Local Heros Win BC Cancer Foundation's Tour de Gastown 2008

July 17, 2008

VANCOUVER – It was a night for the ages! A perfect summer's evening, a capacity crowd, and some of the closest and most intense racing ever seen on the streets of Gastown.

In the end, it was two local heroes who took the honours in this year's BC Cancer Foundation's Tour de Gastown. Canadian Olympian, Gina Grain of Burnaby, B.C., riding for the Webcor Builders Cycling Team won the 36 km women's race in a time of 52:39.3, just one-tenth of second ahead of Cheerwine Pro Cycling's Kelly Benjamin from Kansas City, Missouri. Third was New Zealander, Ruth Corset, who rides for the Jazz Apple Cycling Team.

The men's finish was equally close with North Vancouver's Andrew Pinfold getting the win for Symmetrics Cycling after coming from behind in a dramatic sprint over the last 100 metres. His wining time was 1:16:07.1. In second place, just two-tenths of a second behind Pinfold, was Australia's Hilton Clarke riding for Toyota-United, followed by Pinfold's Symmetrics teammate, Zack Bell from Yukon.

The women's race was preceded by a special introduction of Grain and her Webcor teammate and last year's women's champion, Erinne Willock of Victoria B.C. The pair will soon be heading to Beijing to represent Canada in the Olympics.

Grain and Willock stayed well up with the leading bunch for most the race as the top contenders battled for supremacy around the super-fast 1.2 km course. But in the end it was Grain who made the most of Willock's pace-setting to power her way to the front with just metres to go. Willock's elation at her teammate's victory was evident by a joyous fist-pump as she crossed the line in 18th place, barely three seconds behind Grain.

In a way, it was sweet revenge for Grain who was unseated as women's champion by Willock in last year's race.

The calibre of the women's field was evidenced by the fact that 37 of the 53 starting riders were classified as finishers.

As was expected, the 60 km men's race produced fireworks on a grand scale. It was inevitable with so many big names in the field. The scene was set right from the gun when Tour de France veteran, Chris Horner of Bend, Oregon, riding for the Astana Cycling Team, shot out to an early lead pursued by the peleton.

But as Horner was reeled in over the next 40 laps, it was local favourite and Olympic hopeful, Svein Tuft of Langley B.C., riding for Symmetrics Cycling who pulled away. At one point with just four laps to go his lead over the peleton was an amazing 22 seconds and the crowd sensed a great victory for the flying Tuft.

Then, as the riders came into view at the east end of Water Street for the final time, they were in a solid bunch; Tuft had been caught and courage alone was not enough to carry him to the line first.

But his hard work in the closing laps of the race had paid off big time for his Symmetrics teammates who surged to the front with Pinfold taking top spot and Bell in third. It was a truly memorable performance by the Symmetrics team in general and Tuft in particular.

The intense pace of the men's race meant only the best survived to the finish with just 44 of 116 starters finishing.

Being part of the USA Crit Series clearly attracted top talent to this year's BC Cancer Foundation's Tour de Gastown, and has set the scene for an even more exciting event next year.

View the Race Results.