Mark Turnbow is a Canadian former hill sprinter and winner of the division 2 classic Lappi Sea GP in season 48. Born in Fort Saskatchewan, a small town on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta, Turnbow took up cycling from an early age. But the straight, endless roads of Alberta bored him so the youngster would often turn off-road, powering up local forest climbs.
This ability to quickly drive up short, sharp hills led to him being spotted by the Vietnamese team, BrokenChain, before being trained by Kalakini CC where he stayed for 6 seasons. As a young rider he struggled to make a name for himself, working mainly as a teammate, but he managed his first OCM Tour points with a win in Lappi Sea GP 2 at the age of 24.
Unfortunately, his career stalled after that, and he was eventually put up for sale. The top division team, Jubalon ProCycling, must have seen something in him because th...
Read moreMark Turnbow is a Canadian former hill sprinter and winner of the division 2 classic Lappi Sea GP in season 48. Born in Fort Saskatchewan, a small town on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta, Turnbow took up cycling from an early age. But the straight, endless roads of Alberta bored him so the youngster would often turn off-road, powering up local forest climbs.
This ability to quickly drive up short, sharp hills led to him being spotted by the Vietnamese team, BrokenChain, before being trained by Kalakini CC where he stayed for 6 seasons. As a young rider he struggled to make a name for himself, working mainly as a teammate, but he managed his first OCM Tour points with a win in Lappi Sea GP 2 at the age of 24.
Unfortunately, his career stalled after that, and he was eventually put up for sale. The top division team, Jubalon ProCycling, must have seen something in him because they picked him up. In division 1 he managed a number of point-scoring results but couldn’t manage another win.
Nearing the end of his twenties and running out of time to prove himself, Turnbow dropped divisions, being bought by the young Brazilian team Time Indaiatuba. Finally his career started to take off and the results became more regular. He won multiple races in season 46 and was able to compete in his home race, the Edmonton Red Deer Tour. Speaking after the final stage he said, “I’m so stoked to be here. I only managed 4th today but I feel like a star. The crowds are out here screaming my name, it’s the highlight of my career.”
But the best was yet to come. In season 48 he raised eyebrows with a magnificent sprint to finish ahead of the pack at the Lappi Sea GP, beating legends of the sport such as Aleksander Hetland. He continued to score podiums in races, even into his final season as he prepared for retirement.
He won’t be remembered as the best hill sprinter in history, but for his classic win, he’ll always be a legend in Edmonton. “Now that I’m retiring, I kinda just wanna get away from it all. Load up my bike with a tent and supplies and get lost in the woods. Hopefully I can make it back home before the winter hits.”
Canada