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Gallery: Eric Young defends Gastown Grand Prix title with brave solo move

Kendall Ryan sprints to women's title

July 13, 2017
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A number of attacks were attempted, but all were brought back. The attentive Rally Pro Cycling team, here represented by Sara Bergen, kept watch. Photo: Scott Robarts

Alison Beveridge of Rally Pro Cycling broke away early and stayed away for many laps. Photo: Scott Robarts

The start of the 2017 Gastown Grand Prix. Photo: Scott Robarts

Eric Young of Rally Pro Cycling wins the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix in a sprint. Photo: Scott Robarts

A celebratory Rally Pro Cycling Team at the Gastown Grand Prix. Photo: Scott Robarts

The women's podium of Sara Bergen, Kendell Ryan and Allison Beveridge. Photo: Scott Robarts


On Wednesday evening, Canada’s most famous criterium went off in Vancouver’s historic Gastown neighbourhood. Annually, thousands of fans gather to cheer on many of North America’s top road racers as they contest the race that boasts $12,000 in prize money. American Eric Young of Rally Cycling pulled off the title defense with a brave solo move on the final lap to take his second consecutive victory at the race. In the women’s race, American Kendall Ryan (Tibco-SVB) won from a bunch sprint.

Young’s win is the second of the 2017 BC Superweek after he was triumphant at Friday’s MK Delta Lands Criterium. With his second victory at the race, Young joins Canadians Alex Stieda, Bill Wild, Brian Keast and Gord Fraser, Along with Americans Jonas Carney and Ken Hanson as riders to win twice at Gastown. Ron Hayman holds the record of three wins.

The 50 lap, 60 km race was lit up with 35 laps to go when Austrlian Liam Magennis (New South Wales Institute of Sport) attacked. Tyler Magner (Holowesko |​ ​Citadel Cycling Team) bridged with one-quarter of the race remaining but the peloton brought things back together with 11 laps to go.

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As the race approached it’s conclusion Young launched his race winning move. “I can’t really believe it, Gastown is a hard race, but it’s my favourite criterium of the whole year and that’s true for a lot of guys,” Young said of winning for a second consecutive year. “You host such a great race up here, it’s amazing. It’s an absolute honour to win this race two times in a row, it’s so historic.”

Australian Scott Law (Cylance Cycling Team) finished second with Magner who was racing BC Superweek for the first time rounding out the podium. “The last lap is kind of a blur, all the laps leading up to it were pretty hairy to be honest,” Magner explained after. “My teammates John Murphy, Miguel Bryon and I were trying to stay together, but when we don’t have a lead out going, it’s a bit tough for all three of us to stay together. It was crazy down the back stretch and Eric had a great run there.”

In the women’s race, Kendall Ryan sprinted to victory ahead of Rally Cycling teammates Sara Bergen and Allison Beveridge. A total of 79 riders from 24 teams took the start.

“I was just telling my teammate Heather (Fischer) in front of me to be patient and wait, wait, wait until the last lap. No matter how many times we were being swarmed, we’ll just keep moving up,” Ryan said. “On the last corner, I really had to ride defensively and make sure I could take my line. Then I just powered it out of that last corner, I just buried myself into a deep hole of suffering, it was a really awesome finish.”

It’s 24-year-old Ryan’s first time racing at BC Superweek and she was impressed with the series so far. “This is my first time up here racing, it started really well pulling off a win at the Delta road race. Yesterday (in New West), that course is super brutal and I totally blew sky high and couldn’t even finish. Kudos to winner Kirsti Lay, that was a hard race,” she recounted. “Today, I think the course suited my strengths, I’m really good at tactical, technical races, just sticking it out and being patient. I really like this course and can’t wait to come back.”

Bergen has had a strong BC Superweek this year finishing second behind teammate Lay yesterday at New West Grand Prix. The race drew a big crowd for the women’s race, a fact that was not lost on Bergen. “A huge thanks to every single one of the fans out there who screamed their heads off, it means a huge amount to all of the athletes out here. Thanks to Global Relay for putting on this awesome race,” she said.

Rio Olympic medalist Allison Beveridge, who sprinted to the Canadian championship road title in June, was off the front 10 laps into the 40-lap race but was reeled in before going on to finish on the last step of the podium.

On Thursday, BC Superweek continues with the Giro di Burnaby at 6 pm PDT for the women and 7:15 pm PDT for the men.