The 900-metre course in Ladner is famous for being fast and the 2018 Tour de Delta Ladner Criterium lived up to that reputation on Saturday night in the historic fishing village.聽
When it was all said and done, a familiar face was atop the podium as 2015 US National Criterium Champion Kendall Ryan picked up where she left off and won her second straight race at BC Superweek, finishing in one hour, nine minutes, and 23 seconds.
"That last lap was super sketch! My teammate (Alison Jackson), I just let her go and they were looking at me like, 'Why did you just let your teammate go?' and I said, 'She isn't done!鈥�, laughed the seven year pro who has been riding since she was six years old. 鈥淚n the end, there were people coming down the right, I slipped in for third, just barely got by and took that last corner pretty hot."
The 25-year-old from Camarillo, California is establishing herself as a powerhouse at BC Superweek. Including last year, she now has five wins in her last seven races at the series. Calgary鈥檚 Kirsti Lay, who rides for Rally Cycling and finished second at the 50-lap, 45 kilometre Ladner Criterium in 2017, found herself in the same spot this year despite being aggressive throughout the race.
"I was trying to do something, it's kind of a vacuum course so we were just going to see if we could do something early and then not shut it down for the sprint. We have a sprinter here who's pretty good so it's fun to ride for her,鈥� said Lay, a former speed skater who was forced to retire due to an injury six years ago. 鈥淚t just got a little crazy in the last corner with two people up the road and you never know what the last lap is going to give you."
Harriet Owen rides for Hagens Berman | Supermint and specializes in the sprint, but the 24-year-old just couldn鈥檛 get ahead of Ryan and Lay in Ladner on Saturday.
"We tried to get a lead out train going, it was so hairy on that last lap, especially down that back straight so it was kind of like I lost it a little bit, but there are plenty more days to go," she said, already looking ahead to Sunday鈥檚 UCI 1.2 White Spot | Delta Road Race. "Our team - we've got a good squad here so fingers are crossed for the road race tomorrow."
BC Superweek and the Tour de Delta continue Sunday with the White Spot | Delta Road Race. The women鈥檚 race starts at 9:30 am and the men begin at 1 pm.
