ItB次元官网网址檚 only been two years since Adam de Vos first competed in the high school category of the Bastion Square Grand Prix.

Back then the UVic student . It was one of his first races and he wiped out, but got back on and caught the pack.

At this yearB次元官网网址檚 Grand Prix de Vos not only managed to stay on his bike, he was also part of a six-man breakaway group and finished second among the elite men. It was good enough to put him on the omnium podium as the third overall elite male cyclist at this yearB次元官网网址檚 Robert W. Cameron Law Series, which combines the Grand Prix with FridayB次元官网网址檚 time trial along Dallas Road and SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 B.C. road championship in Metchosin.

Still 18, the win is a huge accomplishment for de Vos, who came in ahead of pro, ex-pro and junior cyclists in all categories, finishing seventh in both the time trial and road race.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 still learning a lot about the (pack dynamic) and when to step back and conserve energy, but itB次元官网网址檚 always good to take the risk and be aggressive,B次元官网网址� he said.

The menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 elite cyclists hit speeds well over the 50 kilometre per hour speed limit during the 900-metre criterium of the Bastion Grand Prix, which connects Fort, Government, yates and Wharf streets.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not a lot of big races (on the Island). This is definitely the biggest (accomplishment) of my career,B次元官网网址� de Vos said.

Victoria-based cyclist Rob Britton and VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Jenny Lehmann won the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 elite omniums, respectively. Britton races for Team H&R Block while Lehmann is on the Vancouver-based Trek/Red Truck, as do Adam de Vos and VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Noe Cooper.

Britton and Lehmann ensured their spots on the omnium podium with top finishes in the Grand Prix. Britton, 27, was part of the breakaway group with de Vos, though he slipped from the top three behind Justin Kerr, de Vos and Cody Canning. Lehmann, 24, had the weekendB次元官网网址檚 most dominating effort, winning the womenB次元官网网址檚 Grand Prix and SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 road race, and placing fifth in the time trial.

B次元官网网址淐oming into the Grand Prix (Trek/Red Truck) had all three omnium spots so the goal was to work together to finish one-two-three again and sweep the podium,B次元官网网址� Lehmann said.

It almost happened, though VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Megan Rathwell snuck into second among the womenB次元官网网址檚 overall.

The whole weekend was suited to LehmannB次元官网网址檚 abilities, with less importance on the five-km time trial, her weakest event. She benefitted from the road raceB次元官网网址檚 shorter climb on Liberty Road and the incline in the end of the criterium.

B次元官网网址淭he crowd here keeps you going, itB次元官网网址檚 a great race,B次元官网网址� Lehmann said.

Adding excitement to the Grand Prix were the intermittent primes (pronounced preems), specific prizes awarded to the winners of a lap. De Vos scored two, including an expensive pair of tubeless Shimano wheels.

De Vos was in the running for one of the more coveted primes, a trunk full of beer.

B次元官网网址淏eing that he isnB次元官网网址檛 19 yet, IB次元官网网址檓 glad he got the wheels instead,B次元官网网址� said mom Stefanie.

Next up for the junior-aged de Vos is the Tour de Beauce in Quebec, June 12 to 17, with hopes of a second selection to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national junior team for the UCI world championships.

No break for the women

The chosen place for breakaways on the Bastion criterium was during the southbound let of Wharf street, though cyclists were often caught on the moderate incline of Fort Street which was the next leg.

B次元官网网址淐oming into Fort was definitely the place to try and get ahead but itB次元官网网址檚 hard with such a tight womenB次元官网网址檚 field,B次元官网网址� Lehmann said.

-30-