Racers roll out for the start of the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Dave Silver)
Ladies in the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Dave Silver)
Bikes gets a ferry ride in the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Dave Silver)
A rider in the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Todd Weselake)
Flowing singletrack in the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Margus Riga)
Wood bridges challenge racers in the BC Bike Race(Image credit: Margus Riga)
The BC Bike Race (BCBR), which will celebrate its sixth edition in 2012, announced this year's route and the addition of 12 individually chip-timed sections. The 2012 route offers the same smorgasbord of venues as last year, but will include an all new day 7 in Whistler and some additions and tweaks to the other six days.
"We never rest on our laurels, having our course designers who are core mountain bikers and trail builders means new trails are added every year," said president Dean Payne. In addition to Whistler, participants will experience singletrack in the communities of Cumberland, Campbell River, Powell River, Sechelt, and Squamish.
Now with the addition of two timed sections for the first six days, BCBR boasts 12 enduro-style sections. Last year, in a continual pursuit to evolve the event, BC Bike Race included two days with two separate timed sections per day. The "Race within the Race" was launched, tried and true to ensure that the expanded timed sections in 2012 would be a success.
The enduro component to the stage race helped attract racers like Brian Lopes, who competed in 2011. Speaking of his experience, he said, "BC bike race was one of the most fun events I have ever done. Every day we were treated to some of the best trails in the world, trails I would have never experienced if it weren't for the race. The race was really one against myself most of the time, but with a few timed downhill sections thrown in I knew I had a chance of actually getting some results there. Like all top road stage races, there are categories for those with different skills and it was great to see the BC Bike race organizers throw in some contests for those with exceptional downhill skills."
"People have different styles, so we want to ensure that everyone has a chance to showcase their unique skill sets," said course director Andreas Hestler. "Enduro racing essentially means that riders instead of pinning it all day will be able to ride around the body of the course and really focus in on a few very fast moments."
The "Challenge" course is also undergoing some changes, and with a growing number of participants, the BCBR team is working hard to make all events as rider friendly as possible. Both courses will see adjustment to ensure less merging of the challenge and epic groups, keeping the riders' experience in mind.
