Banff Bike Fest - Saved by Tunnel Mtn!

Seeing "surprise corner" ahead! - photo Ken Anderson

Prologue - fun, short, scenic, over too soon

Hwy 1A road race - 64 km of avoidance of skittish rider, sprint finish with 500m to go with women coming back to me with a 6th place. Just gotta "go" on that last climb. Highlight seeing tourists walk out of their cars to take close up photos of bears eating foliage.

Time Trial - 21 km loop with super scenery around Lake Minnewanka. This photo depicts my eagerness to be a proficient Time Trialist

Which racer is different?! - photo Ken Anderson

Criterium - short loop 800m, smooth corners, short race. The top GC dogs duked it out. Put in efforts to keep from being lapped


photo Aaron Falkenberg

Tunnel Mountain Circuit Race - best event of the weekend!

Wish the course was longer, and started later (started 7 a.m. at 2C)... 81 km race of 6 loops around Tunnel Mountain... good climbs, wicked twisty descents, with a straight stretch that needed hills.

Good to see Team Red Truck with 5 riders keep the pace high right from the start. They needed to dent into solo rider Kinley Gibson`s GC lead of 52 seconds. Whenever the pace slowed on the climbs, I helped to keep the pace high.

The descent was twisty and fast and manageable without braking though the women still braked (?). Added a scary element to descend behind them with that factor.

There was one short steep grunt hill before the descent. I admit the youthful riders could stomp up it. In the last lap, I felt if we had another 4 loops, I'd be holding my own there. Managed to keep in the top pack finish.

This stage saved the whole Banff Bike Fest from being way less than a training effort weekend. Wish there were three more road races with similar intensity in this Stage Race!


Super fun to room at Zippy dog`s place in Canmore