A total of 5,000 cyclists descended on the Sea-to-Sky Highway during the 10th-annual RBC Gran Fondo Whistler cycling race this weekend.

The race saw participants pedal 122 kilometres along Highway 99 from Stanley Park, in Vancouver all the way up to Whistler Village.

Up front, some of the fastest cyclists in the Pacific Northwest and beyond were competing for glory in age group categories and the St. Regis Cup team competition. Further back, weekend warriors and recreational cyclists challenged themselves to reach personal bests and conquer the steep climbs and fast descents along Highway 99.

Local rider Brendan Armstrong of Trek Red Truck Racing came out on top after making the winning breakaway on the climb out of Squamish.

Armstrong was able to shake the last breakaway companion Jaco Kronje from Missouri City, Texas and on the kicker at Function Junction, 8km from the finish. With a 40-second gap coming onto the final straight, he crossed the line in a time of 3:13:40.

In the women’s race, his Trek Red Truck Racing teammate Megan Rathwell showed off her climbing strength, establishing a final gap of just over 5 minutes over second-place finisher Claire Cameron of Team Lotus. Rathwell finished with a time of 3:25:04.

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