The streets of Greater Victoria will be filled with the sound of cheering and whizzing wheels as bicycle racing returns to the area on June 3-5 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Renamed as “The Agency Cycling Festival”, the three-day festival will feature an Omnium stage race where participants will battle for valuable points in each event. The disciplines of Time Trial, Road Race, and Criterium will take the riders to the venues located in North Saanich, Metchosin, and Downtown Victoria. The final racing event on Sunday will also serve as the BC Provincial Criterium Championships. Kids ages 3-10 will also be invited to take part in Cycling BC’s HopOn p/b iRide Expo to drop by a dedicated biking zone to learn some new skills and play fun biking games.
“The timing couldn’t be better to bring back our event,” says race director, Jon Watkin. “Cycling has been such a popular activity lately, and with so many people looking forward to participating in sport once again, we want to bring back something that showcases bike racing at its finest.”
Jason Binab, Managing Partner of The Agency Victoria, the boutique Real Estate Brokerage and Title Sponsor, agrees. “Greater Victoria has been a hotbed for high-performance athletes – but it’s also the training ground for so many up and comers such as Riley Pickrell, Adam DeVos, Gillian Ellsay, and Holly Henry.” The Agency is also the naming sponsor of the local masters’ Victoria Breakaway Cycling Club as well as a sponsor of the Oak Bay Wheelers Cycling Club. “Cycling is a sport that is close to my heart and it’s my favourite way to stay fit and healthy. What makes cycling such a unique and incredible sport is that it appeals to people of all ages and ability levels. I am proud to be a part of the cycling community here in Victoria and am looking forward to welcoming bike racing back to our vibrant community”.
The 2022 Agency Cycling Festival is the continuation of over 10 years of cycling events organized by the Wheelhouse Cycling Society. It is also supported by the Victoria Sport Tourism Commission and Viasport. The itinerary includes:
- Friday, June 3 – North Saanich Time Trial, (6 pm) start and finish at North Saanich Chamber of Commerce location
- Saturday, June 4 – Metchosin Cycling Classic Road Race (starting at 8:00 a.m. to about approximately 1:30 p.m.) at Liberty Road in Metchosin
- Sunday, June 5 – The Agency Grand Prix – BC Criterium Cycling Championships – June 1 (starting at 8 a.m. with the last race, the men’s elite, starting at 2 pm at the BC Legislature)
- Sunday, June 5 – Hop On p/b iRide Kids Expo – June 1 (starting at 11 a.m. at the BC Legislature, free event for kids aged 3 to 12)
- Sunday, June 5 – Antique Bike Show & Shine, at the BC Legislature, display of bicycles from past 100 years.
For More Information:
- www.victoriabikerace.com
- Jon Watkin, Race Director, info@victoriabikerace.com or (250) 415-3246