Yukon cyclist Jesse Reams is truckin’ along - red truckin’.
The Watson Lake native has had a strong start to the season with his new team Trek Red Truck Racing Team, a Vancouver-based road cycling team.
His latest accomplishments were two second-place finishes at the Robert Cameron Law Cycling Series over the weekend in Victoria, B.C.
“I had a good winter, I’ve been working with a new coach this year and it’s paying off,” said Reams. “I’m feeling good and have good form.
“I’ve won a couple races this year, so this weekend I would have liked to be on the top step of the podium a couple times. But second was good considering some of the competition.”
Cycling in the highest division, Category 1, Reams was second in the five-kilometre “Rumble” time trial with a time of six minutes and 32 seconds, just four seconds behind the winner. He was then second in the 75-lap criterium.
Those results gave Reams fourth in the omnium - the overall standing from the three races.
Reams was one of 38 in the 60-rider field who did not finish Saturday’s 120-kilometre road race. He was riding in a support role, repaying his teammates for the support they gave him at a pair of U.S. races.
“The team win is what we’re always going for,” said Reams. “Everyone is working real well together and we’re committed to the team winning. We’ve been riding real well together and it’s nice to be a part of.”
The 24-year-old already has two firsts under his belt this season.
Reams won the Enumclaw Stage Race three weeks ago in Enumclaw, Washington. He placed first in the criterium and second in the time trial and road race en route to placing first overall for the three-stage event.
He also won the Arizona State Criterium Championships mid-April in Phoenix.
He’ll be back in action next week at the Banff National Park Bike Fest in Alberta.
“I’ve had good form going for the last couple of months, so I’m just trying to maintain right now,” said Reams. “We’re getting ready for Banff.”
Reams was not the only Yukon cyclist at the Robert Cameron races on the weekend.
Whitehorse’s Melanie Tait, who is in just her second season of competitive road cycling, competed in three women’s races.
She placed 11th out of 23 riders in the criterium in Category 4 and 13th out of 22 in the 40-kilometre road race. She started with eighth out of eight in the five-kilometre time trial in Catagory 3 last Friday.
The Robert Cameron series was one of her first-ever competitive cycling events last season.
“I was happy with the weekend, how it turned out,” said Tait. “I felt like I was actually competing against people versus last year when I was there competing against myself and was never near (the front in) races.
“I was hoping for top-10, but I’m still happy with the way it went. There was improvement from last year, for sure.”
Tait is one of two road cyclists set to represent the Yukon at the Canada Summer Games this August in Sherbrooke, Que. The other is Whitehorse’s Shea Hoffman.
She is a member of U Kon Echelon, a Whitehorse-based developmental club, but is also training and cycling for Alberta’s Bicisport Calgary Cycling Club.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com