ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, NS - Veteran cyclist Edward Walsh, with the T-Palm PCW team, picked up top spot in the Annapolis County Road Race June 10, pedaling 93 kilometres from Annapolis Royal to Middleton and back in just 2:19:46.2.
But it was a close race with Jeff Muise of Framework Racing just a fraction of a second behind him at 2:19:46.3.
The top female racer was independent racer Jenny Jones who pedaled the 93 kilometres in 2:39:32.6.
“The race was very well received by everyone,” said organizer Sean Duff of the local club, the Roadents, of Brickton. “They liked the fact that is was one lap, which is unusual for Nova Scotia where multiple laps, even a dozen in a race, are the norm.”
He said the long lap meant the competitors could see more communities and scenery without getting bored or losing count of where they were in the race.
Duff said there were 65 who completed the race, but three were disqualified for rules violations. There were four others who registered but did not start.
The Start
The 93-kilometre race started at the Annapolis County municipal building in Annapolis Royal with opening ceremonies and instructions for riders.
About half of the participants were from the Halifax Regional Municipality, while the other half came from Yarmouth, Cape Breton, the South Shore, the Annapolis Valley -- and a trio from New Brunswick, said Duff.
“We have age-based categories (Under 13, 15, 17) for youth in order to avoid injuries that may hinder their physical development. These categories will have restrictions based on race distance and gear ratios, for example,” Duff said. “We also have ability-based categories which place riders of similar strengths together. For men, the top category is A, then B, C, and D, while for women, the highest is AF, then BF and CF. When there are few people in a specific category, we merge it with another in order to create a decent pack size. They race together but are scored separately.”
The long race wasn’t the only race Sunday. There were three routes: Annapolis Royal to Middleton on Highway 1 and back on Highway 201 (93 km; A, B, AF), Annapolis Royal to Bridgetown on Highway 1 and back on Highway 201 (46 km; C, BF, D, CF), and Bridgetown to Annapolis Royal on Highway 201 (21 km, U17, U15, U13).
The Weather
“The weather was perfect with temperatures in the teens, making it very comfortable for the riders,” said Duff. “The wind was light and not much of a factor.”
He said there were a few incidents with motorists, though not as bad as he’s seen in other places. “There were impatient drivers who made left-hand turns immediately in front of an approaching pack of cyclists, putting lives at risk in order to avoid waiting five seconds on the highway,” he said. “There was someone who called the police to complain about cyclists riding three abreast. The officer had to follow up on the complaint but did not pursue action because I, as an organizer, had obtained permission from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal to hold a bike race on a provincial road, a fact the officer was already aware of since the RCMP receives a copy of TIR permits.”
As for the course itself and the local hospitality, organizers were pleased.
“The racers were very happy with the course and with the reception they received from the community,” Duff said. “The race was competitive, challenging, fun, and scenic, adjectives frequently used to describe it. We have received several requests to hold the event again next year.”
State of Cycling
“The state of competitive cycling in Nova Scotia is difficult to describe,” said Duff. “Attendance numbers fluctuate in response to the state of the economy and to the variety, quantity, or even quality of events offered in any given year.”
He said highway regulations or permit conditions can affect racing traditions and even safety protocols, which discourages some organizers from putting on events yet motivating others to get things done.
“However, in spite of these changes, there is a core population that continues to find ways to race their bicycles on public roads, and they are the reason we, Roadents Competitive Cycling, exist,” he said.
The Sunday race capped off a week of cycling activities during Bicycle Annapolis County Week that happens in June of each year.
“We’re very pleased, right from bicycle rodeos we did at the schools, to Bike to Work Week,” said recreation manager Debra Ryan. “To have a provincial road race here in Annapolis County – Sean Duff and his team the Roadents putting this on – it’s been absolutely amazing. And the weather is absolutely perfect, a nice cool breeze with blue skies.”
Ryan said people are riding bikes these days.
“We’re trying to grow that culture, and we’ve seen an increase in bicycle use, both on the rail trails – the Harvest Moon Trailway – and our roads too. With the ‘Share the Road’ signage and the excitement today, that really makes a difference.”
She anticipates a good summer of biking ahead. “We have some events happening throughout the summer too, and we encourage people to get out on their bikes and to be safe.”
Categories:
93 kilometres A, AF, B, U19
46 kilometres BF, C and CF, D, U19F
21 kilometres U17, U15, U13
Category A
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Edward Walsh - T-Palm PCW 2:19:46.2
2 Jeff Muise - Framework Racing Team 2:19:46.3
3 Colin Edwards – Craftsman 2:19:52.3
4 John VanLuxemborg - Craftsman Const. 2:24:31.5
5 Steven Jeddry – Framework Racing Team 2:24:31.9
6 Lorenzo Caterini - Craftsman Const. 2:24:32.0
7 D Adam Quirk – Cyclesmith 2:24:33.2
8 Rob Klue – Frameworks 2:24:34.5
9 David Havill – VeloLabRT 2:26:11.7
10 Zachary Steinman - Oakley Atl Racing 2:32:15.2
11 Ian Hinks – O’Reagan’s Subaru Cycling 2:40:27.3
12 Ryan Fuller – Independent 2:48:36.6
Category AF
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Jenny Jones – Independent 2:39:32.6
2 Danielle Dumouchel – Lorneville CC 2:42:09.5
3 Janelle Price – O’Regan Subaru Cycling 2:52:56.5
4 Amanda Lee – Lorneville CC 2:56:53.8
Category B
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Stephen Fougere – VeloLabRT 2:39:12.4
2 Dimas Mateos – Roadents 2:39:12.6
3 Gabriel LeBlanc – Framework 2:39:13.0
4 Oliver Hill – Roadents 2:39:17.5
5 Philippe Tremblay – Independent 2:39:17.6
6 Darren Casey – Independent 2:39:19.4
7 Sean Therien - O’Reagan Subaru Cycling 2:39:20.7
8 Jonathan Hilder – Rodents 2:39:20.9
9 Brent Dickie – Frameworks 2:39:35.2
10 James MacGregor – Highland Bike Club 2:39:35.5
11 Jay Watson – Roadents 2:43:09.5
12 Nathanial Bowlby – VeloLabRT 2:43:18.0
13 Andre Jarvis – Bicycle Plus Cycling 2:43:18.3
14 Josué Duff Arevalo – Roadents 2:43:34.2
Category BF
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Hannah Simms – Independent 1:19:06.3
Category C
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Jonathan Fowles – Banks Bikes 1:19:00.7
2 Matthew Rafuse – Independent 1:19:02.0
3 Jose Martins – Independent 1:19:02.7
4 Etienne Langlois- Bicycles Plus CC 1:19:03.4
5 Luke Sullivan – Independent 1:19:04.0
6 Jean-Patrick Lambert – Independent 1:19:05.5
7 Nicholas Misener – Great Bicycle Halifax 1:19:05.8
8 Matthew Mackay – Independent 1:19:07.0
9 Parker Rowter – O’Regan Subaru Cycling 1:19:09.0
10 Fischer Houser – None 1:19:10.7
11 Frank Rodinger – Framework 1:19:16.1
12 Tim O’Regan -- O’Regan Subaru Cycling 1:19:16.6
13 Al Heubach -- O’Regan Subaru Cycling 1:19:24.2
14 Todd Lacey – Frameworks 1:19:38.3
15 Steve Bedard – Independent 1:20:49.1
16 Brian MacEachern – Frameworks 1:21:38.5
17 Martin Coude – Independent 1:21:44.9
Category CF
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Jennifer Hilder – Ideal Bikes 1:53:12.8
2 Janine LeBlanc – Independent 1:58:18.0
Category D
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Ian Christian – Independent 1:28:42.6
2 Derek Ozon – Cyclesmith 1:28:54.5
3 Jack De Wilde – Highland Bike Club 1:32:06.3
4 Ryan Mackay – Independent 1:33:22.6
5 Neil Ferguson – O’Regan Subaru Cycling 1:34:25.6
Category U17M
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Ty Bradley – VeloLabRT 0:41:59.3
2 Darian Ozon – Cyclesmith 0:42:43.3
Category U15M
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Gabriel Graves – Independent 1:03:21.3
Category U15F
Placing Name Club/Team Time
Sarah Hatfield – O’Regan Subary Cycling 0:56:38.6
Category U13M
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Charles Langlois – Bicycles Plus CC 0:49:47.3
2 Samuel Mateos-Gomez – Rodents 0:55:28.3
Category U13F
Placing Name Club/Team Time
1 Maggie Graves – Independent 1:03:22.3
Note: A previous version of this story had Jenny Jones in second place in the AF Category.
