That was another fine week! Funny how it goes when it's summertime!

Lots of speedy rides this week, I managed a KOM for a few hours as well, but Corny changed hands a few times!

We're headed into the penultimate week, and some of the top positions of the series keeps moving around. Just two weeks left to secure your overall position.

And back to Metchosin this week, but they're shorter ones, and not so far out.

Thank you once again to all who 'chipped in', I really appreciate your contributions, and it really helps me produce a series in the way I want to see it done, and hopefully you all feel like it's the kind of series you deserve!! 🥰

Racing News

As mentioned last week, I'm co-organizing a crit with Glennon on Saturday, Aug 3rd - it'll be in Royal Bay on some fresh tarmac in a new subdivision, and will be part of the VCL series. Come out to race or watch!

The Tour de France is a wrap, wowwee, it was telemarked fairly early on, but there was still so much action, and congrats to Canadian Derek Gee for putting in a great TT in the end, finishing 6th on the final stage, and 9th overall! Incredible accomplishment given he wasn't actually planning to go for the GC.

This weekend was also the National Masters Champs, with a Time Trial on Friday, Metchosin Road Race on Saturday, and the crit around the Legislature today. Lots of local riders were going for the gold, and some of our Segment Challenge regulars were out, and in particular a shout out to Jen Ward who claimed all three jerseys in her Masters A category! 🔥🔥🔥

HOUSEKEEPING

Notes for the week:

Not much to mention this week, again!

Reminder if your time didn't record (this week or any), please either tag me in your ride, comment on the Strava group post, or send me an email -- if you rode it, I can usually figure out a 'manual' time for you, but you need to let me know! 😁

4 <- THIS MANY WEEKS WITHOUT AN ERROR 🤣

If there are any errors, omissions, issues, concerns, or anything else, feel free to hit reply!

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SOUNDTRACK NOTES

Sorry music fans, catching up on the final Tour stage today since I missed most of it this morning!🎶

THIS WEEK IN RIDES

For those new to the series, results are tabulated each week, and the event page has all the results updated each Sunday night! To see the weekly results, hit the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

The A's

No A rides this week again, but with Sofia over in Finland, no segment is safe there! (Or disc golf competitors!)

It was a bit of deja vu this week, I managed to secure the Corny KOM on Tuesday, but it didn't last long, and was traded around like a hot potato until Leo finally secured the fastest time! Logan smashed it this week, just 6sec off, and Rich was just one second further back as well for 3rd! Travis F was the fastest of Team B+, another 3sec back. On the adventure up Dooley, Louis locked in an impressive time, and took 30sec off his time from last year! Leo secured 2nd, and by some miracle I held on to 3rd, also cracking 8mins. I really don't know how I pulled that off, I also shaved 26sec off my time from last year! Glennon repped Team B+ well with 4th, tho I know some of the other A's had some bad luck with traffic.

The B's

Renata had a fantastic run on Corny, and took home the QOM as well this week, nice riding!!

Dave B was dominant this week, taking the top spot on both segments, and also being the only other one to crack 8mins on Dooley - invitations to Team B+ have been sent out! 😉 Tood and Travis O were the best of the rest, with 2nd and 3rd respectively, trailed by Evan and Alan (who rode only one segment this week, and it was on his way back in from riding from Surrey!)

The C's

Three of our C's made it out this week, and on Corny Rose dropped the watts, and locked in a speedy time, topping Kristin and Lynn, but on Dooley we saw Kristin log the top time (new climbing bike?), with Lynn taking second here, and Rose trailing, and adding insult to injury she also picked up the Local Legend curse! 😭

Quinn was dominant this week, claiming top spot in the C's on both segments! Greg and Jamie trailed, although not by too much, and Zach not far from a podium time. Jamie also secured 2nd on Dooley, with Greg in 3rd, and Zach also the best of the rest!

BONUSES & CURSES

As mentioned, a QOM went to Renata, and KOM to Leo!

• Early Bird was Ethan S this week
• No Secret Times this week
• No Socialite points either (post a shot of your ride on IG or FB and tag @AboutTheRideCA for a chance for 5pts each week! If you've posted, but I haven't given you credit, or liked or commented your post, please DM me directly, IG has been a bit finiky.)
• The Local Legend curse claimed by Rose on Dooley! Travis F had the LL on Corny, but since it was his suggestion, he had immunity. 😉
• No Yellow Jersey curse as usual!

PRIZES!

For those new to the series, we've always got some sweet draw prizes every week! Watch our socials (Insta & Facebook) to see what we'll be giving away each week!

This week our prizes are vouchers for a free Nuts For Cheese vegan cultured cheese or spread! THESE ARE SO YUMMY!! This week I've drawn 3 names from A, B and C, and our lucky riders are:

Leo Donnecke
Louis FL
Dan Blackwell

Graeme Tuck
Alan Mackay
Renata Troc

Rose Aarrestad
Kit St. John
Lynn Cole

Congrats! I'll email you all privately on Monday with details, note that the first to reply to that email will get their top prize choices! (Well maybe not this week.😉)

As always a huge thanks to all our event supporters! Take a peek at what we've got for Season 5:

https://abouttheride.ca/victoria-segment-challenge-season-5-prize-list/

Week #7 - July 22nd - 28th - Are you a pelican, or pelican't?!

Back out in Metchosin, tho not too far - another new-to-me hill (I rode down it last week, beautiful spot!), and another steep climb from the OG KOMpetition that's for the birds!

Segment 7A Name: Essential Chapel Heights
Deets: 0.92km, 41m elevation gain.
This is an existing segment, QOM is The Squaremeat with a 2:04, KOM is Caleb Bender with a 1:49 & LL is none!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/18967787

I'm looking forward to this one! Flattens out in a few spots, so should be good for the all-rounders, and has a pretty obvious end-point. Who knew there's a Cactus Place in the CRD?! (Note that's not the end point, but funny street name - Graceland is there too!) Credit to Dave B who pointed this out on a ride a few weeks ago, this is our final Rider's Choice!

Segment 7B Name: Pelican Rd Climb
Deets: 0.67km, 67m elevation gain.
This is an existing segment, QOM is Holly Henry with a 2:16, KOM is Stephane Tran with a 1:43 & LL is no one!
Link: https://www.strava.com/segments/3347684

A surprising number of people in the group have ridden up this! As mentioned, this nasty thing was featured way back in April 2020, and I had that issue where I pre-rode it, and when I came back down, Strava started my time as I rolled by the start, and I went out a ways and came back in....so shouldn't have much trouble topping my own time. But it's 67m of climbing in 670m, so it's a real grunt!

Happy riding!! 

Updated on the site: as always Routing for this week: https://abouttheride.ca/victoria-segment-challenge/

A Corny spot, the beginning
and finish of this segment!

Caught Dave B finishing his effort
atop Dooley!

Hope everyone took in the view
from up there, not too bad!

Just two weeks left in Season 5 - reminder if you haven't joined this season, you're totally welcome to join any time! If you've got friends who are interested, get them out this week!

And cyclocross season is imminent.....I haven't advertised it yet, but the sign-up for my annual Cyclocross Skills School clinic series is live, hit the Clinics button in the menu to learn more! The dates are Aug 25th, Sept 1st and Sept 8th - these are great if you're getting into CX, or if you want to top off your skills, or even if you're not planning to race CX, but want to work on some new off-road tricks - they're very handy for gravel as well! The sign-up/RSVP is online, and there are limited spots!

Not looking forward to starting the running again tho. 😭😂

Safe and speedy riding all! 🚲

- Dave

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