The last race in the Tour de Delta is the UCI road race around the suburbs of Tsawassen. This year the course had changed, leaving a few parties confused, but ended up making it more exciting for the spectators as they were able to see the racers pass by the start/finish twice a lap.
After a successful start to Superweek, the TRT ladies decided to go with our usual game plan – be aggressive to try and get a break. And yes, we were definitely aggressive. The girls attacked off the front of the race, one after another, in hopes of making something stick on the windy ‘out of sight – out of mind’ kind of course. Before we were able to establish a break, a bit of tragedy struck. We unfortunately lost Suz to a horrific crash that split up the field and caused chaos among the peloton. From then on a few of us spent some time perfecting our caravan riding skills – I personally visited it more than once – as well as working on our ‘race communication’ skills (see picture below).
To make things even more stressful, nearing the end of the race we were graced with the first rains of the summer – making the pavement slick and prone to crashes. Lots of crashes. However the girls held strong, kept riding off the front and fought for every inch of the road. In the final sprint Denise powered through to land 6th place – the highest place for TRT yet at this (now) UCI road race! We finished exhausted; physically and mentally, but happy with the knowledge that we proved once again that TRT is here to make the race, and go for the big W.
The men endured a hugely aggressive race. The course is deceptively difficult – although there aren’t very many climbs – the corners and road furniture mean that you have to be ‘on’ at all times. The boys gave a huge effort, and held their own against some of the top North American teams that came out to battle.
The best part about this race was sharing it with our supporters, managers and teammates. After killing yourself on the bike for hours, it’s the best feeling to be greeted with a warm smile and a high five from the people who got you there. So thank you to all the people who make TRT possible. P.S. Suzanne is tough as nails – although she was carried out on a stretcher, suffered multiple injuries and spent 8 days in bed – she is already gearing up for the next race!