Veteran pedalling legs are about to replace aspiring young ones during Victoria鈥檚 annual weekend of competitive cycling.
There will be a new format for 2018 and 2019 with the signing of a two-year deal with Cycling sa国际传媒 to host the Global Relay Canadian Masters Road Cycling Championships.
It will replace the existing Robert W. Cameron Law Cycling Series, at least for the next two years.
The new event will feature former top level racers from across the country, continent and even the world who are 30 years and older.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the equivalent of the Pacific Links PGA Seniors golf tournament on Bear Mountain,鈥� said Jon Watkin, race director for the Cameron Law Cycling Series.
The new event is expected to attract former national team racers and former international pros. Between 300 and 350 masters riders will compete, and bring family and friends with them, for a June weekend of competitive masters cycling on the Island.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an attractive demographic for this city,鈥� added Watkin.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps concurred.
鈥淸This] gives Victoria and the region the unique opportunity to showcase our major-event hosting capacity . . . and to highlight what makes Victoria the cycling capital of sa国际传媒,鈥� said Helps, in a statement.
Meanwhile, it鈥檚 the existing format this year for the Cameron Law Cycling Series, which kick-starts with the EnergyLab Dallas Road Time Trial at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by the Schwalbe Road Race Classic at 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday through Metchosin, and the signature-event Russ Hay鈥檚 Grand Prix starting at 8 a.m. Sunday around the legislature buildings with the women鈥檚 elite race starting at 12:30 p.m. and the elite men鈥檚 at 1:30 p.m.
Past winners of the Grand Prix, which from 1992 to 2014 was held around Bastion Square, have included Olympic medallists Brian Walton and Alison Sydor and fellow-Olympians Roland Green, Andreas Hestler, Erinne Willock and Gina Grain.
This year鈥檚 race weekend will feature 18-year-old rising stars Erin Attwell of Victoria and Maggie Coles-Lyster of Langley, both tipped as future Olympians. On the male side, watch for Adam Attwell, Alexander Amiri and Kurt Penno.
鈥淭his series has been a springboard for world-class riders,鈥� noted Watkin.
鈥淛ust a few weeks ago, we saw our alumni Rob Britton, Adam de Vos, Leah Kirchmann and Gillian Ellsay in the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 Amgen Tour de California. Other notable alumni like Sara Bergen, Garrett McLeod and Craig Richey have also joined the pro ranks, to name a few.鈥�
There will certainly be no lack of alumni inspiration for this weekend鈥檚 cyclists.
鈥淎 pro contract has always been an aspiration of mine,鈥� said Penno, the Canadian junior criterium champion.
He moved from Manitoba to Victoria to pursue that dream: Cycling in Manitoba is not nearly as prominent as it is here. Riding through [winter] in Victoria beats riding on stationary rollers in the basement in Manitoba.鈥�
The Attwells, meanwhile, bring a family history to this weekend.
鈥淢y dad and uncles all ride. I am passionate about this. I love the sport and I love racing my bike,鈥� said Adam Attwell, twin brother to Erin Attwell, the latter top-10 in the world in junior women.
鈥淚 will see where it takes me.鈥�
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