Tour of Alberta teams up with Tour de Nuit for Calgary Ride the Road
Pros and amateurs turn out to promote Calgary cycling in advance of Alberta Tour
Tour of Alberta cyclists teamed up with the Tour de Nuit Society in Calgary's Ride the Road event on the weekend, to promote the sport of cycling.
"It doesn't matter if you're experienced or inexperienced, young or old," the Ride the Road tour is for everyone, said Gary Beaton, executive director of the Tour de Nuit Society.
Smoke from forest fires affected registrations for 2015, with about 100 people signed up for the family-friendly event. Last year's team-up between the Tour de Nuit and the Alberta Tour attracted between 300 to 400 people, Beaton says.
"We've had a lot of smoke in the last week and that certainly hasn't really bolstered our registrations and encouraged people to get out and be active, but that's what we're trying to do here."
The weather was not a factor for Colin King, an amateur cyclist who came to ride.
"I've spent 10 hours on my bike this week and I've had minor breathing issues because of the smoke but I think it's pretty well managed and I keep my inhaler with me just in case," King said.
While this year's numbers for Ride the Road may be down, it is clear that the popularity of cycling in Calgary and Alberta is growing, according to Beaton, pointing to the Tour of Alberta, that kicks off in Grande Prairie on Wednesday.
"When the final stage of the Tour of Alberta was in Calgary (in 2013) we had 60,000 people come out and watch it so the sport can be a huge driver to get people a little more active."