Among Island road cyclists, there is the rarefied air of the Giro and Tour de France in which Ryder Hesjedal competes, and the next-level down pros such as Tour of California riders Adam de Vos and Rob Britton.
Then there is the upcoming wave of riders, which will wash over the streets of Greater Victoria this weekend for the Robert W. Cameron Law Cycling Series. The Energy Lab Dallas Road Time Trial is Friday from 6-9 p.m. at Clover Point, the Cheemos Perogies Road Race Classic on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. along Liberty Road in Metchosin, and the Accent Inns/Russ Hays sa国际传媒 Criterium Championships on Sunday around the Legislature at 8 a.m. with the women鈥檚 elite race at noon and men鈥檚 at 1 p.m.
This is the second year of the shift to the legislature from the former Sunday criterium site, which featured tight wheel-to-wheel racing around Bastion Square. Among those who survived Crash Corner is a list of past champions that includes Olympic medallists Brian Walton and Alison Sydor, world champion Roland Green and Olympians Erinne Willock, Gina Grain and Andreas Hestler.
鈥淭he Bastion Square circuit was a big part of Island cycling culture since 1992 but the new venue around the Legislature is amazing and lends itself well to more of a family festival feel,鈥� said race director Jon Watkin.
Looking to make an impact at Clover Point, Metchosin and 鈥渁round the Leg鈥� this weekend will be a strong Accent Inns/Russ Hays team. The squad has been an incubator, sending recent riders Jacob Schwingboth and Danick Vandale (both H&R Block) and Jordan Cheyne (Jelly Belly) up to North American pro teams.
The next group will be chasing those same dreams this weekend. The dedication and desire is certainly there. Among the Robert Cameron Race Series headliners is Isaac LeBlanc of Accent Inns/Russ Hays, crowned sa国际传媒 men鈥檚 road-race champion last weekend in Abbotsford.
A national-level career as a short-track speed-skater from Quebec ended with a concussion and was followed by four years in the Canadian Navy for LeBlanc. It was while based in Esquimalt that LeBlanc became immersed in the Island鈥檚 more summer-sport based culture, particularly cycling.
鈥淚 looked up and there was one of the best competitive cycling cities in sa国际传媒,鈥� said LeBlanc, 26.
鈥淎nd the same muscle groups are used in cycling as in speed skating, so that made it an easy transition.鈥�
With the money he socked away while in the navy, and sponsorships, LeBlanc has been able to pursue cycling full-time. He went out and found himself a coach 鈥� former Ironman sa国际传媒 champion Jasper Blake 鈥� and left the rinks and hit the streets.
LeBlanc deflected the credit for his sa国际传媒 road-race championship triumph last week to his Accent Inns/Russ Hay鈥檚 teammates.
鈥淐ycling is actually a team sport but with an individual classification,鈥� said LeBlanc.
鈥淭he whole team brought me across that line. They were selfless. It鈥檚 more their championship than mine. They kept me safe and sheltered, but I鈥檓 the one who got to wear the [provincial champion鈥檚] jersey.鈥�
LeBlanc has seen what鈥檚 come out of here, and knows what is possible.
鈥淚鈥檓 sending my resume out for next year on the North American circuits,鈥� he said.
This year LeBlanc has already won the criterium and overall yellow jersey at the Mutual of Enumclaw stage race and the criterium championship at the Tour de Bloom in Wenatchee, both in Washington state.
鈥淚f I can become a pro, be paid to ride a bike, that would be a dream,鈥� he said.
鈥淢aybe even the Tour of California one day. Who knows?鈥�
Indeed, who knows? This annual Victoria racing weekend has been a launching pad for so many other cyclists who came before.
