Team H&R Block traveled to Edmonton this past weekend to compete in a true spring classic of the Alberta calendar, the Velocity Stage Race: a Time Trial Saturday morning, a Criterium Saturday evening, and a Road Race Sunday.
Saturday's 10 Kilometre Time Trial served to identify the race favourites. H&R men placed in positions 4 through 7, with Chris McNeil, as the team's fastest rider in 4th place, only 12 seconds behind winner Jamie Sparling (Trek/Red Truck).
Meanwhile, H&R's sole female competitor, Carrie Tuck, started her battle with rival and National Track Team pursuiter Tara Whitten (Velocity), with Tuck finishing just one second behind Whitten in the Time Trial.
Saturday evening's Criterium saw heated action in the men's race with a continual flurry of attacks, many from the H&R Team. Particularly active were Ryan McKenzie, Chris McNeil, Cyrus Kangarloo, Mark MacDonald, and Aaron Schooler, who monitored closely rivals from ERTC and other squads, with H&R riders Dave Jetz, Gideon Krishtalka, and Mark Foster playing supporting roles. McKenzie and McNeil were involved in two major moves over the course of the race, but ultimately what remained of the field came into the last lap together. In the end, it was H&R rider Jeff Bolstad taking the win in a field sprint, led out nicely by Chris McNeil, who rebounded exceptionally well following a crash early in the race.
The women's Criterium also came down to a field sprint with H&R rider Carrie Tuck taking the win and, most important, doing so with a 6-second time bonus.
After Saturday's downright warm and pleasant weather, Sunday started much cooler, with a continuous strong wind from the west. The wind would be a major factor on the 22-kilometer circuit (raced 5 times for a total of 132km), which is pretty much devoid of trees, hills, buildings or other features. The men's race featured aggressive and fast riding early on. By the third lap, the selection was made with H&R placing three men in the lead group of seven. This group came apart in the last lap, with H&R's Ryan McKenzie taking the win in a two-man sprint over Jamie Sparling. H&R rider Cyrus Kangarloo finished third.
The final general classification was now set: Jamie Sparling held onto the overall followed by H&R riders Ryan McKenzie and Cyrus Kangarloo in second and third positions, respectively. Also finishing in the top-ten GC were H&R riders Mark MacDonald (7th) and Jeff Bolstad (8th).
The H&R riders placed 4 riders in the top ten in the overall general classification this weekend which is a huge success as the team road aggressively all weekend but more importantly raced as a team.
The women's Road Race finished in a manner similar to the Criterium, with H&R rider Carrie Tuck taking her second-consecutive stage and the General Classification ahead of Velocity's Tara Whitten.
Thanks to all our sponsors for helping support the team and the sport of cycling but most importantly helping our young athletes achieve there full potential by realizing there dreams can come true...
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