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Gallery and videos: 2016 Gastown Grand Prix

Wins for Eric Young of Rally Pro Cycling and Tina Pic of The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling

Christina Gokey-Smith

After three years of racing in BC Superweek’s Gastown Grand Prix, Eric Young of Rally Pro Cycling got his win on Wednesday. His teammate, U.S. national criterium champion Brad Huff, helped get Young across the finish line of the 1.2-km circuit.

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“The team did an amazing job being super patient,” said Young. “Incycle was being super aggressive, just totally controlling the front with the Australian guys, and they did a good job of that. So we just had to be really patient, not blow any matches getting frustrated. We waited until about three or four to go, went by them with a great job by Shane [Klime] and Tom [Soladay], my teammates. Then on the last lap, Kris Dahl [of Silber Pro Cycling] had a good little attack into two corners to go. He came in third wheel right behind Brad. We just yelled at him out of the last corner: ‘Go with everything!’ He knows what to do when that happens. At 100 m to go, we just let loose and I couldn’t see anything behind me so with about ten feet to go, I knew I’d gotten it.”

Huff added to Young’s recap of the race: “It was a race from the beginning. The Cylance team had control, they were strong, they were the dominant team of the day, and they showed it. We’re just happy we were able to execute our plan at three and a half to go to get up there. It got a little crazy on the final two laps with guys coming up. We were really battling Silber with Eric, and they got in our train a few times, but we’re all professionals. We respect Silber, Silber respects us, so we were able to have a clean finish. I was just happy to be able to take Eric to the line. He’s obviously the fastest sprinter in North America. He proved it today.”

Third place went to Aussie Michael Rice of Garneau-Quebecor, who had his second appearance on the podium at BC Superweek. He was third at the MK Delta Lands Criterium this past Friday. The 20-year-old had a pretty good idea during the last few laps of which team’s wheels he wanted to be on.

“I knew Rally was going to be the team to beat with such a strong criterium squad here,” Rice said. “I really wanted to have their wheel going into the last three laps. Full credit to Garneau-Quebecor: they set me up really nicely. I had a bit too much work to do on the last two laps, but I did the best that I could and I’m happy to get third.”

In the women’s race, 50-year-old Tina Pic, who has six U.S. national criterium titles, added another win to her palmarès. The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling rider “unretired” from the sport in 2012. On Wednesday, she showed she was just as strong as riders more than half her age. With the Gastown win, she got a $12,000. “A race like this just makes it all worth it. It’s just so fun to come out here and have such big crowds. It’s great!” she said.

Australian riders took the second and third spots on the podium. Kimberley Wells of Colavita-Bianchi out of New Jersey came in second; Kendelle Hodges, who rode without a team, was third.

Only 40 of the 76 registered riders finished the 35 lap, 42-km race. The top Canadian was Sara Bergen of Vancouver, who rides for the local Trek Red Truck p/b Mosaic Homes team.

BC Superweek continues Thursday night with the Giro di Burnaby p/b Appia Development in the historic Heights neighbourhood of Burnaby.