Stages one through three of the 19th annual B.C. Bike Race took place in the Cowichan Valley June 30 through July 2.
The seven-day multi-community race began in Cowichan then moved to Nanaimo for Stage 4 on July 3, Cumberland for Stage 5 on July 4, Campbell River for Stage 6 on July 5, and back to Cumberland for Stage 7 on July 6.
The event brings a wide variety of riders out, from Olympians, world champions, and world-class riders, to passionate amateurs.
This year 450 riders from 37 countries participated including Geoff Kabush, an Olympic veteran, multi-time Canadian National Champion, and a past B.C. Bike Race winner and 2024 champion Sean Fincham of Canada on the elite men's side, and 2024 winner Maghalie Rochette, a Canadian cyclocross national champion and World Cup podium finisher, along with Czech Olympian Katerina Nash on the women's side.
Stage 1 of the race was the prologue and sent riders along North Cowichan's back roads and up Maple Mountain, a 27km course with an elevation of 824 metres. Making things more difficult, the ride was made during sizzling 31 C conditions.
Fincham won the open men's category on Day 1, with Kabush in fourth, while Nash and Rochette were second and third behind Canadian Sandra Walter, the race's 2022 winner.
Stage 2, on Canada Day, had riders hitting the back roads before going up and over both Richards and Maple Mountains for a 33km trek and elevation change of 990 metres. Finchan and Kabush were second and fifth respectively while New Zealand's Matthew Wilson won the stage. Canada's Andrew L'Esperance and Peter Disera placed third and fourth in Stage 2.
On the women's side, Walter once again bested Nash and Rochette, who went first, second, and third respectively.
Stage 3 featured 992m of elevation along 24.7km on Mount Tzouhalem and it was Fincham who won the leg with Wilson and L'Esperance rounding out the top three. Kabush was sixth. For the women, Walter, Nash and Rochette were the top three, respectively.
L'Esperance had the upper hand at Stage 4 in Nanaimo on July 3. He won the 39.6km stage that featured 929m in elevation. Fincham ended up fourth and Kabush sixth. Walter was tops again for the women, with Nash and Rochette close behind.
Fincham ended up on top for Stage 5 in Cumberland with Wilson just a hair behind. Disera, L'Esperance and Kabush rounded out the top six.
For the women, it was once again Walter, with her fourth straight win, with Nash and Rochette as the top three, respectively.
Stage 6 in Campbell River had all the usual suspects on top with Disera taking the win, followed by Fincham, Wilson, L'Esperance, Australia's Matthew Bird, and then Kabush.
Rochette (broken hand) did not start Stage 6 for the women, opening the door for a different top three. While Walter and Nash went one-two, it was American Starla Teddergreen who placed third.
Back in Cumberland for Stage 7, it was Fincham, Wilson, and L'Esperance on the podium on the men's side and Walter, Nash, and Teddergreen for the women.
With all seven stages complete, Fincham's time was tops among the men, with Wilson, and L'Esperance taking the silver and bronze respectively. Kabush ended sixth overall behind brothers Peter Disera in fourth, and Quinton Disera in fifth.
Walter ran the table for the women, winning every stage to sweep the series and take the gold. Nash was second and Nepal's Usha Khanal was third in her first-ever B.C. Bike Race.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve never been on the podium in any seven-day race, now I’m on the podium," Khanal told B.C. Bike Race officials. "It was awesome. I could not ask for a better week. It was the most fun and competitive week for me."
