BC Superweek: Gastown Grand Prix
Kirchmann wins third on the trot, Hanson takes second victory of the Superweek
San Diego’s Ken Hanson (Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies) returned to winning ways and Leah Kirchmann kept a winning streak alive in yesterday’s Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix in the historical downtown area of Vancouver.
Hanson, champion of Saturday’s Brenco Criterium in Ladner, hit the line ahead of his teammate Eric Young (Boulder, Colorado) to take the victory in front of throngs of spectators as dusk approached. Florenz Knaver (Germany/Team Baier Landshut) finished the 50 lap, 60- km course in third. Ryan Anderson, in fourth, missed his first podium of BC Superweek.
Leah Kirchmann (Optum) won her third consecutive race, adding the 30 lap, 36 kilometre Gastown Grand Prix victory to Sunday’s White Spot Delta Road Race and Tuesday’s UBC Grand Prix. Olympic bronze medalist Gillian Carleton (Specialized-lululemon) fought through injuries suffered in a crash at the UBC race’s conclusion to come runner-up to Kirchmann. Nashville, Tennessee’s Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS), who triumphed in the women’s Brenco Criterium and placed third in the White Spot Delta Road Race, rounded out the podium.
BC Superweek continues Thursday with the Giro di Burnaby, another criterium on a 1.3-km course.
