The 17th edition of the Burlingame Criterium contained its usual dose of great racing and exciting finishes. But the biggest winners were involved in a race that didn't officially award a first-place finish.
Everyone was a champion in the Kids' Ride, or Ryan's Ride.
A record-breaking 480 children participated in three different age groups: 4-and-under, 5-8 and 9-12. The race raised a whopping $35,000 dollars, which will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Ryan Phua Memorial Fund supporting cancer survivor groups in the Bay Area.
This was the first year the Kids' Ride was named after Ryan, who mysteriously died in his sleep last July at the age of 2. His parents, John and Michele, helped organize Ryan's Ride. The Phuas were touched by the magnitude of the event, which seemed to attract almost every kid in Burlingame.
"It's just a wonderful day," John Phua said. "The spirit of Ryan is all with us and for his (twin) brother Matthew. All the families are having a great time. It's really heartwarming. I'm thankful for all the people coming out and supporting the foundation. And with Ryan, we hope some day research will find the reasons. I know Matthew will always be with him and Ryan will be with him in spirit."
The foundation's link to cancer is all encompassing. John Phua was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1997. Four months later he flew down to Austin and got involved with the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
"It's been great to see him (Armstrong) do so many wonderful things with the cancer community," John Phua said. "He provides hope for others by the spirit of his survivorship."
Although John Phua's cancer had spread to the lymph nodes, he defeated it with and an inner will that refused to give in after surgery and a number of radiation sessions. The twin boys came in 2001. When the doctors first told him the bad news in '97, John Phua was resolute.
"One of the most challenging things about cancer is knowing it isn't a death sentence," he said. "There's hope, there's knowledge and there's an attitude to beat it. You just have to take that aim and do your best. You don't think about death - you fight it."
At the end of the Kids' Ride, Matthew stood next to his mom on a makeshift stage. Suddenly, he started to cry. Maybe, just maybe, he was grieving for his best friend - a friend whose legacy will forever shine bright.
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