Cyclists battle through sun and sleet in first four stages of 40th Spring Road Race

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Amid varying weather conditions, Blizzard Bicycle Club’s 40th annual Spring Road Race kicked off this Easter weekend.

Racers faced varying conditions, including both unseasonable warmth and snow and sleet, during the first four stages of the event. 

Pat Ferris, co-founder of the Blizzard Bicycle Club, told Energeticcity.ca that even after all this time, participants and volunteers still come to contribute.

“It’s still fun,” said Ferris. “I still enjoy going out, putting the work in for the race with lots of people in the club that come out to time and help with all that stuff.

“We’re still getting riders after all this time. The amount of racers fluctuates strangely with the weather.”

Stage one was a 16-kilometre time trial at Baldonnel School on Thursday, April 17th. Nigel Wray took the trial with a time of 22 minutes, 20 seconds. Theresa Loeseken was the fastest woman, with a time of 28:24.

Third place was taken by Jay Weber with a time of 28:57, and Ard Hoogenboom finished fourth with a time of 31:42.

Wray also took the second stage on April 18th, a three-kilometre hill climb near Beatton Provincial Park, in a time of 24:12. Weber was second in 29:47, and Loeseken took third 30:15. 

Ferris described the conditions of 13 degrees as the “warmest ever” for the second stage.

Continuing his dominance, Wray won a circuit race taking place from the Frozen John Road, where only three riders came to race on Saturday, April 19th.  Dr. Richard Wood came in second place, and Sam Keats took third.

Easter Sunday’s stage four, a 32-kilometre road race starting from Wood Road near Beatton Park, featured the largest number of riders – and conditions which involved rain, sleet and snow.

Wray won the stage, with a time of 34:16.Irving Tang finished second, while Hoogenboom settled for third place.

Ferris described the conditions as “pretty common” for what might happen during the race.

“Anything goes in April, and usually half of May,” explained Ferris. “The weather can be dismal for some of the stages. Ironically, the day with the worst weather was where we got the most riders.”

Wray currently leads the men’s overall standings with 20 points. Weber and Keats are tied for second with eight points, while Hoogenboom and Wood are level for third position with six.

Loeseken is ranked in the top spot in the ladies’ division at 10 points, four points clear of Kristine Bock, who has six.

The 40th annual Spring Road Race will wrap up this weekend, starting with a second time-trial at Baldonnel School on Thursday, April 24th, and a 40-kilometre road race for stage six on Sunday, April 27th.

More details about Blizzard Bicycle Club are available on the club’s website and Facebook page.