Bike Fest
Banff National Park came alive over the weekend of June 18-21 with over 400 cyclists participating in seven events taking place over four days. From tricycles to training wheels, canoe clad cruisers to multi-thousand-dollar racing bikes, cyclists took to the streets of Banff and Lake Louise with competitive spirits.
Riders from throughout Western Canada and the US put on a spectacular show for the cheering spectators, and the 2009 Banff National Park Bike Fest concluded with the awarding of over $20,000 in prize money.
See you all next year, June 17 – 20, 2010.
UPDATE June 21, 8 pm
A massive bunched sprint closed the final stage of the Banff National Park Bike Fest, with Dave Vukets of Trek Red Truck Racing grabbing his first win of the five-stage race. A small group had stayed off the front for the latter part of the 117 kilometres, but were reeled in with 2 laps to go, setting the stage for an exciting 24-rider sprint to the finish. Cyrus Kangarloo (Team H&R Block - Kona) powered his way to second with Dan Skinner (Garneau Evolution) taking third.
The smaller women's field broke up early in their 52 kilometre event, with a three-rider break working together to the finish. Alison Testroete of Total Restoration Cycle Team took her first stage win of the weekend, followed by Julie Beveridge, (Team Tibco), and Heather Kay (ERTC Revolution Cycling).
Jamie Sparling finished in the lead pack to hold onto the yellow jersey he'd worn since the first stage. Trek Red Truck Racing completed the sweep of the men's General Classification with Rob Britton taking second just 3.6 seconds down, and Dave Vukets in third, off 32.3 seconds. Julie Beveridge also held the yellow jersey for all 3 stages of the women's race, winning the General Classification by 2:54.5 over Alison Testroete, with Heather Kay third, 4:22.4 off the pace.
UPDATE June 21, 10:15 am
Breakways dominate Fulcrum Criterium
Julie Beveridge launched herself off the front of the peleton only a few laps into last night's Fulcrum Criterium women's race and stayed away the remainder of the race. Powering around the one-kilometre course through downtown Banff, she continued to add to her lead, eventually lapping the entire field. Laura Brown (Local Ride Racing) and Naomi Cooper (dEVo) led the following eight-rider sprint.
The men's race developed a four-man break midway through which stayed away to the finish. Despite a major solo effort, yellow jersey Jamie Sparling was unable to bridge up to his two Trek Red Truck teammates in the break. In the final sprint, Scott LaLiberte (Westwood Cycle/Cannondale p/b Vision-Sports) nosed out Rob Britton and Dave Vukets of Trek Red Truck Racing and Paul Tichelaar of ERTC Revolution Cycle for the win. The peloton rolled through 24.2 seconds down.
Category 5, 4, and 3/2 riders also provided entertaining racing for the huge crowd of spectators, especially around the first turn - a 180-degree hairpin test of bike-handling skills and nerve. Aaron Schooler pushed his own breakaway so hard early in the Category 3/2 race that he lapped the field before the half-way mark, causing the commissar to halt the remainder of the race.
Jamie Sparling saw his hold on the yellow jersey whittled to just four seconds while Julie Beveridge increased her General Classification lead as they do their best to rest and recover for today's final stage of Bike Fest 2009: the Tunnel Mountain Road race. The men will go 117 kilometres, with the women gearing up for their 52 kilometre race over the challenging and spectacularly scenic 13-kilometre course.
Details on the race results page.
UPDATE June 20, 4:00 pm.
A crisp, sunny mountain morning set the stage for today’s Banff National Park Bike Fest IMPACT Magazine Individual Time Trial. The 184-person field included Category 5 to Category 3/2 riders, plus the invited men and women’s categories.
Jamie Sparling (Trek Red Truck Racing) took his second consecutive stage, after also winning yesterday’s 1A Sprint. Trek Red Truck Racing swept the top 3 spots, with Dave Vukets finishing the 21-kilometre time trial 27.73 seconds back and Rob Britton another 5 seconds down. Last year’s winner Julie Beveridge again dominated the women’s time trial, finishing 46.52 seconds faster than Gillian Carleton (Total Restoration Cycle). Laura Brown (Local Riders) finished third just over a minute down.
General Classification shows Jamie Sparling still owns the yellow jersey for the men leading into tonight’s Fulcrum Criterium on Banff Avenue in downtown Banff. Teammate Rob Britton is just 28 seconds down. On the strength of her win this morning, Julie Beveridge takes the yellow into tonight’s criterium for the women, with Gillian Carleton just 46 seconds back.
Tomorrow morning will feature both invited men’s and women’s teams battling in the Tunnel Mountain Road Race. The women will tackle 52 kilometres, the men will go 117 kilometres.
Details on the race results page.
UPDATE June 19, 6:00 pm
The 1 A Sprint, the second road race of the 2009 Banff National Park Bike Fest, today blazed its way along the scenic and winding Bow Valley Parkway near Lake Louise. The hairpin turns and breakaway sprints along the 80 kilometre course offered the 128 male competitors a challenging and memorable road race.
Jamie Sparling of Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes narrowly outsprinted Tim Sherstobitoff (Total Restoration Cycling Team) and Mark Macdonald (Team H&R Block – Kona) for top spot in this inaugural version of the 1A Sprint. As a result of a 1-minute time penalty, Rob Britton narrowly lost the General Classification lead - his teammate Sparling will wear yellow into tomorrow morning’s time trial.
Details on the race results page.
UPDATE JUNE 18, 8:15 pm - The racing is underway!
A field of 144 racers powered their way up the 7km hill climb in the opening event of Bike Fest 2009. Rob Britten of Trek Red Truck Racing showed he's out to defend last year's title, finishing first in 17:02.30 with teammate Jamie Sparling only 10.41 seconds back.
Amy Herlinveaux represented for Trek Red Truck Racing's women's squad, hammering her way to the summit in 21:28.29 to take top spot for the women. Independent rider Brittany Webster was just 15.78 seconds behind her. Full details on the race results page.
Check back tomorrow for the 1A Sprint - an 80 km sprint near Lake Louise racing from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm through the most spectacular scenery in Canadian bike racing.
After the overwhelming success of 2008, Banff National Park is hosting the second annual Banff National Park Bike Fest road race event. The Alberta Bicycle Association (ABA) sanctioned event will feature seven road races including an Individual Time Trial, Criterium and an Invitational Road Race. Two new races have been added for this year’s Bike Fest; a 6km Hill Climb and 80km Sprint Road Race.
Cyclists will be racing through the streets of Banff and throughout Banff National Park over the course of four days. The athletes can expect tough and challenging courses with hairpin turns, breakaway sprints and fierce competition while spectators can enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery and be part of the excitement as cyclists whip past at remarkable speeds.
The weekend will also feature two family-friendly events. The Little Crits Race will have kids from three to eleven years old racing their bikes along the same course the pros do and the Cruiser Crit will have participants donning fun costumes and riding brightly decorated bikes as they race through the streets of Banff.
Start List for the 93 Hill Climb (excel 41.50 kB) & IMPACT Magazine Individual Time Trial (excel 355.00 kB)
Did you know?
Whether you ride your bike to compete or to commute it is a great, environmentally friendly way to get from A to B. Within Banff National Park wildlife of all shapes and sizes also need a “road” to get from A to B. The only way to ensure that wildlife can safely move through this busy valley is to preserve key “roads” called wildlife corridors. Simply defined, a wildlife corridor is a protected route that allows wildlife to move safely between areas of suitable habitat. There is no other location in the world with as many and different types of wildlife crossings as in Banff National Park.
As you check out the event information throughout this website don’t miss the Fun Facts and the “Need to Know” section.
