BC Bike Race Day 4: Sprinting for wins and grinding for positions

Nanaimo provided an Ultimate Singletrack Experience with a lake side finish!

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Stage 4 - Nanaimo - July 3 - Presented by Mosaic 

39.6km - 929m Abyss (trail: Hootenany), Mount Benson (Gatekeeper), Westwood Lake 

Fox Timed Downhill Trail: Blitzcreek

Today, BCBR racers crossed over the half way point for 2025. It’s a symbolic milestone, but, as fatigue starts to build up in the legs and equipment begins to show the effects of back-to-back days of racing, an important one for many racers. 

With 39.6km and 929m of elevation gain spread out across three trail networks (The Abyss, Benson, and Westwood), it was a big push to cross over the hump, but the reward was worth the effort. A lakeside finish stocked with 500 of the city’s namesake Nanaimo bars to get riders back to base camp. 

Sprinting for wins and grinding for positions 

The 2025 BCBR saw its third men’s stage winner in four days on Thursday, with Andrew L’Esperance powering to a sprint win on the shores of Westwood Lake. It was a hard-fought win with the front four crossing the line within 1.1 seconds. 

“I tried to put some pressure on Matt,” L’Esperance said of current second-place Kiwi, Matt Wilson. “I don’t know if we did, but this course, from previous years, I know it’s not super conducive to getting gaps. Some of the climb trails, like The Other Cheek, you can go full-gas on and it’s just so hard to get a gap.” 

While L’Esperance and his Forward Racing teammate Sean Fincham, couldn’t distance Wilson, a win is always a good way to launch into the second half of the week. Could it be the start of a shift in momentum? 

“Hopefully,” L’Espy hints. “In previous years, it’s been a back-half battle. So we’ll see how it shakes out.” 

The race is, it sounds like, just getting started. In fact, the lead trio isn’t alone. Peter Disera joined the lead trio for the first time this week and, not far behind, his younger brother Quinton Disera and BCBR veterans and Canadian legend Geoff Kabush are battling for positions. After getting an early lead over the brothers, Coach K is taking the long view. 

“Pete’s been pulling away pretty quickly, and Quinton’s been chipping away at his deficit. It should be an interesting battle for fifth overall. A good little rematch from last year. I’m keeping the kids honest,” says Kabush. “It doesn’t really feel like I’m racing anyone but myself. I have my steady pace. The guys are firing out in front every day, so I just have to settle into my pace and see who goes off too hard and comes back.” 

The race is moving onto home turf, hitting the trails Kabush learned to ride a bike on in the Comox Valley.  

“I’m looking forward to Cumberland. Furtherburger’s always one of my faviourite trails in the race. Tomorrow’s a pretty heavy day up there at the top. I’ll probably change the tires tonight and see if I can pick up a couple more of the kids,” Kabush says, before adding that not all mechanical challenges happen on the clock. “The real victory will be if I get my old van up there. That was the victory this morning. It’s overheated a few times this trip. It’s been a little extra background stress, so I’m hoping it makes it through the last few days.” 

Sounds like Friday will be exciting, especially if Kabush’s classic blue VW van survives the drive north. 

Women’s race tests gear and grit 

On the women’s side, times were the tightest they’ve been since Monday’s prologue. While Sandra Walter still nabbed the win, Katerina Nash appears to be picking up momentum. 

“Sandra had a couple small issues,” Nash concedes, “But I managed to stay closer overall. Again, she is climbing really fast. She brought the World Cup speed, she’s an elite rider, she’s got all the tools. It’s been hard to stick to her wheel, but I’m pretty stoked with how I’m riding. I’m riding really well for myself, which was the goal for this year’s BCBR, and having a blast on the downhills.” 

While Walter has a solid lead, it is a seven day race. Managing equipment can be as important as managing race efforts. 

“You’ve gotta place your tires in the right place every single second of this race. I definitely keep that in the back of my mind,” says Nash. “I’m riding fast, but always within control. Whether it’s a crash or mechanical, I don’t want to deal with either of those, so it’s always a calculated risk, just looking at keeping the equipment in check. Go back and wash the bike, inspect the tires, and start every day with a fresh bike.”

Mechanical disaster nearly struck for race leader Sandra Wlater in Nanaimo. 

“Day 4 always feels like one of the hardest days for me, not feeling so fresh, but I tried to go out hard again because that seems to work and it was good that I gave myself a buffer because I ended up having a puncture and Katerina passed me. Then shortly after that I followed some people that were following the wrong pink ribbon.”

Walter was able to fight back to make contact with Nash, then attack for the win and keep her clean sweep of this year’s BCBR alive. The World Cup racer does make some changes from her usual Liv Pique set up to adapt to the rigors of the Ultimate Singletrack Experience. 

“Obviously it’s really important that you know your equipment is reliable and that you’ve tested it, and to try use fresh stuff going in. I’m going to put a new front tire on tonight. I also have an extra bottle cage on there - finding a small bike with two bottle mounts is amazing. I have a CO2 that I don’t usually carry during World Cup’s anymore and i’m carrying a spare tube in my pocket. Maybe a little bit more pressure than a World Cup, just to give myself a buffer, but that’s about it. 

Strategies and synergy at the front 

Like in the men’s race, there is a growing battle for positions and there are two teammates working together near the top of the standings. Starla Teddergreen and Lauren Zimmer finished fifth and sixth in Nanaimo, continuing their battle with Usha Khanal going for fourth position. Both race for the Distance to Empty team out of Colorado. The two have rarely been more than a bike-length apart all week. 

“We’re teammates but we’re racing in the women’s open race but as teammates in the women’s open race, I guess?” explains Teddergreen. “We’re practicing for a duo race in August. This is our first time racing together, so just getting to know each other's strengths and how to best support each other and having fun out there.” 

“And it’s a lot more fun racing and riding with a friend,” Zimmer adds. 

“This is our first time actually riding together at all,” Teddergreen added, with Zimmer chiming continuing, “Which is crazy. I was a little nervous at first, but this is going great!” 

“I think it’s going fantastic,” Teddergreen adds. “Mostly I’m pacing up the climbs, then when we get to the double-black super technical descents, she takes over.” 

“I call out ‘Go left! Go right! Drop this! Roll this!’ So it’s been really fun,” Zimmer says. “We’ve worked really well together so far.” 

While the two are near the front of the field, they maintain they’re racing together until the end. Just a couple seconds separate them on the leaderboard so far. What brought them to the BC Bike Race?  

“It’s been on my list of epic stage races to do. I’ve done Brek Epic, Cape Epic, so this was definitely one to do, especially before it goes away,” says Teddergreen. “And I absolutely love it up here in Canada. I can’t think of anyone better to do it with than Lauren, so we are here!” 

Teamwork bringing more people into the dream

In the official team categories, Swiss father-son duo Mathias and Nick Flury are leading the Team of Two men’s race. Nick had intended to race solo in the U19 category, but looked for a larger field in the open race.  

“It’s his first multi-stage race,” father Mathias explains, “I thought it would be nice for us to do it together.”  

How do the duo approach racing as a team? 

“On the flats, I pull because I am stronger. On the climbs, I listen to him for pace. On the downhills, I always go in front and say if there are difficult features or lines, because I’m also better at downhill,” explains Nick. 

“Maybe at the end of the week, I will be a bit stronger on the hills,” chimes in Mathias, “We will see.” 

Mathias is the reason the duo have made the journey over from Europe for BCBR. 

“I raced in 2011 and it was a mind-blowing week for me. I’ve done many multi-stage races, like Swiss Epic, Cape Epic, Andorra Epic, and it was always on my mind to do this again. It’s a wonderful place, friendly people, I like it.”

In the Veterans 80+ men’s race, a similar race strategy is carrying team Daddy Pigs’ Sam Owens and Patrick Leonard into a solid lead and, on Thursday, another stage win. 

“Sam’s the fast one on the downhill. And he also tows me on the uphill. It’s great, I’m the boat anchor all week,” Leonard says with a laugh. “But we like the team race, you can see the other teams on the climbs and chase them.” 

“And try not to blow up, it’s a long week,” adds Owens.  

Owen’s is the reason the two are here at the BC Bike Race. 

“Sam did BCBR in 2019 and raved about it, so I signed up too!” As for why the two Seattle-based UK ex-pats are racing as a team? Sam explains, “We ride together all the time at home and thought it’d be fun. It seems like the team vibes are…well, chill is not the word, but more of a fun time hanging out and riding fast.” 

While the two have a more relaxed approach to racing, they’re clearly committed to the team event. They’re not only leading the Veteran’s 80+ Men’s race, but doing so with custom “Daddy Pigs” grips on their whips.  

“Yeah! We’ve got Daddy Pigs shirts, too, but we only got to wear them Day 1. Maybe we’ll slip them on for the last stage,” Sam adds. 

In the Open Women’s Team of Two event, the Pink Flamingo’s Courtney McFadden and Lea Stralka share a focus on good times and fun vibes. Which is good, as they’re holding down second and up against mountain bike royalty in the pair of Maja Wloszczowska and Nathalie Schneitter.  

“We were just talking about that!” McFadden says with a laugh, “I said, ‘we’re basically winning!” 

“We’re having fun, I think we’re having fun?” adds Stralka. McFadden, an accomplished ex-pro cyclocross and mountain bike racer in her own right, quickly confirms. “I’m having a great time! We’re figuring out racing together. Because we ride together, we train together, but we’re figuring out that racing dynamic. Today was good!”

Tomorrow could be even better for the Pink Flamingos. The race heads to the Comox Valley next, which includes the town of Courtenay, which McFadden is named for. 

“I feel like it’s .. it’s my happy place. We come up here a lot,” the Bellingham, Wash.-based racer shares.  

While McFadden is named after part of the route, and has raced BCBR before in 2019, Stralka was the driving force getting the Flamingo’s to the line in 2025. She won a raffle entry while racing the event last year and invited McFadden, now a mother of 2-year-old twins, to join her instead of racing it again solo. 

“I’d wanted to do it for a really long time,” Stralka says of her 2024 race. “I had some friends that were doing it last and just decided to finally do it!” 

If there’s one thing that connects the three teams, it seems like it’s spreading the love of BC Bike Race. Whether that’s inviting a friend to join, bringing the next generation out to live the Ultimate Singletrack Experience, or just talking about how great it was until they get the idea and sign up on their own. 

Whatever a racer’s reason for making the journey to Vancouver Island, there’s plenty more trails on tap in the remaining four days. The half-way point may have passed, but it’s not exactly all downhill from here. There’s plenty of hard racing left, starting with Friday’s Queen Stage in Cumberland. 

A BCBR favourite every year, Cumberland is serving up a big day and a big challenge. 38.2km and 1,216m of elevation gain are the stats but, as always, they only tell part of the story. With almost too many Cumberland classics to count squeezed into that 38km, racers will be tested and rewarded in equal measure. 

 Results: Day 4 - Nanaimo 

Open Women
1st. Sandra Walter 1:54:52.6
2nd. Katerina Nash 1:57:16.5 (+2:23.9)
3rd.  Maghalie Rochette 2:00:45.8 (+5:53.2)
4th. Lauren Zimmer 2:14:24.9 (+19:32.3)
5th. Starla Teddergreen 2:16:31.1 (+21:38.5)

Open Men
1st.  Andrew L’Esperance 1:31:46.7
2nd. Peter Disera 1:31:46.7 (+0.0)
3rd. Matthew Wilson 1:23:04.1 (+0.8)
4th. Sean Fincham 1:27:46.6 (+1.1)
5th. Quinton Disera 1:28:46.3 (+4:35.9)

Day 4 - Overall Standings 

Open Men
1st. Sean Fincham 4:17:14.8
2nd. Matthew Wilson 4:18:17.5
3rd. Andrew L’Esperance 4:19:10.0
4th. Peter Disera 4:27:41.2
5th. Geoff Kabush 4:35:28.1

Open Women
1st. Sandra Walter 5:23:50.6
2nd. Katerina Nash 5:35:03.7
3rd. Maghalie Rochette 5:55:54.2
4th. Usha Khanal 6:30:54.5
5th. Lauren Zimmer 6:37:58.3