The exciting thing about stage racing is that it’s never over until it’s over. Rolling into the penultimate day of the 20th BC Bike Race, standings looked somewhat sorted. Nino Schurter had asserted some control of the men’s race while Ruth Holcomb had a growing lead over Katerina Nash. Then came Nanaimo. Day 6 lived up to its finish line venue, Big Bang Cider’s tasting room, with explosive sprint finishes in both men’s and women’s race.
On the men’s side, a five-way sprint for the win and a shift in the top five. In the women’s race, Hannah Simms pushed race leader Ruth Holcomb to the line and, with that effort, moved a spot up the overall podium.
Holcomb and Simms go to the line at Big Bang Cider
Ontario’s Hannah Simms led out the women’s field in Nanaimo, hitting the top of Abyss at the front. Ruth Holcomb, though, was right on her wheels. The two battled back and forth all the way to Big Bang Cider.
“Today was really fun. Ruth and I were battling it out all day, which made it really exciting. Just when I thought I was done she’d make a move and I’d have to dig in and catch up. It was a back-and-forth the whole second half,” Simms said after the race. “The trails here are really fun. You’re ripping it at high speed, you can get such a good groove and flow here in Nanaimo. Maybe another underrated spot here on Vancouver Island.”
The battle between Simms and Holcomb left BCBR veteran chasing on her own behind. Nash had been the closest rider to Holcomb all week, but her absence didn’t give the Santa Cruz racer a break in Nanaimo.
“Coming into today I was going to keep it chill and ride with Katerina. Hannah just blew by us and I thought, man, she’s really ripping today. She was stronger than me on every climb and just riding so well. I was just trying to keep it smooth on the descents and make time where I could. It was the most awesome battle today. Every time I thought I had her, she’d come around me. Then it ended up in a sprint, just an awesome day.”
Simms moves ahead of Nash in the overall, but is still nearly 10 minutes behind Holcomb. That doesn’t mean Santa Cruz racer is expecting an easy run through the final day of racing.
“We’ll see. Every day for the last three days, I’ve wanted to play defense. Then I end up in a race with someone and I just can’t help myself.”
Five-way sprint explodes men’s race
The 20th BC Bike Race has consistently ended up with the closest finishes more often than any year in the race’s history. Nanaimo made if five of six days to end in a sprint finish. This time, five riders turned into Big Bang Cider together after 44 km of racing.
Justin Peck led out, and hit the climbs hard to try brake up the field. While Nino Schurter, Carter Nieuwesteeg, and Peter Disera followed, Torbin Ortenblad and Max McCulloch spent a good portion of the day yo-yoing off the back of the front group.
“I couldn’t really tell what Nino and Peter wanted to do, but Justin was making the pace pretty hot on every climb which … I don’t love that personally, so I was just trying to survive out there,” said Santa Cruz’s Tobin Ortenblad. “I was just barely holding on on every climb, I was gapped off pretty often. But, coming back in toward the finish, there was a long pretty mellow gravel road and I could get back in.”
All five rolled up a final, short paved section before the turn into the finish line. There was some confusion about were the finish line would be, with Nieuwesteeg leading into the corner. Ortenblad seemed to figure out where the finish would be sooner than the others and was able to capitalize, forcing Nieuwesteeg to settle for second.
“I think we all thought the finish was going in a big square around the orchard and we’re getting ready to outmaneuver each other. When we turned in, it went right off the road and straight into the sprint. When I saw that, I made up a spot before the turn and then barely got by Carter. It worked out for me, so I’ll take it.”
The one top rider caught out of the group in Nanaimo was Vancouver Island’s Max McCulloch. After starting the day in fourth, McCulloch lost touch with the group, crossing the line just far enough behind the sprint to concede that position to Justin Peck. Going into the final day of racing, McCulloch sits fifth, within striking distance of Peck but with Ortenblad breathing down his neck.
Further up the standings, Nieuwesteeg is enjoying a week of racing against Schurter at BC Bike Race.
“It’s been crazy, honestly. This year’s been exciting. Pete and Nino are locked in up front, obviously, but it’s been cool to have such a dynamic race. And just to ride with those guys,” Nieuwesteeg said. That’s involved some long solo rides to the finish after the top two get off on their own.
“Some days are longer than others. Most of the days, it’s come down to the last climb, where I’m able to survive the hits most of the day before falling apart. Some days they’re just out descending me. Pete’s having a phenomenal week, but the fact that Nino can just ride blind with Pete is absurd.”
The grand finale: A final Day 7 grand finale of BC Bike Race on the fine slopes of Maple Mountain
There’s still one more day of racing to go in this, the 20th and final BC Bike Race in its original format. Maple Mountain is sure to deliver a spectacle worthy of the occasion. With 44.8 km on tap, and 1,079m of elevation gain and loss, it’s a big one. Along with the main climb up Xylem, racers will get one last serving of BC gnar on Maple Syrup before flowing down Phloem and making their way back to basecamp for the final finish line. One more finish line for the big week of racing.