July 14, 2007 (White Rock, B.C.) – BC’s powerful Symmetrics team, ranked number one in North and South America on the UCI circuit, is back on top in White Rock.

After having to settle for 2nd place in Friday’s Hill Climb, the opening event of the Coast Capital Savings Tour de White Rock, Symmetrics zoomed back to the top of the podium on Saturday evening with a masterful display of team tactics in the men’s Remax Criterium. Burnaby’s Zach Bell picked up what he called “the biggest win of my road racing career” while teammate Andrew Randall took 3rd. Bell is the fourth different Symmetrics rider to win in the last five men’s races in White Rock in 2006 and 2007.

“I’ve been looking forward to this race all year,” said Bell. “This is a huge race and one of my favourite courses. There are a lot of places where a big, powerful guy can make a move and have a chance to win. Today I had the legs and it worked out perfectly for us.”

It was a cat and mouse duel for most of the hour long race with everyone reluctant to play the mouse. The racers spent most of the 60-lap, 60 kilometer race tightly bunched with the occasional breakaway to test the will of the pack. Three to six man breaks would take off and then get quickly reeled back in by the field. With less than 20 laps to go Symmetrics started pushing the pace with most of their eight-man team taking turns at the front. In the closing laps they created a four-man breakaway and outmanned a lone Navigators Insurance rider, Californian Kristian House, three to one. On the final lap Bell, a silver medalist on the track at the recent Pan Am Championships, turned on the power and left House behind with 300 meters to go. He crossed the finish line in 1:10:15 seconds. House was 2nd and Randall finished 3rd.

Bell, a two-time winner of the Tour de Delta Brenco Hill climb, hopes the win in White Rock and his 2nd place at the criterium at the recent 2007 Canadian Road Nationals will finally change his image. “I was always known as the wrestler who rode a bike,” said the Yukon-born Bell who had a wrestling scholarship at the University of Calgary. “That “˜rassler on a bike was accurate when I won in Delta but in the last two years and especially this year with Symmetrics I think I’ve proved I’m a pretty good bike rider who used to be a wrestler.”

A record field of 44 riders, the largest in 28 years of the Tour de White Rock, started the women’s race including the nearly invincible Gina Grain (Expresscopy.com) of Burnaby. The defending champion in the Tour de Gastown and Giro Di Burnaby was wearing the red jersey she won earlier this week as 2007 Canadian Road Race champion. She was content to sit back in the pack when New Zealander Rushlee Buchanan (JAZZ Apple Cycling Team) broke away and opened a 30-second lead after 18 of the 30 laps around the one kilometer course.

“I didn’t mean to go on my own,” admitted Buchanan, a veteran in her 7th season of racing at the tender age of 19. “I saw a small group take off and moved with them. After I caught them I look around and no one was following, I thought “˜uh oh’ here we go. This is it. I better give it a go.”

She was one of five women on a Jazz Apple team racing in BC Superweek for the 2nd year. Her teammates managed to ride at the head of the chase group and slow it down enough to let Buchanon maintain a 30-second lead for the rest of the race. She breezed across the finish line with a winning time of 39 minutes, 54.46 seconds.

“I won a couple of races in California this year,” said Buchanan, “but this is definitely the biggest win of my life. This area is beautiful and the atmosphere and crowds are great. Everything is a step above what we have at home. I’ll definitely be back next year!”

The 19-year-old hoping to qualify for the Olympics next year posted a winning margin of 19 seconds in her first victory in her first race in Canada.

Californian Shelley Olds (USA) PROMAN/Paradigm, 3rd in the White Rock Muffler Hill Climb took second while Grain was content with a 3rd place finish, conserving her energy for the Tour de White Rock road race early Sunday morning.

“I knew she (Buchanan) was a strong racer and tried to activate a few things to get someone to chase her down,” said Grain. “But no one was interested and with the two big teams from Jazz Apple and Giant Canada there wasn’t much chance to get things going. We’ll see what happens tomorrow in the road race. It’s a hilly course so I plan on just working for my teammates but it’s bike racing, eh, and anything can happen.”

The 28th Annual Tour de White Rock Peace Arch News Road Race begins at 8am Sunday, July 15th at the pier on Marine Drive.

For more Tour de White Rock information visit our website at www.city.whiterock.bc.ca or phone 604-541-2161

For more BC Superweek information visit our website at www.bcsuperweek.ca

Results

Women

1. Rushlee Buchanan (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 39:54.7
2. Shelley Olds (USA) PROMAN/Paradigm 40:14.0
3. Gina Grain (Can) Expresscopy.com 40:14.2
4. Sarah Stewart (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 40:15.1
5. Malindills Maclean (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 40:15.4
6. Anna Webb (USA) A E Sport Devolpment 40:15.6
7. Heather Kay (Can) ERTC/redbike 40:17.7
8. Alison Testroete (Can) Team Expresscopy.com 40:17.7
9. Marie-Claude Gagnon (Can) Team Integrale 40:19.3
10. Laura Brown (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 40:19.6
11. Anne-Marie Lefrancois (Can) Team Integrale 40:19.8
12. Lisa Howard (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 40:20.0
13. Claire Cameron (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 40:21.2
14. Marni Hambleton (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 40:22.5
15. Erinne Willock (Can) Expresscopy.com 40:22.5
16. Gillian Kornell (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 40:22.9
17. Jennifer Schultz (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 40:23.2
18. Monica Nelson (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 40:23.3
19. Jenny Trew (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada 40:23.6
20. Leah Guloien (Can) Team Giant 40:24.0
21. Sarah Murdoch (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team 40:24.5
22. Lisa Tasa (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale 40:25.5
23. Leslie Vice (Can) Chicks Cycling Club 40:27.1
DNF Alena Radomsky (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada
DNF Stephanie Roorda (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada
DNF Ryan Hostetter (USA) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Stella Carey ( ) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Sarah Kerlin ( ) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Natasha Kuzmak (Can) Synergy Racing Cycle Club
DNF Lisa Dorian (Can) CHICKS CYCLING
DNF Fiona MacLeod (Can) TREK – RED TRUCK ALE
DNF Carrie Eller (USA) Avanti Racing/Ti Cycles
DNF Kristine Brynjolfson (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Marian Hunting ( ) Velo Bella-Kona
DNF Chelsea Bilsbarrow (Can) Giant Bicycles Canada Women
DNF Sarah Nathan (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNF Heather Gerth (Can) Chicks Cycling Club
DNF Jaymie McGowan (Can) Oak Bay Bikes
DNF Carmen Diges (Can) Independent
DNF Megan Rathwell (Can) Independent
DNF Michele Conrad (USA) Avanti/TiCycles
DNS Leah Goldstein (Isr) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home
DNS Julie Beveridge (Can) Bicisport
DNS Karen Watson (Can) Team Integrale
DNS Courtney Albert (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale
Alison Shanks (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team
Lee Darling (Can) Team Integrale
Susy Pryde (Nzl) JAZZ Apple Cycling Team

Men Pro 1/2

1. Zach Bell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:13.8
2. Kristian House (Gbr) Navigators Insurance 10:15.8
3. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:16.0
4. Matt Shriver (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 10:19.7
5. Jamie Sparling (Can) La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries 10:21.9
6. Kenneth Johnson (USA) Harley-Davidson/Baselines Pub 10:22.0
7. Brandon Crichton (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:32.6
8. Evan Elken (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 10:36.2
9. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:36.6
10. David Richter (USA) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 10:37.1
11. Daniel MacDonald (Can) Masi-Adobe 10:37.2
12. Jeffery Hopkins (Aus) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 10:37.5
13. Scott Laliberte (Can) Team Intregrale 10:38.3
14. Oleg Grishkin (Rus) Navigators Insurance 10:38.4
15. Cory Forrest (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 10:38.4
16. Peter Sanowar (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 10:39.0
17. Tim Abercrombie (Can) Escape Velocity 01 10:39.2
18. Marcel Aarden (Can) independent 10:39.4
19. Jackson Buehler (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale 10:39.6
20. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:40.4
21. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:40.6
22. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:40.8
23. Mike Elliston (Can) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling 10:40.9
24. Ryan Anderson (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale 10:41.2
25. Bradley Fairall (Can) SuperSport 35 ACNC 10:41.5
26. David Veilleux (Can) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 10:41.7
27. Jonathan Gormick (Can) Masi-Adobe 10:41.7
28. Philippe Abbott (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 10:42.3
29. Chris McNeil (Can) Team H&R Block 10:42.4
30. Mike Scheske (Can) Escape Velocity 02 10:42.5
31. Josh James (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale 10:44.3
32. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics Cycling 10:44.3
33. Rob Evans (USA) BPG/Montano Velo 10:45.1
34. Stefan Rothe (Ger) MERCY Cycling Team 10:45.6
35. Dan Skinner (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 10:46.8
36. Cyrus Kangarloo (Can) Team H&R Block 10:47.2
37. Nathan MacDonald (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale 10:47.5
38. Carlos Capela (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 10:50.2
39. Maurice Worsfold (Can) Team Glotman Simpson 10:51.0
40. Thorben Wieditz (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire 10:55.6
41. Alistair Howard (Can) Masi-Adobe 10:56.0
42. Zachery Garland (Can) Masi-Adobe 10:56.1
43. Brad Kerr (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team 10:58.5
44. Austin King (USA) Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team 11:01.5
45. Robin White (Can) Aviawest – Rocky Mountain Bicyc 11:34.3
DNF Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance
DNF Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance
DNF Kyle Wamsley (USA) Navigators Insurance
DNF Chris Reid (Can) Masi-Adobe
DNF Trevor Haaheim (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Tim Sherstobitoff (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Dave Vukets (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale
DNF Kevin Noiles (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale
DNF Chris Worsfold (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF John Perkins (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF Jay Hawranik (Can) Team Integrale
DNF Simon Craig (Can) Spoke N Motion
DNF Trevor Connor (Can) La-Z-Boy Cycling Team
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 Owen Harrison (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Sean Williams (Can) Total Restoration Cycling Team
DNF Zane Westerbeek (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 Brian Nelson ( ) First Rate Mortgage
DNF Hugh Trenchard (Can) Island Racing Club
DNF Shaun Adamson (Can) Juventus/RVC/Kona
DNF James Larmer (Can) Sudbury Cycling Club
DNF Ryan Olson (Can) Team BH/Integrale
DNF Marco Sabatino (Can) La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
DNF Jeff Castenmiller (Can) TREK – Red Truck Ale
DNF Anthony Steenbergen (Can) Team H&R Block
DNF Rob Britton (Can) La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
DNF Ron Klopfer (Can) Team Integrale
DNF Jesse James Collins (Can) Bicisport Gruppo Sportivo Campione
DNS David O’Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance
DNS Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
DNS Allan Prazsky (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNS Andrew Kyle (Can) Aviawest – Rocky Mountain Bicycles
DNS Craig Richey (Can) Aviawest – Rocky Mountain Bicycles
DNS William Goodfellow (Can) Volkswagen – Trek
DNS Shane Savage (Can) Mighty Cycling
DNS Jim Tsilemos (Can) Team Coastal
DNS Chris Squire (Can) Escape Velocity 01
DNS Stephen Ferris (Can) ERTC redbike
DNS Max Plaxton (Can) La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
DNS Owen Sturgess (Can) Escape Velocity 02
DNS Martin Lazarski (Can) Ital Pasta/Transport Belmire

Men Cat 3/4

1. Guy Biggar (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:46.9
2. Nic Hamilton (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycle 29:46.9
3. Horacio Chaves (Can) Mighty Cyclist 29:47.6
4. Bruce Denis (Can) Independant 29:47.9
5. Kenji Jackson (Can) Russ Hay’s The Bicycle Shop 29:48.2
6. Clayton Sansbury (Can) Masi Adobe 29:48.3
7. Owen Sampson (Can) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling 29:48.5
8. Maurizio Giraldi (Can) Mighty Cyclist 29:48.8
9. Vaughn Hildebrand (Can) IRC p/b R.W.Cameron Law 29:48.8
10. Evan Flater (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycle 29:48.9
11. Drew Kaiser (Can) Kelowna Cycle 29:49.5
12. Alexander Pope (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:49.7
13. Jakub Wasiela (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:49.7
14. Johnson Jung (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:50.0
15. David Nelson (Can) Gerick Cycle 29:50.5
16. Wendell Challenger (Can) Mighty Cycling 29:51.0
17. Brian Griffin (Can) Independant 29:51.2
18. Jason Manning (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:51.5
19. Mark Dormer (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:52.2
20. Russell Stead (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 29:53.0
21. Mike Laxdal (Can) Team Integrale 29:53.6
22. James Thompson (Can) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling 29:54.6
23. Tony Zackery (USA) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling 29:55.0
24. Derek Sakamoto (Can) Masi Adobe 29:55.1
25. Zeb Pigott-Duggan (Can) Mighty Cyclist 29:55.8
26. Ian Fingler (Can) Masi Adobe 29:56.5
27. Gerry Van Gaans (Can) Independant 29:58.5
28. Mike Allina (Can) Atomic Racing Club 29:59.8
29. Austin Macdougall (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 30:10.7
30. Cameron Thorpe (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO 30:11.1
DNF Ray Lachance (Can) Independant
DNF Gavin Day (Can) Lazboy Cycling
DNF Tim Harman (Aus) Coburg Cycling Club
DNF Tom Birk (Can) Steed Cycles
DNF Doug Preston (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Curtis Jung (Can) Escape Velocity/DEVO
DNF Chris Jackson (USA) Cadence Cycling
DNF Michael Elkink (Can) Dr. Walker Sports Chiropractor GVVA
DNF Kyle Chura (Can) Independant
DNF Colin Reddin (Can) Independant
DNF DJ Manning (Can) DEVO
DNF Chris McKillican (Can) Kelowna Cycle
DNF Michel Corno (Can) Independant
DNF Roger Bing-Wo (Can) Atomic Racing Club
DNF Mike Fellows (Can) Atomic Racing Club
DNF Robert Bescott (Can) CVC – Central Vancouver Cycling
DNF Anselmo Rossiello (Can) Team Coastal
DNF Bill Yearwood (Can) Mighty Cyclist
DNF Kurtis Vallee (Can) Aviawest/Rocky Mountain Bicycles
DNF Anthony King (Can) Team Glotman Simpson
DNF Paul McCloskey (Can) BH Integrale