The 2022 Provincial Championships is attracting hundreds of amateur sport cyclists from across Ontario to North Bay for the August long weekend-a first for the city.
President and CEO of Ontario Cycling, Pam Julian, says it is a unique position to be in, hosting three big events “at the same time, in the same location.”
Definitely a rare occurrence.
“Because a lot of times when we try to put on road races which is probably our most challenging race to put on, you have to deal with the Highway Traffic Act, you have to deal with road closures, you have to deal with police and following the rules and procedures within that,” explained Julian who went on to say that not many communities meet the criteria for distance.
“So when we’re doing a loop, there has to be at least two kilometres for a loop because people are doing to get dizzy going around so many times. And if we’re doing a road race it could be anywhere from 75 to 100- 150 kilometres. So when you’re looking at that much closure that’s a huge effect on a local community.
Julian went on to list the benefits of holding the events in North Bay.
“The fact that North Bay has got so many unique locations where we can do that, where there’s not that much of an impact is a positive piece but you’ve also got fabulous roads, you’ve got a great community, you’ve got a beautiful location, the scenery is amazing and everybody is so welcoming. So to come to a community that is ready to welcome us is such a unique experience, and really, really gratifying.”
The weekend includes High Performance Youth Road Races.
On Saturday youth between the ages of 8 and 17 will compete in a Hill Climb on College Drive, followed by an individual time trial on Larocque Road. Participants will then compete in a Criterium on Sunday morning on Voodoo Crescent.
The Criterium Championship is a road race, but is actually held on a condensed closed course, so very sharp corners.
“So you would have it more like a loop so the riders are going at a very fast pace. They’re actually in a bunch race and it can be very dangerous, so it is very exciting,” Julian shared.
The Provincial Road Championship wraps things up starting early Monday morning.
“Riders will compete on a 15-kilometre circuit that starts at the Corbeil Park Hall in East Ferris, follows Corbeil Road to Derland Road and loops back to the Corbeil Park Hall via highway 94.”
Like most events, COVID put this competition on the back burner for a few years.
“I think any time when we’re coming out of COVID and we’re trying to run events, we’re obviously very cognizant of any changing health regulations that might be in effect and with everything that is starting to happen again, we’re very cognizant of that,” said Julian
“We’re following health regulations and whatever rules are put in place. So at the end of the day, we’re trying to make the riders feel comfortable for riding in a large pack because it is a bunch race.”
There are riders who still do not feel comfortable coming back out racing, which organizers respect.
The event host, Cycle North Bay sees this weekend as a step in the right direction to get North Bay on the cycling map. It has taken a few years to get to this point.
“This provincial Criterium came about so they decided to run the Criterium which is a lot bigger stage than any other event that we’re trying to bring up here. And then the road race came about which is a unique thing. To have two provincial events in one weekend is unheard of, and we haven’t run a cycling event ever,” said Cycle North Bay co-founder Larry Tougas.
“So to put this one the map and keep this thing going, it has been a lot of work but again it is going to come to fruition.”
Tougas would like to see this turn into an annual event.
“We have to run the first year first, but we feel pretty confident that this thing can become a yearly event especially if we do a really good job, and especially if the cyclers like it. The cyclers are coming up here, they’re going to like what they see, I hope. This is a good track that we have here. The road race is a really good facility. Down south they’re finding it difficult because of a lot of obstacles that they have.”
One of the visions is to bring more events up north, so North Bay may be where cycling is at in the future.
“So, that’s why we want to be such a good host because we want Pam, we want all these people to see what we have to offer and if we do a really good job of doing that and facilitating, they’ll come back in the future,” stated Tougas.
The number of racers competing is in the hundreds.
“I think we’re looking at 300 to 500 hundred riders, that is with the mountain bike component too which is another thing. They’re a part of Cycle North Bay but they’re run by a different organization, the North Bay Mountain Biking Club,” said Tougas.
“I think it is safe to say with parents and everything else because there are youth components, and where there are youth components, there are parents, you’re going to see well over one thousand people here this weekend.”
The economic impact is expected to be substantial.
“The numbers will have to be done, but anything of that magnitude will be a half-million, to a million dollars. It is hard to say. You just look at all the gas, the hotels, and the food. We’ve all travelled as parents and I think cyclists have a real passion to compete and it is a provincial competition so they’re more apt to come up here.”
Riders talk, so the hope is if they have a good experience, that will help put North Bay on the cycling map.
For a complete list of events, times and locations, go to https://www.cyclenorthbay.com/ where you will find its calendar of events.