can) Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes
41. Marcel Aarden (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
42. Tim Abercrombie (Can) Garneau Evolution
43. Andrew Kyle (Can) Garneau Evolution
44. Rory McAdams (Usa) Glotman Simpson Cycling
45. John Perkins (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
46. Maurice Worsfold (Can) Team Coastal
47. Chris Worsfold (Can) Team Coastal
48. David Stephens (Can) Team Coastal
49. Stephen Ferris (Can) Calgary Cycle/top gear
50. Cody Campbell (Can) Trek-Livestrong U23
51. Hugh Trenchard (Can) Dr. Walker Chiropractor
52. Andrew Pinfold (Can) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
53. Cuylar Conly (Can) Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision Sports
54. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
55. Alex Candelario (Usa) Kelly Benefit Strategies
56. Guy Biggar (Can) Garneau Evolution
57. Curtis Deardon (Can) Garneau Evolution
58. Mike Elliston (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
59. David Gillam (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
60. Mike Rothengatter (Can) dEVo
61. Geoff Macdonald (Can) ERTC Revolution
62. Steven Devantier (Can) Local Ride Racing
63. Allan Prazsky (Can) Glotman Simpson Cycling
64. Zachary Young (Can) Local Ride Racing