2013 has been a year of expansion for Pucked in the Head, with multiple correspondents and guest bloggers posting here for the first time and coverage moving past our hockey-only beginnings to include soccer, football, baseball, and tennis. Well make room on the bench, folks, because we’ve got one more writer — Ross Arbo — bringing us one more athletic endeavour just perfect for the awesome summer weather that has finally deigned to visit Vancouver: competitive cycling.

A Crash Course on Local Cycling
by Ross Arbo

July should really be renamed ‘Bike-tober’ because around the world, it really is the best month for cycling. That goes double for competitive cycling. The month named for Julius Caesar sees France host ‘le Grand Tour’ (#TdF), of course, which is a premier event even after Lance Armstrong’s travails. Locally, July brings BC Superweek to the Lower Mainland. You may not have heard the name BC Superweek, but I’m willing to bet most locals have heard of the Gastown Grand Prix, the Giro di Burnaby or the Tour de Whiterock. If you live in the Vancouver area, you or someone you know grew up near one of these events. And there’s no shortage of history — the Gastown event alone has been running since 1975.

The latest incarnation of BC Superweek began in 2002 when the Gastown Grand Prix returned to Vancouver and scheduled itself on the Wednesday between the two weekends occupied by the Tour de Delta and Tour de White Rock. The oldest events are the Gastown Grand Prix (started in 1973) and the Tour de White Rock (1979). The other three races that make up BC Superweek are the Giro di Burnaby, Tour de Delta and the UBC Grand Prix.

Most of the races in BC Superweek are Criteriums (or Crits) where racers complete multiple laps around short courses (less than 2km). What does that mean for spectators? Crits are frantic, fast, and finished in less than an hour.

More after the jump.

As of Friday, 215 local, national, and international cyclists have registered to test their racing abilities against the stiffest of competition. How stiff? I’m glad you asked. Langley’s Svein Tuft won the time trial at the UBC Grand Prix last year, and is currently racing in the Tour de France (and kicking ass, by the by, leading his team Orica Greenedge to win Stage 4 time trial!). “Last year, UBC Grand Prix. This year, THE WORLD!!!!!” 

As many as 25,000 spectators are expected to take in the races. They’re all free to watch so you should go watch. Race schedules are:

Tour de Delta (July 5-7)
Yep, this one’s already underway. Saturday saw a familiar face at the finish line — San Diego’s Ken Hanson, winner of last year’s Gastown Grand Prix, topped the podium in the Pro Men’s race for  Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. His teammate Ryan Anderson from North Vancouver took second place in this stage, the Brenco Crit race around the heart of Ladner. The course was flat with tight corners so there were quite a few sprints and a couple of early crashes. The women’s race was tightly contested, with  Robin Farina of Nashville, Tennessee and Ireland’s Olivia Dillon, both of Team NOW and Novartis for MS, finishing 1-2 ahead of San Francisco’s Elle Anderson from Team Vanderkitten,

Sunday (that’s today!) is the big race; the White Spot / Delta Road Race. Riders complete 13 laps of a large 12km course. Compared to Crits, this is a race of strategy and endurance. Noon start.

UBC Grand Prix (July 9)
This one welcomes and encourages those new to bike racing by hosting a kids race (12 and under only, ladies & gents) AND a corporate race before the professional Crit race. The course has lots of tight corners including a hairpin. One competitive racer told me, “Due to the shape of the course, it’s really hard to progress through the pack if you find yourself at the back. The tight corners will really slow the back of the pack down as the group goes through the course.” Lots of extra fun activities going on for the whole fan damily. Bouncy castle? Check! Street party and beer garden? Check! (And may I say, Mate!) The fun starts at noon with the pro men’s race at 7:30pm.

Gastown Grand Prix (July 10)
The GGP is considered by many to be the premier event of BC Superweek. Over 20,000  fans will be cheering on some top racers through the cobblestone streets of Gastown. I’ve been to this race in the past and it’s definitely worth attending. Past winners include Lance Armstrong (no, his GGP title wasn’t taken away), Canada’s Alex Steida and Alison Sydor. This is another Crit so the pace is fast and furious. Secure a spot on the sidelines early, as the race start is 5:45pm. A lot of photographers, professional and amateur alike, try their hands at some dramatic shots with the historic Gastown architecture as the backdrop in this race — why not join them? iPhones and crazy long lenses  alike are welcome.

Giro di Burnaby (July 11)
North Burnaby joined the BC Superweek fray in 2007 and offers a 1.3Km Crit up and down Hastings Street in the heart of North Burnaby. At its core this is a community event which sees the whole  of Burnaby Heights come out to support the race. Businesses, families, you name it — if they’re in the area, they’re out and enjoying the festivities. Women’s race starts at 6pm, men’s at 7:15.

Tour de White Rock (July 12-14)
Friday, July 12 is the Homelife Realty Hill Climb. One racer explained it as being in “…a pain cave. Pick a gear and go as hard as you can. I big ringed it last year and came in third for my category. [I picked the] wrong gear, as I got near the top I was at a near standstill.” The climb (16% grade!?!) starts at 7pm.

July 13 is the Choices Market Crit around Whiterock Elementary. Racers easily reach 70Km/hr on the downhill section — my dudes, that’s a scary speed on a bike. Race starts at 4pm.

July 14 is the Peace Arch News Road Race, an epic course 130km long that will truly test the rider’s abilities. This grueling race starts at 9am and will end around 12:30pm.

So get out there a few nights this week and cheer on the racers. Some big names you may see on the winner’s podium are Vancouverite Sebastian Salas, Whistler native Ben Chaddock, Christian Meier (teammate of Svein Tuft), and Zach Bell (winner of 2013 Canadian Elite National Road Race).