The Cameron Law Cycling Series is always an exciting race for Trek Red Truck. Close to home in beautiful Victoria, there’s sure to be strong competition, big crowds, and the opportunity to show what our team is made of. 2015 was no exception!
Things started off fast and furious with the Sprint Challenge, held at the Western Speedway. On the women’s side, Gillian and I entered the 30 lap scratch race. With just two of us, we wanted to make the race as dynamic as possible. Launching attack after attack, we were able to whittle down the field until the final sprint, where Gillian grabbed 3rd for a spot on the podium. Not bad for a couple of time trialists! The men met some stiff competition as well, but some savvy strategy and an impressive kick landed Dylan 2nd, with Joel just off the podium in 4th.
The Cheemo Perogies Cycling Classic was the next morning, and it would prove to be a tough grind for the racers on the course. The men faced 12 loops, while the women had 8, of an extremely challenging course – if you weren’t tucked in descending, you were slogging up brutal climbs. An uphill finish added another dynamic to the race. Once again, Gillian and I were on our own for this one. We tried to conserve and pick our moments carefully, as the wall climbed each lap was very draining on the legs. Eventually it came down to a sprint finish, where we just missed the podium with a 4th and 5th place. However, it was the TRT men who put on the real show that morning – a bold move by Craig got him up the road with another rider, where they proceeded to put more than 5 minutes into the peloton! It came down to a duel between the two riders, but it was Craig who sprinted to the win. Joel held on for 5th place in the pack sprint, a strong result in a deep field.
The weekend wrapped up with the Grand Prix, a criterium around the BC Legislature in downtown victoria. The women’s race kicked off at noon, and Gillian and I welcomed a few more teammates who had flown in from out east. Leah, Suzanne, and Sarah joined us for an aggressive and extremely fun race. With good numbers, we attacked from the gun and kept it fast. I was able to get up the road early on, and thanks to some great maneuvering by my teammates, stay ahead to eventually take the win solo. In the peloton, TRT stayed on the gas, attacking the other girls relentlessly and setting Leah up for the sprint, where she came third! The ladies weren’t the only ones to have a good day at the office – the men put on another impressive show. When a rider got up the road with 19 laps to go, TRT knew they’d have to put in the work to bring it back – fortunately, a strong attack got Craig and another rider up to him. With the riders neck and neck in the final few laps, Craig got away once again to take the win. Willem also had a great result, finishing a strong 4th.
All in all, TRT had a great weekend in Victoria, with plenty of podiums thanks to some awesome teamwork. Of course, there’d be no podiums without our amazing sponsors, who are beyond supportive. Thanks to them for everything they do for us!