BC Bike Race

The BC Bike Race is a seven-day mountain bike stage race held in British Columbia, Canada. It is traditionally held during the week of Canada Day (July 1). The BC Bike Race claims to have the most singletrack riding of any similar multi-day race.

Route

BC Bike race 2011

Each year, the BC Bike Race route changes, but has always included Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and the Sea to Sky Corridor. The 2010 version of the race involved a Prologue on Vancouver's North Shore, then days in Nanaimo, Cumberland, Powell River, Earls Cove to Sechelt, Sechelt to Langdale, Squamish, and Whistler. The race format evolved with years, in particular the Vancouver's North Shore stage was not included in 2013 race.

Between 2010 and 2012 the event offered the racers two formats: Epic and Challenge. The Epic (run since 2007) is seven days of racing with the average course length of 60 km each day. The Challenge (run since 2010 until 2012) is also seven days, but sports an average of 30 km each day. Both options took place at the same time and incorporate the same Base Camps each day.

Teams

Michael Brown and Veronica Jarlehag winners of the mixed open team of two at the BC bike race 2011

In 2007 and 2008, racers had to compete as part of a team. Now, BC Bike Race offers a Solo option. Most categories are for teams of two: Open Men, Open Women, Open Mixed, Veterans 80+ (combined age of both riders is over eighty), and Veterans 100+ (combined age over one hundred). Solo categories are Open Men, Men 40+, Open Women, Women 40+. There is one recreational category for teams of three to five people where at least one rider must race each day for the team to be officially ranked. Teammates must stay within two minutes of each other during the stage or risk a time penalty.

In 2010, a shorter version of the race called the "Challenge" was introduced. Participants could compete in either the Solo of Team of Two categories. The standard version of BC Bike Race is now referred to as the "Epic".

In 2014, the shorter version of the race was no longer offered. Racers who were not interested in the whole route could form tag-teams. Unlike two person teams, who are obliged finishing all seven stages, members of a tag team can choose which stages to race, as long as at least two racers from the same team are racing on any given stage.

Guest racers

The race has been known to extend invitations to certain riders to compete as a celebrity guest on certain stages. Past guests include Trevor Linden (Ex-Captain of the Vancouver Canucks).

Stages

The race format continues evolving, and the first

Results

See also

• Absa Cape Epic
• La Ruta de los Conquistadores
• Trans Alp Challenge
• Transrockies

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BC Bike Race.

• The BC Bike Race Home Page