by admin | Aug 10, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
The morning after they’d stretched their legs with a 31km prologue around Fernie’s singletrack, the 450 riders of the 2010 TransRockies and TR3 lined up on Voctoria Avenue for Stage 2. Led by the vintage Studebaker fire engine for the traditional lap around downtown, the riders were heartened by scattered summer clouds the forecast of a perfect midsummer day for their 71km ride up the Elk Valley to Sparwood. Less technical than the day before, the course would test riders with 1900 metres of climbing and some relentless fire road riding along with the precipitous 1000 vertical metre singletrack Porky Blue descent off Fernie Ridge testing nerves and brakes.
Stage 2 was the first mass start or 2010 and the adrenaline was flowing freely with the pre-race jitters finally running free. With one minute until start, the announcer turned up the traditional start song “Highway to Hell” up to 11 and the riders streamed out of town and up the first major climb of the day. With a very different course than the day before, there was a strong chance that different riders would show their faces at the front of the race and that the race would be more tactical than the previous day’s all out effort.
Click here for: TR 2010 Stage 2 Results
2009 TR3 winner Cory Wallace started Stage 2 determined to be in the mix for the stage win and he made the break which formed early in the ride Max Plaxton and Adam Craig, the two fastest finishers on Day 1 and regulars on the World Cup race circuit. Perhaps because they hadn’t raced against him in the past, Adam and Max didn’t respond when Cory upped the pace on the last climb of the day, opening a small gap in the process. He kept the needle at redline on the short road drag into Sparwood and grabbed the stage with a scorching 3:07:32, 23 seconds ahead of his former breakway partners. Plaxton retains the jersey with a 1-minute lead over Craig with Wallace holding third over 5 minutes behind.
The Open Women’s TR3 race has quickly become a one-woman show as Kelli Emmett of Team Giant has showed her World Cup speed and skill on both stages 1 and 2, finishing among the top men both days. With nearly an hour’s lead in the overall she’s a safe bet for the win tomorrow.
After the muddy ride the day before, all the riders commented on how fast the course was on day 2. The picked up a strong tailwind along the valley for the last half of the day helping to push them to the finish in faster than expected times.
Cory Wallace’s Kona Teammates Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon took their second straight stage win on stage 2 coming in roughly 7 minutes behind the solo category winners, a small gap considering that they’re pacing themselves for 7 days of racing not 3. 2009 Champions Marty Lazarski and Stefan Widmer (Rocky Mountain Factory) finished second and held their second place standing overall. Jumping into the top three were the Belgian duo of Wouter DeClercq and Wesley Luca (Granville-Trustteam) who jumped into third overall as well.
The 80+ Men’s Division saw a change of leaders’ jerseys on stage 2 as last year’s champions the Czechmasters (Milan Spolc/ Martin Horak) turned around a 4-minute deficit to Stage 1 winners Team Mule Bar (Pete Turnbull/George Rose) of the UK with an 8-minute gap on stage 2. The Open Women’s Category looks as though it will be a two-team race with the Calgary Duo of Trish Graczyk and Alana Heise (Deadgoat Racing) holding the upper hand over 2009 Champions Magi and Kate Scallion of Canmore.
by admin | Aug 8, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
Like many ski towns, Fernie has more than the usual amount of great coffee shops lining its Main Street and they were bursting at the seams with hundreds of mountain bikers and their friends throughout Day 1 of the 2010 TransRockies and TR3.
Riders were, of course, looking for a last caffeine jolt before embarking upon the opening singletrack time trial while friends and family were looking for a cover and respite from the rain which arrived during the previous night’s opening ceremonies. After stopping overnight, the drizzle started again in the early morning and didn’t let up until the elite riders started to leave the start line at 1:30. The rain was a shock to many as Fernie had basked in sunshine over the previous days as riders arrived in town and prepared for the challenges to come.
The 9th edition of the TransRockies is the first one to open with the now traditional time trial giving all the competitors a chance to leave all their first day jitters and nerves out there on the trail without the added pressure of a mass start with hundreds of other riders.
The day was divided into two waves of starters: non-UCI licensed riders and teams left the start line between 9 and roughly 11:30am with 30 second gaps between each starter. The UCI licensed riders and teams left every minute starting at 1:30PM with Adam Craig of Team Rabobank/Giant given the honours as the highest internationally ranked racer.
The fastest times in the first wave were turned in by the top teams in the Open Mixed and 80+ Men’s Division along with some of faster solo riders. Competition in the Open Mixed Division was expected to be close and it lived up to advance billing with three strong teams fighting for first place. Last year’s Champions, Jeff Neilson and Mycal Dyck (Team Terrascape/Trek Canada) were nipped by Coloradans Gretchen Reeves and Cannon Shockley (Tokyo Joes/Tennessee Pass Cookhouse)who won the stage in 2:19 roughly a minute ahead of Dyck and Neilson who clocked a 2:20. In third place were Wendy Simms/Normon Thibault of Kona/Frontrunners who finished in third 5 minutes later.
The 80+ Men’s Division was another tight battle on day one but this with an intercontinental flavour as a team from the UK beat teams from Canada and the Czech Republic to reach the top of the podium. Pete Turnbull and George Rose (Mule Bar) came in first ahead of Pat Doyle and Craig Bartless (Deadgoat Racing/RMCC) who finished just behind in second and last year’s 80+ Men’s Champions Milan Spolic and Martin Horak of the Czech Republic.
The second wave of riders who started at 1:30 were treated to gradually clearing skies and course conditions which were firming up rapidly under the occasional breaks of high mountain sunshine. Max Plaxton (Team ShoAir) left the startline second behind Craig and pushed from the start hoping to catch Craig and take the honours on the first day. At CP 1, he got word that he had cut the one minute gap to 30 seconds and he finally got Adam in sight coming out of Stage 2. With two big days of racing to follow, Adam and Max worked together to the finish line to gap the rest of the men’s field with Max taking the stage honours.
Kelli Emmett (Giant) showed her world class fitness and riding skills to rage through the course passing riders and teams who started ahead of her to post a dominant victory in the Open Women’s category of the TR3.
In the TransRockies Open Men’s Division, the field was lead by Barry Wick and Kris Sneddon (KONA) who started 1 minute ahead of 2009 Champions Marty Lazarski and Stefan Widmer (Rocky Mountain Factory). While the gap never stretched out during the day’s racing, Wick and Sneddon held their advantage to the finish and took the first set of leaders’ jerseys of 2010.
Fernie riders placed well with several reaching top ten placings. Frank Gilmard, below, shows his pleasure with a 6th place finish in men’s over 40 open.
The first day time trial should have settled the nerves of the 450 riders and with clearing skies and a sunny forecast for Stage 2, riders will be good and ready for the 70+ km and nearly 2000 metres of climbing to come on the rider to Sparwood. Stay tuned to www.transrockies.com for reports, images and full results to be posted as they are available.
by admin | May 10, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
As Spring marches on and the days get warmer, there are clearly lots of you getting your bikes out of hibernation and getting inspired to ride in 2010. This past week we rode Stage 1 in Fernie and the singletrack and riding conditions were amazing. In just under three hours with a GPS in hand we discovered Pat Gilmar’s , Route Director, amazing Time Trail section. Stage 1 is sure to please and Fernie’s hospitality is sure to comfort.
We’ve been getting a steady stream of registrations and are getting ever closer to a sell out of TR3. Over 90 per cent of the available spots have been confirmed for the second edition of the three-day solo race on the singletrack around Fernie, through the Elk Valley and over the Continental Divide into Alberta. That means that we’ll soon be putting out the “No Vacancy” sign for 2010.
If TR3 sells out, why not consider the full TR this year? If you’ve been training enough for three days on the trails, you’re not far away from being ready for the full seven days. If you’re still searching for a partner, be sure to use the forum or Facebook page to connect with other riders.
2010 is going to be the most exciting edition of the TransRockies since our first so if it’s been on your life to-do list why not check it off this year?
For full registration details, visit http://transrockies.com/trc/register/index.htm.
by admin | Mar 4, 2010 | Fernie TransRockies
The TransRockies Start is returning to Fernie, following three years of hosting the Finish! Fernie originally hosted the Start for five consecutive years. In addition Stage 1 will be a time-trial on local trails where the riders will start and finish in Downtown Fernie. Then the following morning, Stage 2 will start in downtown Fernie and head North to Elkford.
It all will begin on August 7 when hundreds of mountain bikers from around the World will show up to register for the ninth annual TransRockies Challenge. Over the next seven days, they will travel 400 km with nearly 12,000 metres of climbing though the Canadian Rocky Mountains by the time they finish in downtown Canmore, Alberta on August 14.
“We are thrilled that the TransRockies Start is returning to Fernie,” said Dan Savage, TransRockies Society. “They get to ride the best bike trails in Canada, for two stages. Having hundreds of riders in town for multiple days will be a great vibe and boost local businesses.”
Riders are expected to arrive in Fernie days before registration to prepare for the event. During the lead up and on the weekend–retail shops, accommodations, and restaurants will be busy.
On August 8 the Stage 1 time trial will take riders to the top of Castle Mountain and on a number of technical single track trails in Ridgemont. “This TransRockies will offer the best single track riding ever”, said BC Route Director Pat Gilmar. For Stage 2 the riders will be heading north and east to Elkford.
Stage 3 takes riders across the Alberta border and over the Continental Divide to finish at the Etherington Creek Wilderness Campground in Kananaskis Country. The next day, August 11, Stage 4 will continue through Kananaskis Country, to an authentic western ranch located on the edge of the Sheep River Wildlife Reserve, 45 minutes south of Calgary.
On Stage 5 and 6, riders will head high into K-Country again for two days of single and double track ridgeline riding on the spine of the Rockies. On the last night of the TransRockies, riders will be treated to more western hospitality at historic Rafter Six Ranch. On the final stage, August 14, riders will follow the TransCanada Trail to the Canmore Nordic Centre, site of the 1988 Olympic winter Games and several World Cup mountain bike races, before descending to the finish line on Main Street in Canmore.
Fernie is the only community to host all nine TransRockies events. The first five starts was followed by three finishes. This year the event will feature two starts and one finish. Without question this will be the largest bike festival ever to roll through Fernie’s Downtown.
For more information email: transrockies@fernie.com.
by admin | Aug 16, 2008 | Fernie TransRockies
Hello Fernie!
Sherpa Shayne here in the Crow’s Nest Pass, having successfully completed the ride from Elkford. It was long, hot, dirty, and I think that Pat Gilmar has a price on his head for designing the course. Both Pepper and I are hanging in there with bandages and butt cream. The bikes have been running fabulous (thanks Straightline et al), and we are looking forward to coming home.
Support for Asthma Canada continues to come in from our fellow riders, they are impressed to see us out there. Despite this, my moustache continues to grow along with the ratty goatee. All donations would be greatly appreciated, especially by Mary-Jane. We look forward to seeing you all very soon. Home has never looked sooooooooo good.
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