Reflections on the BC Bike Race 2024

It is always tough looking back and summarising a week of racing into a few words, a few lines, a paragraph or a story. But I’ll try and wrap the week of racing starting on July 1^st (Canada Day) of the BCBR 2024.

As the AMB community was aware, we had put together 10 racers for the ultimate adventure in British Columbia. This spanned across some of the most famous trails that the world had to offer on Vancouver Island. The BCBR is more than just a race though! With a group of Aussie’s stage racing in a different country, what unfolded was an epic adventure which will play out across the course of this article.

It’s hard to describe what BCBR means for people, but I will sum it up like this: adult mountain biking summer camp. Jam packed with some of the most amazing single trails you will find anywhere in the world, the BCBR crew produce a spectacle that tantalises every mountain bikers dreams, year in year out. They are tough days spent riding single track forever that pushes all riders to their limits. 

Leckie and I began watching the famous videos of this iconic race some five years back. We created the Browny and Leckie BCBR Journey to show everyone what you could expect when you come to this ultimate mountain bike destination. Plus, how to have and experience the best time.

In 2023 we decided to take some of our crew over to have the best couple of weeks anyone can experience on two wheels. Everyone had absolute ball, pushed themselves past what they thought was possible and lived to tell the tale.

In 2024, the Aussies arrived at all different times to hit up BCBR 2024 and a fair few stuck around to continue to sample BC and all it has to offer both on and off the bike. One Aussie, Owen Gordon, even managed a marriage proposal to his girlfriend, Amelia. 

For me, 2024 was about getting to Vancouver Island to experience tracks had I watched on YouTube hundreds of times. 2024 would be different experience as I was racing pairs with a multiple World Champion Peter Selkrig.  While we compete against each other in Australia, for 1 week in July we became teammates.  

I remember on Stage 3 at Mount Zu coming down ‘Maple Syrup’. I could hear in the distance “this is Hammerhead on steroids”. For those that know Mount Stromlo, you will understand the reference.

Our goal was to podium, but from the outset I had my mind set at a top 5 result. The prologue was set in a new area for BCBR in Victoria. The course was a 7.5km super tough trail featuring some super technical trails.

We manage a 4^th position for this stage behind 3 Canadian teams who were all former cross-country national champions at different times.

Stage 2 was Victoria proper and on the clock from base camp with an 8km road section before hitting Victoria single track.  

This stage was only 26km with 703m vertical but as Dr Dre had advised during early zoom calls that 20km in Victoria is a tough day for a pro. We secured the 4^th spot and are some 27 minutes off the top 3 now, but 22 minutes up on the 5^th.

As the week went on, we continued to pull time on 5^th and fall behind the top 3.  The week finished off as per below:

• 1 103% – 13:26:00.1
• 2 Over the Hill – 14:10:28.8
• 3 Alki Rubikon –14:39:30.4
• 4 Supavest / AAA Racing Australia – 17:20:12.2
• 5 Team Big White – 18:44:44.0

It was such an experience for me to ride with Pete all week and I know he will be back in 2025 to have a crack. He mentioned this was the best stage race he had done around the world! This is coming from someone who has ridden Absa Cape Epic, and a huge amount of destinations through the 24hr World racing scene.  

Massive thanks to Stef for looking after Peter and myself during the week. 

I could wrap each stage but instead get yourself entered and go to experience the best week you will ever have on two wheels.

A few of the team have provided the summaries.

Michelle Newstead (World 24hr and Multiple National Australian Champion)

“My perspective from a ‘mature female’ who was scared and nervous before BCBR!! Wow, wildest and best week on a mountain bike!

“The tracks used in BC are like nothing I have ridden before, they are not tracks I seek out to ride here in Australia and they are certainly not the type of tracks that are in XC races here. 

“There were more rocks and tree roots, and they liked to include some black tracks in their stages and some of that stuff was crazy, rocky and scary! 

“Needless to say, there were parts I walked. The tracks are next level and it’s called mountain biking for a reason: rocky, steep and mountains! 

“However, this experience was the wildest, most amazing and empowering week I have spent on a mountain bike. I may have walked some of the black area, but I rode so much more than I thought I could and that was the empowering part; you just never know what you are capable of until you give it a crack. 

“The vibe of BCBR before and after the race is fun, inclusive and one you just can’t help but lean into and swap stories with fellow riders over a cold beer each arvo.”

Kevlar (Kevin Wynne-Smythe) – Multiple 24hr racer.

“What can be said about BCBR 2024? After completing multiple 24hr solo races for over a decade, and after speaking with mates who have tackled this event before, I knew the tactic for this race would be a different beast and I’d have to pack away the usual diesel engine and bring out the 2-stroke. 

“Then all I’d have to do is rinse and repeat for 7 days. Walk in the park, right?! But as we say here in Oz…..yeah, nah.

“Thankfully, Stage 1 in Victoria was a ‘teaser’ of sorts. A ‘toe in the water’ of what to expect for the week.”

“A gentle tootle out with mates to the prologue start, brief breather, then twist that virtual throttle and give it beans for approximately 7k of timed trails. Cross that line and relax. A dip in nearby Durrance Lake helped with the relaxation… If only every day would be like this!

“From Stage 2 in Victoria all the way through to the final Stage 7 in Cumberland it was a case of survival of the fittest. These trails didn’t just take it out of you in the legs and lungs; the upper body took an absolute pounding! If you came into this event with minimal upper body strength, you were definitely going to hurt by day 7. Luckily, I try and keep my general fitness up throughout the year, so, my body seemed to recover well for the ensuing days battering it most definitely received. I had to remind myself, and a few others, to stretch and wind down properly if we were going to survive the week intact.

“The brutality of this event cannot be taken lightly. The organisers put on an absolute stellar course, showcasing everything that the island has to offer, from steep inclines and descents to massive rock rollovers, and did I mention tree roots?

“The race pushed you to limits you didn’t think you had and made you come out the other side with a heap more skills, the biggest smile on your face, and a massive sense of accomplishment. Take your eye off the ball though, and it could turn nasty in a heartbeat.

“The camaraderie throughout the entire event was brilliant. From fellow racers to event crew, everyone had a smile on their face, even when they were struggling through pain barriers they didn’t know they had. 

“I’ve competed in a lot of endurance events, and some have had amazing organisation, but this year’s BCBR was just brilliant, and among the best I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in. From more than 6 months out, communication mediums were alight with race prep forums, tonnes of advice from not only the fabulous event crew, but long-time competitors and former world champs, information on accommodation and social events in the local areas and so on.

“Will I be back to tackle the beast that is BCBR? Watch this space.

Should you put it on your bucket list?….Abso-bloody-lutely!”

Grant Hodgkins (Current 24hr Solo World Champion)

“To the average cross-country rider the stats of the BCBR don’t seem too bad, 7 days with most of them somewhere around 40k and 1500m. But it’s another world over there, and it’s a lot harder work than you expect to achieve those numbers.

“We all learned to appreciate the term ‘jank’ by starting the race with the prologue featuring the black trail ’90’s Jank’. A trail with rock slab, rock roll downs, chunked-up rock and more rock with woven tree roots. It set the scene for what our new riding style was going to be for the next 7 days.

“The terrain there is so different to home; nearly all the stages had black diamond trails because that’s what they’ve got to work with. Most days often had Kilometres of black trails full of rock and roots, up and down, not just token segments like we’d see in Australia.

“As a mid-pack racer at home, I was super pleased to be finishing mid-pack in BC too. At the end of every day, I was so thrilled I managed to complete all these foreign technical features in the stages without crashing. But it’s not only the riding; it’s the start line party to the finish line party and the amazing people you meet from all corners of the world.

“What made us do it? Hearing and watching the Browny and Leckie BCBR blogs made it seem achievable. So, when they did a call out for an Aussie team to head over for 2024, Michelle and I didn’t hesitate to put our names down. And I’m so glad we did, ‘best week on a bike’ was a catchphrase they kept announcing, and I can’t deny it. I can almost guarantee I’ll be back again soon.

“Doing a major event overseas with a big group for camaraderie and support makes for an amazing experience and memories we will treasure for a long time. A massive kudos to Browny, this group wouldn’t have got there without his drive to make it an awesome experience.

“My biggest takeaway is if you want to challenge yourself and improve your technical ability whilst having fun,  sign up to BCBR, and don’t forget to do it with mates.”

A huge shout out to the BCBR team who make this week such a pleasure. Cheers to Deano, Dr Dre, Moniera, John, Carmel and all the BCBR team and volunteers. You guys rock big time.

You can check out BCBR as I am sure this article will spark excitement to add The Ultimate Single-Track adventure into your diary.  The good news is a lot of the crew will be back to tackle it next year and in 2026. (www.bcbikerace.com)

Huge thanks also to the sponsors that jumped on board this crazy ride – Supavest, Premium Select Finance, Toohey Associates, Seight Custom Clothing, Batch Brewery, AMB, of course, plus GU & Weldtite.

Over and out for another year of BCBR.  If you haven’t already done so get onboard and follow

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126048214863530 (Browny & Leckie – The BCBR Journey)  as this chapter still has some more episodes to write.