Cycling
Background
Cycling is an exciting and fast paced event that will feature some of the best young riders in the province. The venues and competitions have been specifically designed to be spectator friendly. This year's competition will feature BMX, Road Cycling and Off-Road (Cyclocross) competitions.
BMX
This event made its Olympic debut in 2008 in Beijing. Some of the best up and coming riders in this exciting discipline will be at the BC Summer Games. Jumps, rhythm sections, banked turns and shoulder to shoulder racing action are all part of the fun. Riders will compete in multiple heats (motos) to determine who takes home the medals.
Road Cycling
The format for racing will follow the successful format introduced in the 2008 BC Summer Games. Cyclists will compete in a series of short races on a closed road course (one km in length). Riders will compete in events such as:
- Scratch Race: First person across the line wins.
- Miss and Out: Last person across the line is eliminated until there is only one winner.
- Win and Out: If you win a lap, you get to leave the race. Lowest number of laps ridden wins.
- Points Race: Every four laps, there is a points lap. Riders earn points (five for 1st, three for 2nd, two for 3rd, one for 4th)
- Team (Zone) Time Trial (Tentative)
Cyclocross
New to the BC Games this year will be the Cyclocross racing events. Riders will race multiple times over a short (500 meter) loop of trail concrete and grass field. There will be sections of forced dismounts where competitors will have to lift their bikes over small barricades. This highly spectator friendly event will be sure to get viewers’ blood pumping.
Athlete Development
Cycling events at the BC Summer Games will be used to identify future talent for the Cycling BC Provincial Team. High Performance Director, Richard Wooles, will be on-site to scout out BC's next generation of cycling talent. Past medalists at the BC Summer Games have gone on to medal at the Western Canada Games and Canada Games. Several BC Summer Games cyclists have also gone on to represent Canada on the National Cycling Team.
One of the most famous BC Games alumni, Ryder Hesjedal, was selected as Canadian cyclist of the decade and male Canadian cyclist of the year. Hesjedal was the only Canadian to compete in the Tour de France for both 2008 and 2009 and was the first Canadian in history to win a stage on the Tour of Spain.
For more info on Cycling, contact Cycling BC at www.cyclingbc.net or (604) 737-3034.