File photo at the starting line at the Cumberland stage of the 2018 BC Bike Race.

File photo at the starting line at the Cumberland stage of the 2018 BC Bike Race.

Kabush runner-up at BC Bike Race

Felix Burke dethrones defending champ

Three-time Olympic mountain bike racer Geoff Kabush was second at this year’s BC Bike Race, a seven-stage event that concluded Friday, July 12 in Squamish. The Comox-raised athlete finished in 15:48:51, five seconds behind the solo men’s winner, Felix Burke.

The event started with a five-kilometre prologue in North Vancouver to help seed the racers, who then ferried to the Island. The first stage was in the Cowichan Valley, followed by Cumberland, Powell River, Earl’s Cove, Sechelt and Squamish.

The 42-year-old Kabush — who had won the event the previous two years — edged Burke by a second to win the Day 3 Cumberland stage. He also won the Earl’s Cove to Sechelt stage, but it wasn’t quite enough to hold off the 23-year-old Burke, who is based out of Mt. Tremblant, Que.

“Fantastic battle with Felix this week,” Kabush says on Twitter. “Very deserving new champion.”

Comox Valley Record