Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria took place across Greater Victoria on Oct. 2 with its 10th-anniversary celebrations – albeit a year late due to the worldwide pause that occurred during the pandemic in 2020.
But nonetheless, organizers said they’re excited to be back this year.
Since 2011, the event has garnered much interest in a city where active transportation is part of the culture, said Seamus McGrath, tour director and two-time Olympian.
“It’s great to be celebrating cycling in such a beautiful place, this is the best place in Canada – if not the world – and there are two-year-olds out there and our oldest rider is a 91-year-old gentleman,” McGrath said.
Tour de Victoria continues to grow and welcome new cyclists to the sport by offering a world-class cycling experience, McGrath added.
Communications manager Tami Tate said the pandemic saw many more people taking to cycling.
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“Many participants this year are brand new cyclists and it’s bringing about that community sense once again,” Tate said.
To help mark the 10th annual event, the ride added a new 45-kilometre route for avid and novice cyclists alike to take on the challenge. There were a total of eight distances this year to accommodate riders of all abilities and traffic was paused across many Greater Victoria districts to remove safety concerns.
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