This was my third year, riding BC Superweek. As I exited the International Vancouver Airport, I spotted a convertible driving slowly by, with a 4ft Aussie flag waving from a pole – my billet family and great friends since 2001, knew how to pick me up in style. BC Superweek is made up of 3 events, the Tour de Delta, the Gastown criterium and the Tour de White Rock.

Tour de Delta – 16 – 18 July 2004

The Tour de Delta is an omnium tour, meaning that points are awarded based on how you place in each stage.  The omnium winner is the rider who accumulates most points over the 3 stages.

Stage 1 was a hill climb that ascended about 600m and then after a sharp left bend had a 200m flat section to the finish.  This used to be an individual event but the organisers changed the rules and 2 riders started side by side every 30 seconds and were able to draft off one another.  I was paired up with Sara Neil (Trek) who I had never heard of but later found out she was a former Canadian Olympian and was retiring from cycling after this tour.

I crested the hill ahead of Neil and thought I had a good gap on her as I sprinted to the line.  I saw her shadow and then her front wheel with about 10m to go.  We both hit the line together but the results concluded that she beat me by 0.08 of a second – about the width of a human hair.  Amy Moore (Quark) also beat me by 0.04 of a second.  So after stage 1, the omnium was Neil 11 points, Moore 9 points and me, 8 points.

Stage 2 was a 30km criterium around the tiny township of Ladner in the south of Vancouver.  Team mate Willy and I were outnumbered by 4 Quark riders and couldn’t ride the aggressive race we wanted to.  Willy had her work cut out for her, chasing and bringing back any breaks that we weren’t in, while I tried to conserve for a predicted bunch kick.  On bell lap, Manon Jutras (Quark) who is heading to the Athens Olympics, drove it hard for her team mate Sarah Uhl while I sat patiently on Uhl’s wheel.  On the back straight Leah Goldstein (Trek) attacked but Uhl and I jumped straight on her.  After the final corner, Uhl and I both jumped together but Uhl, a former junior world sprint champion got me by a wheel at the line.  The omnium after stage two was Uhl 19 points, Neil 19 points and me, 18 points.  It was going to be an interesting day tomorrow to see who would take out the Tour de Delta.

Stage 3 was an 85km circuit race consisting of 11 laps of a course that had an 800m steep climb.  Moore (Quark) spent 4 laps off the front alone until Leah Goldstein (Trek), Willy and I brought it back.  After catching Moore, Willy and I were constantly chasing Quark and I wished we’d had another team mate to contend with their 4 riders.

During the final 5 times over the climb, my quads locked up with cramps but I climbed seated and stayed with the front group  On the final lap, 6 of us got over the climb together and without Uhl (Quark).  However, seconds later, the men’s commissaire neutralised us to allow the pro men to pass us.  We were neutralised for nearly 3km, which gave Uhl plenty of time to chase back on and rest for the sprint.  Quark set up a lead out for Uhl with me fighting hard for her wheel.  I took the final corner too fast and nearly wiped myself out.  I braked to avoid the barrier and then had to sprint across a 15m gap I had opened up to Uhl.  With 200m to go I tried to come around Uhl but she held me off to win both the stage and the Delta omnium.  Neil also came off my wheel in the final few metres, which left me 3^rd in both the stage and omnium.  I had really hoped to win this tour and admit to feeling disappointed afterwards.  I also wondered what the outcome could have been, if we hadn’t been neutralised in the final 6km but we’ll never know – I guess that’s racing.