It must be the blueberries.
Rally Racing teammates Eric Young and Brad Huff are staying with host housing in Ladner and after opening BC Superweek with two straight podium appearances for Huff and two straight wins for Young, Huff gave credit where it was due post-race.
"Our main asset with this team is our host housing in Ladner - Debbie and Mark - they're a really great couple. Great banana bread, she made blueberry muffins today, I think that was really what got us to the line,” exclaimed Huff, who started riding bikes as a child at Spokes BMX track in Springfield, Missouri.
It is blueberry season in the Lower Mainland and Delta, but the region may soon be known for exploits of these two American riders who came to the first two days of BC Superweek without the rest of their team, but still dominated the podium. Saturday’s 60-lap, 54 kilometre race was marred by a handful of crashes, including one with two laps to go which impacted a massive lead out by the entire Silber Pro Cycling Team.
“There was a crash on the back side with two laps to go and we were super lucky to get through that clean. Once again, the Silber guys were a strong team just like last night and led it out,” said the 29-year-old Young, who won the US National Criterium Championships in both 2011 and 2013. “Brad and I were lucky to just come through the last stretch third and fourth through the corner and then came around with two guys in front of us."
For Huff, the 39-year-old seems to genuinely enjoy every single second he’s on his bike. “This guy’s name is Brad Huff, he is always excited,” laughed Young when asked what led to the final lap being so thrilling.
Whether it’s the host housing’s blueberry muffins or banana bread, or the fact that Young and Huff are just really good at racing bikes, they’ve left a lasting impression on the fans in North Delta and Ladner heading into Sunday’s UCI 1.2 White Spot | Delta Road Race. “We can't explain how awesome it is to be in British Columbia racing our bikes with such amazing people!" added Huff.
The Ladner Criterium podium was a repeat of Friday night’s North Delta Crit as Young and Huff were joined by Florenz Knauer of Hermann Radteam in third. For the 29-year-old Knauer, who is from Germany, but now makes his home in Tsawwassen, it’s his fifth straight top-six finish at BC Superweek.
