Kelowna local and professional cyclist Jordan Cheyne took first place in the L'Alpe de Grand Blanc on Sunday, July 23, 2017 with a time of one hour, 48 minutes and 10 seconds beating the race record.
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July 24, 2017 - 8:00 PM
KELOWNA - Local professional cyclist Jordan Cheyne rode his way to gold on Sunday, winning the third annual L’Alpe de Grand Blanc.
The 60 kilometre cycling race Sunday, July 23, started from the East Kelowna Community Hall and finished at the Big White Ski Resort village. The 1,800 metre climb took Cheyne one hour, 48 minutes and 10 seconds, breaking the existing record and beating last year’s winner by 12 minutes.
“This was my first time competing in the L’Alpe de Grand Blanc, but I’ve probably ridden this road about 50 times for training,” the 25-year-old says in a media release. “I know every inch but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Cheyne moved to Big White Ski Resort just two weeks ago, and is a member of the Jelly Belly Professional Cycling team.
The first woman to pedal across the finish line was Marg Fedyna, 52, with a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 22 seconds. This is Fedyna’s second year in a row placing first in the women’s category.
“Winds were favourable this year and it was a beautiful day - the temperature was perfect,” Fedyna says in the release. “Climbing is my specialty and it feels great to win for the second year in a row.”
Both Fedyna and Cheyne won polka dot jersey’s just like the Tour de France, and went home with plaques as well as cash prizes.
Two hundred and five riders took part in the mountain race, including 82-year-old Big White Ski Resort co-founder Cliff Serwa and his granddaughter, Olympic silver medalist and X-Games skiing champion Kelsey Serwa.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017