BC Superweek: Ryan’s reign continues, Applewood Garneau surprises at PoCo Grand Prix

Under-23 team Applewood Garneau p/b Smart Savvy steals the win Friday in Port Coquitlam

Terry McKall July 14, 2018

Pictures: Scott Robarts Photography

Kendell Ryan extended her reign over BC Superweek Friday night, winning the PoCo Grand Prix ahead of Rally Cycling’s Sara Bergen. It is the Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank rider’s fifth win this week at the race series.

Mitchell Ketler surprised the Men’s field to take Applewood Garneau p/b Smart Savvy’s first win in the 2018 edition of BC Superweek

BC Superweek: PoCo Grand Prix – Pro Women

The rivalry between Rally Cycling and Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank has dominated the Women’s races at BC Superweek this year. Going into Friday’s PoCo Grand Prix, Kendell Ryan had netted four wins for Tibco, while Sara Bergen and Summer Moak had one a piece for Rally.

On the roads of Port Coquitlam, it looked like Bergen and Ryan were set for another showdown. Bergen attacked off the front like she had to win Tuesday’s New West Grand Prix, while Ryan and her team were intent on contesting the finish in a group sprint.

Tibco won out, and Ryan won the sprint ahead of Bergen for her fifth BC Superweek win, and seventh podium in seven races.

Crossing the line in third was Maple Ridge rider Maggie Coles-Lyster. Junior points race world champion on the track, Coles-Lyster added to her tally of BC Superweek podiums with the bronze in Port Coquitlam.

Sara Bergen was once agan in the hunt for a win. PoCo Grand Prix.

Pro Women's podium (i to r): Sara Bergen, 2nd, Kendell Ryan, 1st, Maggie Coles-Lyster, 3rd

BC Superweek: PoCo Grand Prix – Pro Men

As the light faded from Port Coquitlam’s skies, the Pro Men lined up for the seventh race in this year’s BC Superweek, and the first night race to be included in the race series.

While there was a flurry of attacks of the front of the Pro Men’s race, expectations were that the PoCo Grand Prix would be another round in the battle between Rally Cycling’s sprinter Eric Young and Herrmann Radteam’s Florenz Knauer. Young had come out on top in four of those races, while Knauer added a win at Tuesday’s New West Grand Prix to a string of seconds behind the Rally Racing rider.

As the PoCo Grand Prix entered the final laps, the orange train of Rally Cycling was at the front of the race looking to set up Young for the win.

Instead, it was Applewood Garneau p/b Smart Savvy’s Mitch Kitler that surprised the field. The young Manitoba rider beat Knauer in the sprint, delivering Applewood Garneau’s first win of this year’s BC Superweek. Behind Ketler and Knauer, William Myers (Marc Pro Cycling Team p/b Gym One) finished third ahead of Young, pushing the Rally sprinter off a Superweek podium for the first time this year.