Freewheelers roll in season opening road race

Klas Stolpe
Jun 15
2 min read

Ivanowicz, Bursell and Waters top the podium from North Douglas to Eaglecrest

Members of the Juneau Freewheelers Bicycle Club form a peloton in the opening mile of the Eaglecrest Road Race on Sunday, June 14, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

First place came down to seconds as the season opened for the Juneau Freewheelers Bicycle Club on Sunday with the Eaglecrest Road Race.

Brandon Ivanowicz kept John Bursell in his slipstream to win the roughly 25-mile race in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 27 seconds. Bursell clocked a 1:07:28.

The race started at the old Mike Hatch Jeep site with a smooth downhill to pick up speed and the cyclists never let up. A small incline at False Outer Point provided the back of the pack a chance to close a gap, but the resulting downhill past Pioneer road and to the end of North Douglas again produced a leading group. A quick turnaround and charge back past Pioneer and False Outer Point to the Fish Creek Road and a daunting climb up to the Eaglecrest parking area tested the riders' early-season training.

Members of the Juneau Freewheelers Bicycle Club start the Eaglecrest Road Race on Sunday, June 14, 2026. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Charlie Waters, Adam Moser, Tom Faust and Jason Soza had a shot for the podium. Waters hit 1:08:47 for third place, edging Moser who had 1:09:59, with Faust at 1:10:51 and Soza at 1:12:49.

Alisha Falberg finished as the top woman rider, and seventh overall, in 1:17:59. Jamie Bursell finished in 1:25:45 and Liz Segars in 1:46:22 for the women’s podium.

Rounding out the men’s grouping were Tommy Vrabec in 1:21:46, Liam Knecht 1:44:28, Jason Lindley 1:44:57 and Brian Maller 1:46:22.

Race directors were Jenna and Daniel Wiersma. Rob and Rose Welton aided.

The Freewheelers season is underway. Racers need to be a 2026 Juneau Freewheelers Bicycle Club member. Family memberships cost $40 and individual memberships $25. Contact rob.rose.welton@gmail.com for membership information.