The creation of grand cycling cultures rests in the strength of rivalries.
Italians Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartoli became the stuff of legends in the 1940s, as Coppi, from the industrial north, battled Bartoli of the traditional south in the Giro D’Italia.
France’s Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor were bitter rivals in the 1960s, while the disgraced Lance Armstrong was antagonistic with everyone during his glory days.
In the Bow Valley, two talented 16-year-old riders have built their own rivalry on the single track at the Canmore Nordic Centre, where hometown phenom Robin Pollard and Edmonton speedster Sidney McGill have reigned supreme. Five times in a row, the two women have finished one-two on the podium, with McGill holding the advantage. Sunday’s (July 5) Alberta Cup was no different, as McGill edged Pollard again on the dusty, windy track by two seconds..
McGill staked herself an early lead, losing Pollard on the climbs, but the Canmore rider put on a huge push on the final lap to close the gap, resulting in a dramatic finish.
“On the last lap, I saw her on top of the hill and I kind of just went for it. I said ‘I’m going to catch you,’ and I almost did,” Pollard said.
McGill said the climbs were her strength on the day, which allowed her to hold onto a lead while Pollard charged on the descents.
“I tend to enjoy the climbs. I’m weird that way,” McGill said with a smile.
However, after races, the duo have become fast friends. They will have to battle one another again at a Canada Cup and Canadian Mountain Bike Nationals in two weeks.
“She’s always pushing me. It’s a lot of fun. We definitely built a friendship off our biking. I see her more than I see most of my friends in Canmore. It’s good to race it off, become friends again, then hang out,” Pollard said.
In the sport category, Jack Menzies, 13, and Isobel Hendry, 13, both members of the Rundle Mountain Cycling Club, took top spots in the sport youth men’s and women’s categories. Cooler temperatures and a burst of rain early in the day improved the course for the sport group.
“It made it nice and sticky so you could really get into the corners,” Menzies said.
Both Hendry and Menzies employed similar strategies to secure the win. Both riders shot off the start line to be first on the technical single track.
“I was pushing pretty hard up the climbs, ripping down the downhills to get a good lead,” Hendry said.
Menzies has won a few Alberta Cups, and said racing with his friends is always a good time, but he’s all business when on course.
“Its super fun to be racing with all my friends again,” Menzies said. “You’re friends when you start and when you finish, but it’s all the in between.”
Menzies finished in first, while Dylan Joyce and Darwin Orsier were second and third, respectively. RMCC riders Matthew Kuzik and Will Pollard rounded out the top five.
Laura MacLean and Isabelle Orsier finished second and third in the sport youth categories.
Sean Parker of Canmore actually posted the fastest time of the day racing in the novice youth men’s category. Colby Johnson and Seth Joyce finished second and third. Brady Greening, Laura Karl and Michelle Hayden all landed on the podium in novice women’s category.
