Whiteman’s Gap Climb
The annual chase to the top of Whiteman’s gap unfolded last Tuesday evening for our second Toonie race of the season. Both mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes were chosen for the event. Next year, I think we will need to have a fat tire category as well. There were a mere 7 racers that rose to the Toonie challenge, and thanks for braving the dusty conditions.
Unfortunately, the RMCC-R Express team was in recovery mode after a weekend of racing in Lethbridge. Phew….the veterans had a little breathing room for this one. After much discussion “with the One who must not be named” over starting positions, we had 3 starting groups, theoretically handicapped appropriately. Erin “Wonder Woman” Wilson represented all the women with grit and a sense of adventure, having never been up to the pass yet!
Our only words of wisdom were that if you are heading downhill for some reason you have gone the wrong way and stay right except for the Nordic Centre turnoff! Michael “Wheelie Man” Glaznig and Teigan “I Can Now Crush My Father” DeLeuw represented the youth athletes. Michael, Teigan and Erin set off with a blistering pace, and Michael had a great push to the top finishing with 25:50, Teigan @ 28:27, and Erin @ 30:18. Alaric “Sandbagging XC Ski Guy” Fish finished @ 24:35 and Grant “Masters Closet Trainer” Robertson @25:04 after they worked together earlier on the asphalt road climb portion.
They put up quite a fight to claim their right to be in Group B from the start. The Group A hammer was put down again by Phil “New Town” Villeneuve who finished @ 23:04 on an official gravel bike, but not without a fight from Leighton “the Legend” Poidevan @23:46 who rode a real mountain bike proudly up the climb (aka Caden “Merckx” Pollard style!). Hope to see you out on the trails for our next XC Toonie at the Nordic Centre May 15th. Please be mindful of wet trails and remaining snow on ski crossings this May!
Thanks to Carol for the awesome write-up!
