Team United Cycles wins TransRockies

Team United Cycles duo of Roddi Lega and Tim Heemskerk won six stages at the 550km, seven-stage TransRockies to take the overall of the TransRockies which wrapped up last weekend. Federico Ramirez and Ivan Amador (La Ruta) and Matt Hadley and Matt Green (Rocky Mountain EA Sports) finished second and third. This year, racers faced the hottest and driest conditions in the history of the race.

Kona pro cross country rider Wendy Simms and her partner Normon Thibault, from Nanaimo, British Columbia won the open/mixed duo as Team Frontrunners/Kona. Perennial challengers Eric Warkentin and Louise Kobin, riding for Shoair/Rock'n'Road Cycles took second. Kobin is one of only three riders who have participated in every edition of the TransRockies, and she was presented with a deluxe engraved Campagnolo corkscrew in a ceremony held at Whiteswan Lake for her achievement.

In the open women's category, TransRockies newbie Sue Haywood (Trek / VW) proved she was the perfect last-minute replacement partner for race veteran Hillary Harrison (Giant). The duo won six of seven stages on their way to the overall win over the Jo Turnbull and Jenny Hillmand (Team Canwi) and the British Minx/Extreme Endurance pair of Fi Spotswood and Meggie Bichard, who valiantly fought through a few days of sickness to keep their podium spot.

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Three-time TransRockies champion Andreas Hestler of Rocky Mountain Haywood, who was teamed up with Kevin Calhoun from Vancouver, faced some bad luck. Coming off the Inaugural BC Bike Race just one month ago, the two were feeling confident for a good finish in the TransRockies, but their plans came to a halt when Calhoun hit the ground hard in Stage 4.

After an hour trailside while being helped with his team-mate, Calhoun was airlifted the Cranbrook Hospital where he was initially examined and then transferred to Invermere Hospital so that any spinal damage could be ruled out. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with stress fractures in five vertebrae, a broken shoulder blade, and a separated shoulder. He is expected to make a full recovery and even returned to spectate at the race and cheer on his team-mate, who partnered with Brian Moore for the duration of the event. The team finished unofficially in third place during the last three days of the race.

For complete coverage of the TransRockies, click here.