It鈥檚 two for two for Squamish鈥檚 Quinn Moberg, as the local cross-country rider was the first past the finish line in Saturday鈥檚 GearJammer race.
Last month, he took OreCrusher, the first leg of the local Test of Metals series now heading into its final run.
Moberg finished the 57-kilometre GearJammer with a time of 2:23:31.1, almost 10 seconds ahead of Burnaby鈥檚 Sullivan Reed.
Moberg and Reed broke away early in the race with a couple of other riders, but as the race wore on it was just the two of them. They stayed together until they got onto the pavement about 10 minutes from the finish line.
鈥淚 tried to catch him on the pavement,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淗e beat me by 10 seconds.鈥�
Reed, however, was still pleased with his result, especially as he had a flat early in his last GearJammer that took him out of the race.
For his part, Moberg simply tried to keep up his lead after he found the last gap he needed to break away from Reed.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 extend it, I didn鈥檛 lose it,鈥� he said.
After the race, he credited Reed鈥檚 performance.
鈥淗e was riding phenomenal,鈥� he said.
Moberg knew the course would provide some difficult, short climbs and was able to pace himself through the different sections. Coming in, he felt good about his prospects for the race if he rode up to his potential.
He was also motivated about riding on a home course, especially in the last round of the Test of Metal races, a series he credits for inspiring him to get into riding in the first place.
鈥淭hese races are so meaningful. This is why I got into biking,鈥� he said.
Moberg said he might ride in an upcoming race in Chilliwack, but more likely his next event will be the Canada Cup race in Mont Tremblant, Que., later this month.
Nanaimo鈥檚 Carey Mark finished with the best time among the female riders at 2:53:15.6. She came in just over 46 seconds ahead of local rider Brandi Heisterman.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great course, it鈥檚 a little bit of everything,鈥� Mark said.
The two were together for much of the race, and Mark pointed out that being able to stay with the local rider who knew the course helped her put together a strong performance through the speed zones.
She also rides a bigger bike now and thinks it might have helped with her finish, though she was hopeful before the race for a top-three spot.
鈥淚 thought I was going to have a good race. I was hoping for podium,鈥� said Mark, who is also planning to race in the Test of Metal next month. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to the Test. That鈥檒l be the true test of where I am,鈥� she said.
Race director Curtis Roberts said part of the reason for moving the race up from July to May was to try to get more volunteers and riders.
As well as volunteers, the race did attract more riders this year, with officials estimating more than 300. The official results listed 257 riders, or still up significantly from last year鈥檚 165.
He spoke following the start of the race about what was obviously a bittersweet moment.
He recalled the difficulties in the early days with a government bureaucrat who did not want to cooperate and blasted people in 麻豆社国产for not wanting to follow the rules.
鈥淭he first thing he said was there will be no more 鈥榗owboy events鈥� around here,鈥� said Roberts, donning a cowboy hat at the race鈥檚 start.
GearJammer persisted though, lasting for 14 years. Along the way for Roberts there have been memorable moments, such as the time the pace car stalled right after the start of the race and created a domino effect for those at the head of the pack.
鈥淎ll the riders just sort of piled up on the back bumper,鈥� he said.
On a more serious note, one of the biggest highlights for him was the performance of local rider Neal Kindree, who won the race several times over the years, starting in 2006.
鈥淗e won it handily. No one was even close to him,鈥� he said.
Like any event that grows over the years, nothing can happen without people to handle all the work, and Roberts is quick to spread the credit with all the GearJammer volunteers and organizers, especially his wife Judy.
鈥淛udy鈥檚 the one that actually organizes the race,鈥� he said.
