Barring a major crash or a huge swing in momentum, Sechelt's Kris Sneddon and his Kona Factory teammate Barry Wicks are poised to capture their second straight BC Bike Race title.
After crossing the finish line third, behind solo riders Chris Sheppard and Jason Sager Wednesday afternoon in Sechelt following stage four of the seven-day race, the Kona Factory teammates have a four-day total of 10:36:37 in the epic open two-man team division, putting them just over 30 minutes ahead of the next closest two-man team Nativo/Devinci Marty Lazarski and Ricky Federau of Canada.
Sneddon and Wicks have been on a torrid pace since the race began on July 2 in Cumberland and continued with strong stages in Campbell River to Comox, over to Powell River and then Wednesday from Earls Cove to Sechelt.
The race continued Thursday as the riders rode through the trail network in Roberts Creek to Langdale where they took the ferry over to the mainland to finish with stage six today (Friday) in Squamish and the seventh and final day Saturday in Whistler.
Sneddon said he loves the Sechelt stage as he can take advantage of his home-course knowledge.
"It's always an advantage when you know the course," he said in a post race interview. "Obviously everyone wants to win on their home race course. It's like a hockey team playing in their home rink - you're just that much more motivated for some reason."
For Wicks, he said the day was flat out awesome.
"I was just going full out and putting my trust in [Sneddon]. It was an awesome day, and I think we rode pretty smart," he said.
Media manager Dave Howells said this year's event has been the best one yet.
Now in its fifth year, Howells said they were excited to kick off the event in Cumberland as they have never started there and the excitement and excellent racing just continued.
"We really introduced our race field to some serious trails, but that's what we're all about. We're a single-track experience and why not get right into it," Howells said of the start in Cumberland.
"Campbell River was a first for us as well. I had a chance to ride a bit on the trails myself and the trails were unreal. The single track was so much fun, so I think everyone enjoyed that stage and it was a great venue. We had another great day in Powell River, but I would say by the end of day three, a lot of the riders were starting to feel the effects of a mountain bike stage race."
Howells said day four in Sechelt is the toughest and most gruelling day for the riders. "The sheer length of 63 km, and also the elevation gain/loss is quite significant. I think it's also a more open exposed style trail," he said. "The girls and guys have been under the trees in the single track, but not so much today. This stage is a little bit more open, the riders are more exposed, it's warm out today. They're riding gravel roads, they riding under power lines and there are some big, big climbs, so this stage will really knock a lot of the riders down."
Howells said the Thursday stage is a bit easier though, and called it more of a "fun, recovery day."
"It's about 40 km and it's really nice. There are still some climbs in there and a bit more single track, but it's fast and fun," he said. "And it has, without a doubt, the best descent in the seven days, Highway 102. We're at about two and a half thousand feet and about a 12-kilometre descent all the way into the Langdale ferry. It's something all the riders look forward to."
Howells said Friday's stage in Squamish is "probably the crown jewel of BC Bike Race."
"The Squamish course offers up everything that a mountain biker might be looking for - from single track to some really good climbs, some really good descents, some really good technical. But it's a tough loop at around 60 km, but it's a real fun one," he said. "Whistler is a new course for us this year, but we're looking forward to the finish and we're actually the first event to stage an event at the new Olympic Plaza in Whistler, so it should be exciting."
For more on BC Bike Race and to follow the progress for the last few stages, see www.bcbikerace.com.
