BC Bike Race Day 4: BCBR Queen Stage celebrates the gnar in Cumberland.

Cumberland, with the Beaufort Range setting a beautiful backdrop provided the stage for continued battles amongst the epic singletrack the town is quickly becoming legendary for.

Stage 5 - Cumberland - July 4 - US INDEPENDENCE DAY - Queen Stage, Presented by Fox, 38.2KM - 1,216M 

Sobo no Michi, Futherburger, Race Rocks, Felicia, Field of Dreams, Woodcutter

BCBR Queen Stage celebrates the gnar in Cumberland 

Cumberland is perpetually a rider favourite at BC Bike Race, so it’s the perfect place to host the Queen Stage of this year’s race. A big day of burly singletrack and a mix of steep and smooth climbs delivered spicy racing. Attacks were flying, racers were smiling - at least on the descents - and no lead was safe in any of the race categories. 

Attacks, responses, crashes and a new person on the podium 

Matthew Wilson can be counted on to make a race exciting. As soon as the men’s field cleared the winding Sobo no Michi climb trail, the Kiwi launched a ferocious attack and immediately put race leader, Sean Fincham, and his Forward Racing teammate Andrew L’Esperance under pressure. 

“The first climb of the day it’s kinda neutralized by just how tech it is. When we got onto that steep double track I put in a good nudge up there and got away,” Wilson told us at the finish line. Fincham and Wilson then traded leads all day. “Sean rode real smart, he didn’t follow the digs, he just rode steady and used a bit of local knowledge and skill to reel me in on some of the flatter, jankier, stuff. Then we finally had a proper sprint finish, which was a good way to end the day.”

Fincham didn’t add to his GC lead, but he does take the stage win after another day of tactical, wheel-to-wheel racing. 

“Matt went out hard, I kinda let him go a bit and just trusted that I could get him back on the next climb and on the downhill a little bit,” said Fincham of dealing with another day of the Kiwi’s efforts. “It’s a bit of a gamble but, like, I’ve raced a lot of people over the years now and when the watts are that high and we’re this many days in, I know most people can’t hold it for very long. So I was just kinda hoping but he’s freaking strong.” 

While it’s been Wilson going on the offensive most days, Fincham doesn’t sound content to play defence all the way to the finish. 

“Yeah we’re gonna keep going and wait for the right moment and then we’re gonna go all in.”

The next rider across the line after the sprint finish was Peter Disera. It’s the first podium finish at this year’s BC Bike Race for the two-time BCBR champion. Last year, Disera rode within four seconds of a podium finish with a come-from-behind strategy. Is this the start of another drive for the podium? 

“No, it’s just the cards we’ve been dealt. The other guys up front were hitting it hard the first few days, especially at Tzouhalem. They’ve mellowed out a little bit, and Cumberland’s a great spot for Quinton and I in terms of knowing the trails,” Peter explains. And, sometimes, life creeps in even for the pros. “Both Quinton and I had busy weeks leading into the race, but as we’re moving away from home and away from responsibilities we’ve had a chance to catch up on sleep and recovery and start a sunset strategy for this event.”

With Peter Disera moving onto the podium, someone had to step off of it. After three days of excellent racing, Andrew L’Esperance saw his fortunes turn in Cumberland. After matching Wilson’s first acceleration, L’Espy crashed way up on Race Rocks. 

“I knew today was my opportunity to try to make a difference in the overall. I was just clearly the third strongest rider out there,” L’Esperance said at the finish. “The main thing is that hopefully it’s nothing major. I pushed through, I don’t think I made it worse, I was checking in with the pain through the whole second half trying to decide if I could continue to ride and not risk crashing. But, yeah, I’d say that the GC Battle is now down to two but I’m happy with the fight out there.”

Walter aims for the sweep 

On the women’s side, Sandra Walter landed a fifth straight win, consolidating her GC lead with a strong showing in Cumberland. With two days left, the prospect of a clean sweep is starting to become a possibility. 

“When I won in 2022, I didn’t sweep, I won five out of seven,” says Walter, “So it’s kind of a goal, to see if I can do the sweep this year. But we’ll see, I’m definitely getting tired.”

If Walter is starting to fatigue, that’s not showing on the results sheet. Friday was her biggest winning margin this week. 

“My legs were ok but my brain was tired, things were coming at me fast and I felt like I was a little too slow to react,” Walter elaborates. “I didn’t have any incidents, I just felt like I wasn’t riding super smoothly.” 

While we all have some idea how to train our bodies for a bike race, pros like Sandra need to train to stay mentally sharp for seven days of on-the-edge racing, too.

“During the ride, I always have cues to make sure I stay focused. Like focusing on my pedalling, I actually count my pedal strokes, to make sure that each pedal stroke counts. My mantra is smooth and strong, so I keep telling myself that,” Walter explains. “I have a pretty big lead now, so I think I can relax a bit now, so I’m just overall thinking about having fun.”

Not too far behind Walter, Nepal’s Usha Khanal ended the day third, behind Katerina Nash and Maghalie Rochette, who was forced to withdraw from the race after a visit to the hospital confirmed a broken bone in her hand. Before that, Khanal added to her lead over the chasing duo of team Distance to Empty riders in fifth and sixth.

“Today was pretty awesome. I found it a little bit more technical than the last few days. I think climbing was harder for me because there was lots of tight switchbacks and there was no way you could pass so you just have to like, stick to others' wheels and if somebody stops you have to stop. But I like the descents, it was technical but still rideable.”

How is the Nepalese champion enjoying the Ultimate Singletrack Experience? 

“Oh, I don’t really have words for that. I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m so glad I made it here and it’s very awesome. I like those little jumps we don’t have at home, and just your bike-specific trails are the highlight for me right now. I’m riding along saying “woo! wow!’ As I’m riding.”

Legends, honeymooners and race leaders

The Open men’s and women’s categories aren’t the only hotly contested races at BC Bike Race. 

Leslie Tomlinson is a two-time Olympian, an icon of Canadian cycling and, here at BC Bike Race, leading the women’s 60+ category. Once a racer, always a racer, right?  

“Well, my blinders came off a long time ago, I put in a good 25 years of racing. But even to put the number on and get kinda psyched, that’s a big win.”

How is Tomlinson enjoying the return to racing?

“It’s great, it’s a little different than planned. I was going to just ride with a girlfriend but she got hurt so I’m solo. I don’t feel like I’m racing, but I’m going hard! It’s hard but it’s fun. Those of us that are kind of from here, Whistler and North Van, it’s challenging for us so I can’t imagine what it’s like for people that aren’t used to it. But it’s good.”

One of the riders from very far away from Vancouver Island that is thriving on the BC singletrack is Wendy Boyce. 

“The week’s been great so far, lots of fun. It’s getting a lot harder as the week’s gone on, that’s for sure,” says Boyce, who currently leads the 40+ women’s category ahead of Katy Curtis and the Netherlands’ Erika Koster. “I didn’t expect to be in this position at all, I was hoping for top-10, so that’s a good surprise. But it’s fierce competition. Katy, who is second at the moment, is way faster on the downhill so today she just blitzed me. So, not leading by as much anymore. Hopefully tomorrow’s a little less technical on the downs.” 

Boyce isn’t here just to race. This is the goal of a seven-year long journey. 

“I’m actually here with my husband, on our honeymoon,” Boyce shares. “We got married seven years ago and thought we’d go to Canada but we took a little bit of time to get it sorted. We had 90 Canadian dollars given to us from our friends at our wedding, we brought it, so we’ve got cash to spend here somewhere!” 

With Basecamp located in the heart of the picturesque, bike-crazy town of Cumberland, there are plenty of options for them to experience the local culture. Long lines were spotted outside of Love’s Ice Cream, Biblio Taco and Rider’s Pizza all afternoon. 

Another Vancouver-based husband-wife duo, Bob and Kelly Welbourn are leading their respective 50+ races. Kelly has a solid lead in her race. Bob also leads, a few minutes ahead of Jason Kettrick and Christopher Peck who are separated by just four seconds in second and third. Just as impressive, he’s riding in the top-15 overall across men’s categories. 

It’s going well and I trained a lot for this so I’m happy it’s paid off,” Bob says of his race, “But I’m loving it, to be honest. This is amazing, this is probably my favourite day. Tomorrow is a good one as well and then that last day is magic. I’m hoping I can find something in the legs to keep it going.”

What brings the Welbourns back to BC Bike Race for a second year? 

“I didn’t really think I was coming back, but Bob signed me up on the day that registration opened! I got home from work and he said ‘I signed you up!’ and I said ‘... for what?!’” Kelly admits, adding “it turns out it’s a good way for us to holiday because I can do me and he can to his crazy live-for-racing thing, and then we can have fun later.”

“It’s the best holiday of my life! Go racing bikes all week!” says a very enthused Bob. “It’s something I can go do with my wife and we both have fun.” 

While her return to BCBR might have been a surprise, Kelly is thriving in her leader’s jersey. But even the leaders are feeling the heat five days in. 

“Today was harder than I remember from last year. Not sure why because it’s exactly the same. But the trails here are so amazing,” Kelly says, adding that the race isn’t over yet. “I gotta keep it in check, especially for tomorrow. As I recall from last year, there’s no rest. It’s all pedalling, so you’ve gotta keep the heart rate in check.” 

A little pacing isn’t the worst idea, as racers will need to make it through another 45km of singletrack on Saturday in Campbell River. While the penultimate stage delivers the most mileage of the 2025 BC Bike Race on paper, the undulating tunnels of green winding through Snowden Demonstration Forest will provide racers some welcome respite from the occasionally unrelenting tech of the first five days.” 

Results: Day 5 - Cumberland 

Open Women
1st. Sandra Walter 2:40:36.4
2nd. Katerina Nash 2:47:40.5 (+7:04.1)
3rd.  Maghalie Rochette 2:54:53.3 (+14:16.9)
4th. Usha Khanal 3:11:09.5 (+30:33.1)
5th. Starla Teddergreen 3:13:50.0 (+33:13.6)

Open Men
1st.  Sean Fincham 2:06:54.8
2nd. Matthew Wilson 2:06:55.6 (+0.8)
3rd. Peter Disera 2:10:47.5 (+3:52.7)
4th. Andrew L’Esperance 2:11:26.2 (+4:31.4)
5th. Quinton Disera 2:14:49.5 (+7:54.7)

Day 5 - Overall Standings 

Open Men
1st. Sean Fincham 6:24:09.7
2nd. Matthew Wilson 6:25:13.1
3rd. Andrew L’Esperance 6:30:36.2
4th. Peter Disera 6:38:28.7
5th. Geoff Kabush 6:52:32.8

Open Women
1st. Sandra Walter 8:04:27.1
2nd. Katerina Nash 8:22:44.3
3rd. Maghalie Rochette 8:50:47.5
4th. Usha Khanal 9:42:04.0
5th. Lauren Zimmer 9:51:29.5

Fox Timed DH Stage 5 - Rhizome/Banzai/Woodcutter

Men
1st. Tanner Wells 4:17:14.8
2nd. Quinton Disera 4:18:17.5
3rd. Peter Disera 4:19:10.0
4th. Geoff Kabush 4:27:41.2
5th. Sean Fincham 4:35:28.1

Women
1st. Maja Wloszczowska 5:23:50.6
2nd. Nathalie Schneitter 5:35:03.7
3rd. Katerina Nash  5:55:54.2
4th. Sandra Walter 6:30:54.5
5th. Jessica Hild 6:37:58.3