Bike Fest

Banff National Park to host three bike races in June

The rubber meets the road this June at the Banff National Park Bike Fest with a triple threat of exciting events – a scenic individual time trial, a high-speed criterium, and an elite invitational road race through the wilderness. Thousands of dollars in prize money, cycling gear, and lasting glory are up for grabs but so are opportunities to explore one of the world’s most unique natural destinations – whether you bike ride casually or virtually live in Lycra.

Individual Time Trial
The individual time trial travels a heart-pumping 17 kilometre route past pristine mountain rivers, clear lakes, sheer cliffs, and rock formations showcasing 360 degree panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies. Up to 250 cyclists will sprint off at 30-second intervals starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 21st in one continuous lap of Lake Minnewanka. Time trials – or “The Race of Truth” – are all about the rider, the clock, and meeting individual and personal goals.

Cyclist will ride past Lake Minnewanka; the largest lake in Banff National Park at 24 kms (15 miles) long and 142 metres (466 ft.) deep. Only scuba divers can view the remnants of a small town called Minnewanka Landing, after a hydroelectric dam built in 1941 caused the lake level to rise by 30 metres (98 ft.) But most visitors either walk along the lakeside trail or sign up for the interpretive boat tour to learn about the history, native folk lore and geology.

If you decide to check out the road ride loop for yourself, be sure to stop along the way at Bankhead, a once-thriving mining community from 1903 to 1922 that produced coal to power Canadian Pacific Railway steam engines. An interpretive trail winds its way around the remains of the old mining site, old machinery, and crumbling foundations of the town.

Criterium
The criterium will hit the streets of Banff Saturday at 5 p.m. as cyclists race wheel to wheel in a high-adrenaline test of wits, willpower, and tactics that will draw thousands of spectators. Be prepared for sharp turns, breakaway sprints, and fierce competition. Also that evening, a shortened route of the criterium course will host family bicycle events, including the HooDoo Cruiser Crit and a children’s fun race dubbed “The Remax Little Crits.”

Road Race
By Sunday at 8 a.m. 150 cycling pros in colourful jerseys will head out on the Road Race around Tunnel Mountain, the Rockies’ smallest peak at 1,692 metres (5551 ft). Originally known as “Sleeping Buffalo” among the local Stoney Indians, Tunnel Mountain nearly had a hole blasted through its middle in 1882 when Canadian Pacific Railway surveyors were devising a route through the Rockies. Luckily – it was just easier to go around.

Teams from across Canada and the US are expected for this invitation-only event, sanctioned by the Alberta Bicycling Association. After the pace is established, cyclists take turns drafting each other before the final sprint, so the pack will cycle within a “rolling enclosure” where security temporarily closes down intersections in advance. Male riders will rack up a grueling 142.5 kms and the women will race over 85.5 kms.

Experience the Park
Bicycling is celebrated as one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport these days and Banff National Park is the finest place in the world to explore on two wheels. Bring your mountain bike, road bike, or street cruiser, or just rent one in Banff and Lake Louise and go for a pedal. Take a picnic and stop along the way to soak in the views, read the historic interpretive markers, look for wildlife, and take a few photos.

Choose whether to camp in the great outdoors, stay in a cozy bed and breakfast,or splurge on a five-star resort. Just don’t miss out on the vast range of local restaurants serving everything from AAA Alberta beef, fresh Japanese sushi, and Swiss fondue to Thai curry or wild game meat fondue. Go for a therapeutic massage at a day spa, look for a unique by local artisans, or wander through local museums and check out the colourful explorers, cowboys, and First Nations people who originally settled the area.hand-made gift

Banner photo © ARS/Schietzsch 2008