Home > News

BC Bike Race 2014: Day 2 – Cumberland

Back here at the BC Bike Race, we are now a beautiful ferry ride away in scenic Cumberland B.C. I awoke far too early as has been the case since I arrived Friday. But I don't mind catching the sunrise before I roll out to find the tasty coffee that is in plentiful supply here at base camp. After a quick breakfast, the riders were summoned to the start line on Cumberland's charming and historic main street.

BC Bike Race Cumberland
BC Bike Race Cumberland
Cumberland tent city at sunrise on Day 2 of the 2014 BC Bike Race.

Back here at the BC Bike Race, we are now a beautiful ferry ride away in scenic Cumberland B.C.  I awoke far too early as has been the case since I arrived Friday.  But I don’t mind catching the sunrise before I roll out to find the tasty coffee that is in plentiful supply here at base camp.  After a quick breakfast, the riders were summoned to the start line on Cumberland’s charming and historic main street.

BC Bike Race Cumberland start line
Cumberland start line.

Cumberland is definitely a town to come spend some time in if you are in the area and want to explore some exhilarating trails.  The race started with a 10-km climb that successfully spread our group out before hitting the amazing singletrack this area hides in the surrounding hills.  I knew I burned a few extra matches yesterday on the first stage trying to get a decent start-wave assignment, so today I turned it down a notch on the climbs to give me, I had hoped, some leg insurance in the days to come.  One of the great things I like about stage racing is how you settle in with mostly the same people day to day, especially when your technical skills and fitness level are nearly identical.  You learn a bit more everyday about them and really start to trust their ability to flow through the most fun sections together. Today, I added one more group to my “humans that rip” list.  As I wrote this, the person was called to the podium for a second-place performance on today’s stage.

BC Bike Race teammates
Teammates Torben Jensen and Grant Hvizdos from Canmore, Alta., on their way to a podium finish.

Today’s stage totalled 48-km with my Garmin reading 1,136 m of climbing.  Definitely not the biggest climbing day of the week, but many small punchy climbs throughout will take a toll on the legs as the week goes on.  I came into the second aid station of the day needing my bottle filled, front tire topped up due to a tire burp earlier on, a seat adjustment and some lube on the chain.  The boys at Shimano took care of the bike issues in the time it took to fill my bottle and I was off for about 8 km of fun twisty descending to the finish.

BC Bike Race Shimano
Shimano Canada’s Ben Pye and Adam Trotter taking care of technical issues at Aid Station 2.

The finish line was rocking with great music as I rolled in. Beer and fries were offered up compliments of Rocky Mountain Bicycles. They are offering riders a great lounge setup with couches, umbrellas and a good supply of  cold fermented beverages.  It has become the go-to spot for some jovial conversation and post ride refuelling.  Check in tomorrow for the lowdown on the Powell River stage.

Shimano logoSupport for this trip is provided by Shimano Canada.