Cycling BC’s targeted road athletes and coaches provide a mid-project update from Arizona.
Cycling BC’s High Performance Targeted Road Athletes, Holly Henry and Ben Chaddock, recently checked in from sunny Arizona. They are currently in the midst of a two-week training and racing project. Last week, they participated in the Valley of the Sun (VOS) stage race in Phoenix and are now preparing for the Tucson Bicycle Classic this weekend.
It has been an excellent early season start for the athletes, including stage wins, category upgrades, and some savvy tactical prowess, all while demonstrating outstanding teamwork both on and off the bike.
Their adventures started with a recon ride on Thursday, followed by a windy and logistically challenging Time Trial on Friday, before completing the queen stage, a 3-4 hour road race in hot conditions on Saturday. The weekend wrapped up in downtown Phoenix on Sunday with a criterium stage that provided opportunities for the athletes, especially some of our mountain bike riders, to experience the thrill of a national-level criterium for the first time. Over 100 riders participated in a sold-out junior boys field which turned out to be the largest field of the competition.
“I was impressed with the confidence and strength of our riders,” said Coach Ben Chaddock. “It is clear how diligently the athletes have been preparing for this event and our group training sessions have gone very smoothly which is a testament to the coaches and clubs that have helped develop the talent of these athletes.”
Some notable highlights from Week 1:
- Kimberly Chen (Cat 2 Women): Rode strongly throughout the weekend, with excellent positioning in the criterium despite the presence of big teams. “I’m excited for this next race in Tucson because my whole Red Truck Racing team is here!”
- Ellie Winchell (Cat 4 Women): First road racing experience and finished in the pack in all stages. “I am feeling more confident in the group every day. Plus – our fields are a great size, so it is a lot of fun to race in the group and meet the other athletes.”
- Julian Cameron, who upgraded from Cat 4 to Cat 2 over the past 12 months, rode smoothly and confidently in the Cat 2 men’s competition. “I loved the opportunity to gain race experience early in the season and being able to ride outside with a group of like-minded people!”
- Xavier Fell, Andrew Lawson, Maddox Johnson, and Mateus Dodd competed together in the Junior Boys category. “As a new roadie, being able to pedal hard and corner with over 100 aspiring and competent racers was absolutely next level. I am so grateful to share this experience with such a collaborative and supportive squad.” – Maddox Johnson.
- Carson Smith (Cat 4 Men): Built upon his previous experiences, he excelled in the Sunday criterium race, winning the final sprint. As a result, Carson accumulated enough points over the past twelve months to upgrade to Cat 3 for next weekend’s races.
The lead coach on the project, Holly Henry, brought a team of athletes to these events last year and is really encouraged to see how much the athletes have improved in the past year.
“I’m stoked to be here in Arizona with this group of Cycling BC development athletes. They have been demonstrating exceptional teamwork, positivity, and openness to learning. This weekend was an awesome racing experience at VOS and the team made huge gains,” said Holly.
The team is taking a well-deserved rest day on Thursday (i.e. homework day), before the Tucson Bicycle Classic. This includes a time trial on Friday, followed by an evening criterium, a hilly road race on Saturday, and concluding with Sunday’s circuit race.
We wish our coaches and athletes all the best for the rest of their races and are excited to hear about all the great progress they have been making so far this season.
To learn more about Cycling BC’s High Performance Program, visit: cyclingbc.net/high-performance
