PCC Camps are back! Registration is now open for the Base Endurance Camp – the first camp of the 2021-2022 season. Dates are December 2 – 5, 2021.
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Brenna Pauly (centre) on the podium
Last weekend PCC athlete Brenna Pauly competed in the last race of the Vancouver Island Gravel Series, the Burnt Bridge Classic. Here is her race report.
I have done a lot of gravel riding where the Burnt Bridge Classic is located but had never done a couple of the climbs there. Five kilometres into the race we hit the first major climb and I decided to ride tempo up the climb. I ended up riding away from the group and kept the momentum over the climb.
The course offered lots of variety of terrain and beautiful scenery which I was able to take in. I set a steady pace, passing riders that started in the earlier categories. With 15 kilometres to go there was a steep loose climb and rocky decent that was the last technical part of the race before six kilometres of rail trail to finish. After 70 kilometres of solo riding, I crossed the finish line winning the women’s race. It was a great day of racing for all, with many smiling faces crossing the finishing line!
Junior bronze medalist Luke Hubner (right). Photo courtesy Canadian Cyclist
PCC coached athletes took part in the Canadian Road National Championships in Saint-Georges, Quebec from September 10-12th.
For many athletes this was the first time they had competed in a provincial or national race in two years because of COVID. This proved to be a great chance to race with some pros who came back from Europe to race.
In the Junior road race Luke Hubner took the bronze medal – the first of three podium finishes for BC riders.
“This was a great learning experience for Luke, and it was a chance to race with riders from all over Canada,” said PCC head coach Houshang Amiri.
In the women’s elite race Holly Henry was in lead group but in a key moment of the race she suffered a mechanical issue shifting gears and had to abandon the race. Holly Simonson and Brenna Pauly finished in the middle of the pack.
Tom (centre) on the podium at the Districts Points Race
PCC coached athlete, Tom Perkins from San Francisco explains how he had to change his goals in light of the pandemic while still maintaining his training and racing schedule.
Starting the 2021 season was a very slow process. After a year with no racing due to COVID-19, there was not a lot of confirmation as to how much racing would be available for the year. Once events were confirmed, goals had to be adapted. The mid-season goal was to be contesting top 10 positions in road and track events. This meant not only building and maintaining my endurance but also my ability to sprint. As the season moved forward, goals changed again from winning omniums to preparing for Canadian Nationals in January 2022. There is still time to prepare for the nationals and my goal is still to be in the top 10 at events.
At the onset I had a lot of anxiety not knowing how I would handle race situations. At the first road race of the year (Copperopolis) I started feeling very nervous, and during the longer climb I was distanced off the back. I chased on through the flat sector but could not close the gap once the second climb began. It was not a good start to the year, but there was a lot that I could learn from it. Coming into the track season in the middle of June, I was unsure how the first racing would go. At the end of the first night, I was back at Wednesday Night Racing and finished third in the omnium. This provided a massive boost of confidence heading into the following races.
Wednesday Night Racing at Hellyer
My goals coming into this season were to win an omnium or two at Hellyer, podium for State Championships, build my endurance more and prep for Canadian Track Nationals. So far this year I have won multiple omniums at Hellyer, I have taken second in the Scratch Race for State Championships, and won the Points Race at State Championships. I have met many goals this year but still have races to come and a training block to prepare for nationals.
While training and racing have been going well this year, it hasn’t been without issues. The past year and half there have been injuries, smoke from nearby fires, and the ongoing pandemic. I have been lucky that most injuries were minor and/or allowed me to keep training, but they still take a toll. Smoke from fires across California made it hard to ride outdoors, and in some cases would cause my rides to either be indoors or canceled.
At the 2021 Sunrise to Sunset race
I still have some racing left in this year, which means my season report will be updated with results as time goes on. So far, I sit second in the overall series at Hellyer for Wednesday Night Racing, have had a top 10 and a top 5 at Road Races. My next upcoming races are the Madison State Championships are on September 15th, and Criterium State Championships are on the 26th.
Photo courtesy Drew Coleman
PCC’s Holly Henry has just returned from Europe where she has been competing with her team, InstaFund.
Holly signed with InstaFund Racing early in the season competing in early July in the Boise Twilight Criterium in Boise, Idaho. She then went on to race in the Intelligentsia Cup in Chicago. This was a series of nine criteriums from July 16 to 25th which proved a great race experience for her.
In early August Holly based herself in Boulder, Colorado in preparation for the Joe Martin stage UCI America Tour, Category 2 race taking place in Fayetteville, Arkansas from August 26-29th. “This was the first UCI race for Holly giving her valuable experience in a competitive environment,” said PCC Head Coach Houshang Amiri.
The day after the Joe Martin Tour Holly then traveled to Spain for the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta taking place from September 2-5th. This was the first race where the best in world, top pro teams and world champions were present. “Holly was competitive during this stage and pulled a very good performance considering there was no rest between two stage races, she had done a lot of traveling and there were COVID restrictions to follow,” said Amiri.
Holly has arrived back in Canada and is preparing to race at the Canadian Road Nationals from September 10-12th.
“This was a tight schedule for Holly and her team, however given COVID circumstances and the limited access to racing there were some great opportunities,” added Amiri. “I knew Holly was ready for these races and when there is an opportunity to compete she will always do well.”
With so many races cancelled in 2020 and this year, some up and coming athletes were affected. “Racing is an important part of an athlete’s development and competing can provide invaluable experience and can often be a bridge to moving up to the next level,” said Amiri.
The 2021 BC Road Provincial Championships. Photo by TLBVelo Photography
Despite a disrupted race season PCC athlete Brenna Pauly has been busy occupying her time from adventure riding to road racing.
Just like last year 2021 has been another unconventional year for bike racing. The theme of adaptability has come up on numerous occasions. I think it is an important lesson that can be taken away from this year both on and off the bike. While I thought I had already learnt that lesson, I was proved that I needed a little reminder.
The first part of the 2021 season started off like 2020. Cancelled bike races and ever-changing public health restrictions left lots of time to train and adventure by bike. I took to the gravel roads and continued to explore my own backyard. It amazes me that there are still many new routes to explore. With the anticipated return or racing in July, I undertook one last adventure for a little while. The second edition of the summer solstice ride. A gravel loop starting and ending in Victoria and heading west towards Jordan River, up to Lake Cowichan and back. Riding from dawn until dark on gravel roads the day went flawlessly. So smoothly that upon returning to Victoria with just over 300km on the odometer we decided to continue on to complete 320km (200 miles).
Brenna (left) with her Red Truck team at the provincials. Photo by TLBVelo Photography.
I then switched my focus to racing. Starting off small with local VCL races and building to the provincial championships and Tour de Concord over the last few weeks. While it has been so positive seeing teammates and friends and racing again, the path has been a little bumpy. Just when I thought I was gaining momentum race dates changed and got cancelled. It was frustrating at first to feel like we were going backwards again, but with Houshang’s help and a bike packing trip to remind me to just have fun riding, I am back on track. I am currently preparing for the National Road and Time trial championships in Quebec from September 10-12th. I am looking forward to putting all the training to use, and racing against some of the best in the country!
Parker Swanstrom on his way to victory. Photo by Jay Wallace
The last Windsor Park Criterium of the season took place on Sunday and two U19 PCC-coached athletes – Parker Swanstrom and Luke Hubner – placed first and second in Category A.
It was an exciting race with a fast field. Three laps from the end Luke launched a counter attack followed by Parker. They opened up a 15 second gap – enough to take the top two spots from the breakaway.
The Windsor Park Criterium is a popular race on the Victoria cycling scene held every July and August and hosted by the Victoria Wheelers Cycling Club. Windsor Park has a rich cycling history. It was established in 1890 as the Oak Bay Recreation Park and in 1895 a bicycle racing track was built by the Victoria Railway and Electric Lighting Company to encourage use of the streetcar system.
Holly Simonson – Elite BC Provincial Champion. Photo courtesy: TLBVelo Photography
PCC Athletes had a successful day at the BC Road Race Provincial Championships last weekend. Holly Simonson was crowned champion in the elite women’s race and Luke Hubner in the Junior Boys category. Keisha Besler was fifth in the women’s elite race. Micaiah Besler won the U23 Women category but as a non-BC resident couldn’t claim the championship title. She was sixth overall in the race.
Other top ten athletes were: Amiel Flett-Brown (seventh) and Chris MacLeod (ninth) in the Elite Men. Caleb Bender was fourth in the U23 and Brenna Pauly 10th in the Elite Women/U23 Cat 1/2/3.
Congratulations to everyone.
Luke Hubner – Junior Boys BC Provincial Champion. Photo courtesy: TLBVelo Photography
Zoe (right) on the podium at the Tour of America’s Dairyland. Photo courtesy Karl Hendriske, ToAD Official Photographer
PCC riders have been keeping busy this year despite the pandemic. Many races in the U.S. have been happening enabling riders to continue their training and racing. Zoe Saccio has been racing a lot – mainly criteriums. Her season started in Arlington, VA at the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, then she raced Tour of America’s Dairyland, a 10-day criterium series in Wisconsin. “I had some great racing including a top 10 at the Manitowoc Maritime Bay Classic, third place in the series sprint competition, and got lots of primes,” she said.
This past weekend she was in the Boise Twilight Criterium, which is part of the USA Crit Series and the USA Cycling Pro Road Tour. Next up for Zoe is the Intelligentsia Cup in Chicago from July 16 – 25. This a series of nine races (criteriums and road races) in the metropolitan Chicago area.
With BC now into Return to Sport Restart 2.0 Pacific Cycling Centre athletes are back training as a group on the track and road. PCC will be following the guidelines as posted by ViaSport on indoor and outdoor sport.
Track sessions are Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 – 6 pm at the Westshore Velodrome in Victoria and group rides have resumed on Saturday mornings from PISE at Commonwealth Place.
PCC Head Coach has also announced that all services including VO2 Max and Wingate testing, and bike fitting is open. Check out the services here.
During the pandemic PCC athletes have continued their training and racing when they have been able, but being in stage 3 of the BC Restart, and with more provinces opening up, they will be able to compete more.
Coming up later this month is Trackfest at the Westshore Velodrome from July 23 – 25.