Pedal Magazine has made an announcement that it is closing after 30 years in the cycling business. The magazine under editor Benjamin Sadavoy, has been a great proponent of the Canadian cycling scene with its in depth articles, reviews and race news.

The magazine – in print and online – was a great supporter of the Pacific Cycling Centre publishing news of our athletes over the years and promoting our camps. One issue in late 2011 featured a full page photo of coach Houshang Amiri, Svein Tuft, Erinne Willock, Rob Britton, Annie Ewart and Jamie Sparling enjoying a coffee after a camp session in Victoria. Cycling legends captured by Pedal – with help from photographer Scott Mitchell of Trek Bikes.

Thanks Benjamin for your major contribution to Canadian cycling.

Pacific Cycling Centre alumni were out at the Canadian Road Nationals over the long weekend in July and secured a one-two result in the Time Trial. Rob Britton took the win over 11-time National TT champion Svein Tuft. They are also teammates, cycling for Rally UHC.

Both Rob and Svein were part of the cycling programs at the National Cycling Centre in Victoria. Rob from 2004-2009 and Svein from 2005-2009. Svein is a silver medalist at the world championships and he came ninth in the time trial in the Beijing Summer Olympics. “I had the privilege of working with both of them in the first few years of their development,” said Houshang Amiri who coached them at NCC.

Victoria athletes also placed in the road race: Adam de Vos took first place with Nigel Ellsay coming second. They also ride for Rally UHC.

 

Eight PCC athletes competed in the Tour de Bloom Stage Race last weekend, which resulted in a GC win for Caleb Bender, his first Tour win, and a third place for Holly Simonson in the final road race.

The race was a three-day cycling event from May 3-5, held under perfect weather in the Wenatchee Valley, WA. Stage 1 was a road race in Plain on Friday; stage 2 was a Merckx-style time trial on Saturday morning, and stage three a twilight criterium in downtown Wenatchee on Saturday afternoon. The final stage 4 road race was among the rolling wheat fields near Waterville in adjacent Douglas County on Sunday.

“Tour de Bloom was a great experience and I had so much fun competing in the race, with every course being really challenging,” Caleb said about the weekend’s racing, who races for TaG Cycling.

Competing in Category 3, he started off strong in Friday’s road race finishing fourth. “I had a really great start to the race. I followed a couple moves early on, but nothing stuck, and the race came down to the final climb,” he said. “I was happily surprised to find that I was positioned well at the base of the climb, and the legs felt good enough to stick with the three leaders up the climb until the final sprint to take fourth.”

He rode well on both the time trial and the criterium on the Saturday to maintain his GC position, but it was the final road race that was the highlight. Feeling comfortable on the course, he said it resembled the rolling hills of his native province, Saskatchewan. He had a tactic in mind: “I knew I wanted to get in a break on the day, and set out wanting to make up some time, being a few seconds off the GC podium.” He made an early break with three other riders, quickly creating a large gap. “We worked well together and managed to keep on pushing for the rest of the race growing the gap even more on the last lap. The breakaway stuck until the line, and I managed second in the final sprint! We also got a large enough gap on the pack for me to take my first GC win!”

“Overall I am really happy with how the weekend went. Huge thanks to Houshang and Pacific Cycling Centre for all of the coaching, support, and guidance. It means so much to have such a great and supportive coach, and I am happy with how much I have improved as a rider because of it!”

That same weekend Alex Amiri raced in the 2019 Tour of Gila in Silver City New Mexico with his host team “Team California”.

“These were the final races of our pre-competition phase and I am happy where each of those athletes are at this time of the year with their form and development,” said head coach Houshang Amiri.

PCC athletes excelled at the Tour of Walla Walla last weekend in Washington. Holly Simonson and Brenna Pauly rode the four-stage race for Team Red Truck and Holly recorded a win on the second stage.

The weekend started with the Wilson Hollow Time Trial – a 11km out and back route. Holly had a strong ride and going into stage two was fifth overall. Stage two was the Waitsburg Road Race. “Things got super exciting as the team began to bring the heat early on,” Holly recalls. “We started launching attacks, taking turns and forcing the pack to chase us down repeatedly. Eventually a few started sticking, notably we had Brenna get away and she had a solo break for around 15kms of the first lap.”

With her TRT teammates support Holly continued to push and attack. “My breakaway partner was lower in GC than I was going into the stage, so I knew that by working with her and taking it to the line, we would both move up, but I wouldn’t be in jeopardy of her beating me in the overall unless something unexpected happened.” At the final climb Holly gave it her all. “I gave my last ounce of energy to get out of the saddle and took the lead in the final 200m, taking the win for TRT. I found out that I had moved into first in the GC! The whole team was really excited to have shaken up the overall standings after working so hard and executing a plan perfectly.”

Stage three was the 60-minute criterium and with a small field Holly and her team were very optimistic. ”We raced aggressively starting about 20mins into the race, hoping to set up a break with one of us either solo or with someone a bit lower on GC. That ended up not being in the cards, and the bunch was still together going into the last couple laps.” Holly ended up third on the stage.

Sunday, and the final stage, came and went with more than a little excitement, Holly recalls. “We went into the day with hopes to hold the GC lead, and also to take another stage win. Neither of these ended up happening, but not for lack of a fight! the whole team gave it their all in the super windy and tough 100km race.”

Holly, Brenna and the other strong racers, rotated for lead for the entire race with Holly coming third on the stage with her team moving into second and third overall to finish off the weekend.

“Part of bike racing is dealing with unexpected scenarios and doing everything in the team’s power to come out with the wanted results,” Holly said. “We certainly did that on the day and came up just a little bit short of the win but smiling all the same. The experience of holding a jersey at a stage race for my first time was super fun, and I was so lucky to be there with a team who put everything out on the road to defend it. A big thanks to my coach, Houshang Amiri, whose advice and expertise keep me in check and who always supports me racing with my heart and with an open mind, gaining experience and strength in any way I can.”