June 08, 2019 (Victoria, BC) – It takes a gambler’s mentality to make a break on a gruelling Motus Cycling Classic course. That’s why at today’s 2019 Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championships, the 40-49 category mens did not want to show their cards.

“Everyone had their poker face on,” Langlois Brown Racing’s Jeffrey Werner who had just a few drops of gas in the tank to sprint to the Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championship title. “I kept looking around – he’s not hurting…he’s not hurting.”

“I don’t like leaving it to a sprint, but we had no choice,” he said. “Everyone brought their A-Game.” Werner credited teammate David Gerth for keeping the pack at bay in the final stretch and force them to chase him down on the final sprint.”

Second place went to Pender Racing p/b Neighourhood’s Jon Bula and third place went to Morning Glory Cycling Club’s Gregory Moore – all three podium finishers completing the 110K course in 3:06:39.

Local rider Samantha Holt of the Victoria Wheelers was crowned the 2019 Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championship W30-39 winner after crossing the finish line of the 70K course in 2:32:15. With little training on the Metchosin hills, Holt credited her work on cornering rather than course familiarity for her victory.

She did admit she needed to work on counting laps. “On the last (10K) lap, I thought I had three more to go,” she said. Luckily, she took heed of her three-woman lead pack to put up another piece of hardware after finishing third in the time trial. “I moved up the podium,” she smiled.

In the men’s 50-59 race, Toronto’s Steve McKee, riding for Wheels of Bloor / Autostyle Collision, had a bit of (cycling) stage fright with three laps to go in his 90K race after hearing a few riders behind him knock wheels, sending McKee into a solo break.

“What am I doing? I’m a sprinter!” he thought after waiting for the bunch and then deciding he had to go it alone. This sent him on his way to crossing the line first in 2:33:54 in front of United Velo’s Scott Goguen (2:35:35) and Fulgas Cycling Team’s Richard Loney (2:36:13).

In the men’s 30-39, Victoria Wheelers Cycling Club’s Clayton Hiltz had a lot of hometown help – winning the title after finishing the 110K course in 3:07:12. In the second to last lap, Hiltz, Taylor Little (PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings) and Richard Costello (Steed Cycles) battled in a three-man break with Victoria Wheelers Brent Dallimore closely behind.

But it was another teammate, fifth-place finisher Andrew Russell that assured Hiltz’s win. “Andrew worked at the front for quite a while and that really helped,” he said.

In the men’s 60+ race, Victoria Breakaway Cycling rider Barry Beck appeared ready to share his winner’s jersey with the teammate that got him across the line first. He credited and dedicated his victory to third-place finisher Garth Campbell who is just back on the bike after breaking ribs and his collarbone while racing in Europe.

The field split in the first few laps with a pack of 9 to 10 riders staying together for the rest of the 70K race. Beck surged ahead of Independent – Opus rider Stéphane LeBeau in the final metre to take the victory in 2:014:07. “It was nip and tuck,” Beck said.

Victoria’s TripleShot Cycling Club’s Heather Simonson added another piece of hardware to her 2019 Canadian Masters Cycling Championship gold medal collection, taking the victory in the 50-59 womens race while pretty much riding solo the entire 70K race.

Other Canadian Masters Cycling Champions crowned: Watt Riot Cycling Debra Parker (40-49); and Victoria’s Hillerie Denning (60+).

The Robert W. Cameron Law Cycling Series p/b Jim Pattison Lexus and the 2019 Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championships concludes tomorrow with the Russ Hay’s Grand Prix and masters chasing the Canadian Masters Criterium Championship titles around the Legislature Building criterium course. Sunday’s action also includes elite and junior racing, the ever-popular, “too cute for words” Tim Hortons Timbit Challenge.

Results (brief)

Men 30-39 (110K)
1. Clayton Hiltz (Victoria Wheelers Cycling Club) 3:07:12
2. Taylor Little (PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings) 3:07:13
3. Richard Costello (Steed Cycles) 3:07:14
4. Brent Dallimore (Victoria Wheelers) 3:08:33
5. Andrew Russell (Victoria Wheelers) 3:11:11

Men 40-49 (70K)
1. Jeffrey Werner (Langlois Brown Racing (3:06:39
2. Jon Bula (Pender Racing p/b Neighbourhood Holdings s/t
3. Gregory Moore (Morning Glory Cycling Club) s/t
4. Brian Green (Victoria Wheelers) 3:06:46
5. Matt Usborne (PenderFund p/b Neighbourhood Holdings) s/t

Men 50-59 (90K)
1. Steve McKee (Wheels of Bloor/Autostyle Collision) 2:33:54
2. Scott Goguen (United Velo) 2:35:35
3. Richard Loney (Fulgas Cycling Team) 2:36:13
4. David Gazsi (Hammer/53X11) 2:36:21
5. Chris Worsfold (Hewdog Racing) 2:36:23

Men 60+ (70K)
1. Barry Beck (Victoria Breakaway Cycling) 2:14:07
2. Stéphane Labeau (Independent – Opus) s/t
3. Garth Campbell (Victoria Breakaway Cycling s/t
4. Danny Lowndes (Procity Cycling) s/t
5. Chris Cameron (Mid Island Velo Association) s/t

Women 30-39 (70K)
1. Samantha Hoft (Victoria Wheelers) 2:32:15
2. Jennifer Bell (Thunder Bay Cycling Club) 2:41:55
3. Éloide Berthelier (Powerwatts) 2:42:02

Women 40-49 (70K)
1. Debra Parker (Watt Riot Cycling) 2:32:03
2. Chantal Gosselin (Polo Vélo Women’s Racing Team) 2:32:16
3. Haley Block (Watt Riot Cycling) 2:41:58

Women 50-59 (70K)
1. Heather Simonson (TripleShot Cycling Club) 2:32:18
2. Dawn Heinemeyer (Calgary Crankmasters Cycling Club) 2:38:42
3. Kelly Erdman (54Blue) 2:38:51

Women 60+ (70K)
1. Hillarie Denning (Hillarie Denning Cycling) 2:35:14
2. Jane Weller (TAG Racing Team) -1 lap