BC Superweek anchors new Canadian road series

Canada's richest week of bike racing will get even richer in 2005 as BC Superweek (July 15-24) becomes part of a new Canada Cup cycling series that will offer $10,000 more prize money just for Canadian riders and hopefully lead to larger women's fields and greater participation from riders across Canada.

The new series, developed by the Canadian Cycling Association, will be funded by legacy money from the 2003 World Road Cycling Championships in Hamilton, Ontario. It's a six-event road racing series for men and women that includes BC Superweek's Tour de Delta, Tour de Gastown and Tour de White Rock, as well as the National Road Cycling Championships in Kamloops, the Montreal to Quebec City Road Race and Ontario's Elliott Lake Stage Race.

National Development Coach Kris Westwood, said selecting the West Coast races for the new national series was an easy decision.

"BC Superweek is where it's at in road racing in Canada," said Westwood. "It's pretty well it in this country. White Rock is a fantastic race that's been around for a long time, Delta is now well established with incredible community support, and of course Gastown is a classic."

The Canada Cup series, which is expected to grow to eight events by 2008, will be used to select and develop national and Olympic team candidates. The series is also expected to help identify and assist up and coming riders, another reason BC Superweek officials are happy to be selected for the national series.