Team Yukon cyclists cruise to victory in loppet

Team Yukon cyclists managed to squeeze in one more win before competing in the Canada Summer Games next week.

Despite being the only three-person team competing on Saturday, cyclists Dave Gonda, Ryan Burlingame and Heather Enders won the second-annual Southern Lakes Bike Loppet, coming in a full 10 minutes ahead of the second-place crew. The three have been producing top results in VeloNorth Cycling Club races throughout the season.

“To be honest, there weren’t that many serious riders there,” said Gonda. “We won, but we were riding our own race.

“It’s more of a recreational event.”

The trio was racing under the name Tapering, which is a strategy, as well as a name.

“That’s because we were tapering for the Summer Games,” said Gonda. “Basically, it’s lowering the volume of training while maintaining the intensity. So by the second week you feel really rested, but your legs are feeling good.

“We had to do some training that day anyway, so that’s really what it was.”

Saturday’s five-leg race began in Tagish this year, taking cyclists to Carcross then Golden Horn, right on Alaska Highway towards Jake’s Corner, and back to the start.

“The start is in a different community every year,” said race chief Simi Morrison. “Last year it started in Marsh Lake; this year we started in Tagish and next year it will be in Carcross.”

Numbers were down this year with 72 riders racing, including only five solo riders.

“I think that’s because there were two big sporting events happening in Whitehorse,” said Marrison. “Last year we didn’t have the (Long Lake) Triathlon and the (Ibex Valley Bouldering Festival).”

Team Yukon cyclists cruise to victory in loppet

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