Look for the cycling version of Friday Night Lights to become an annual show in PoCo.
The city and organizers of the third annual PoCo Grand Prix decided to start the bike races in this year’s version, held last Friday, later than normal for most of those held during BC Superweek. Instead of running the women’s and men’s pro races before dusk, they didn’t get underway until almost 8 p.m. Friday. That meant cyclists had to rely on streetlights and portable lights to see where they were going during twilight and after-dark hours.
BC Superweek race director Mark Ernsting said racing at night is a feature organizers will be looking to continue in Port Coquitlam.
“Running it under the lights creates a really unique atmosphere,” said Ernsting, adding he heard nothing but positive feedback from the racers. “That format is definitely one we would want to keep.”
Ernsting said there were no complaints from the cyclists about visibility, although he noted they were fortunate to have “a really beautiful summer evening.”
With nine races in 10 days during Superweek, each community looks to find something different for both cyclists and spectators, said Ernsting. Some take advantage of topography, like White Rock and New Westminster, while others focus on history, like the Gastown Grand Prix (on the cobblestone streets) and Giro di Burnaby (in a historically Italian neighbourhood).
For PoCo, it’s timing. Holding races after sunset is a good fit because it’s on a Friday night.
“That is something we will want to maintain and keep for the PoCo Grand Prix because it lends itself to a beautiful evening,” Ernsting told The Tri-City News.
The city estimated 10,000 people watched the races throughout the day. There were more than 200 elite and pro cyclists in the men’s and women’s races. The kids came out in full force, too, with 331 from ages three to 12 participating in various age-group races. As well, forty eight people rode in the corporate challenge.
In and around the 1.3-km course, there was lots to do besides watching cyclists whiz by, including an entertainment stage and kids' zone.
The city said attendance this year was 10,000, up from 7,500 last year and 5,000 in the inaugural year.
Michael Ketler of Winnipeg won the men’s race while Kendall Ryan of Camarillo, Calif., took the women’s race just ahead of Coquitlam native Sara Bergen and Maggie Coles Lyster of Maple Ridge. For more results and pictures, see page 28.
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