Several roads in Greater Victoria to be closed for Tour de Victoria this weekend

It’s looking like a great weekend for a bike ride!

Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria will return to the city for its 15th year this Saturday, August 15th, and is set to host approximately 2,000 cyclists aged two to 87.

The event will see athletes feel the wind on their faces and the hum of tires in different distance rides according to their age and ability.

Children’s rides are offered in 200 m, 800 m, 3 km or 6.5 km events, whereas adult rides are set at 15 km, 30 km, 45 km, 60 km, 80 km, 140 km and 160 km.

According to a media advisory, Victoria’s Barry Lycett is the oldest contestant at the tour, who rides his non-electric bicycle at least three times a week at 87 years old.

The event is named after Ryder Hesjedal, Canada’s first Grand Tour winner. He won the Giro D’Italia in 2012 and continues to offer support and encouragement to people of all ages on all types of bicycles.

The Tour de Victoria says the event is not framed as a race, but instead as a ride to highlight the beauty of Greater Victoria.

The tour will start and end in front of the legislative buildings, and there will be traffic disruptions during the event.

Some neighbourhoods through Greater Victoria including downtown, View Royal, Colwood, Langford, Metchosin, Sooke, Highlands, North Saanich, Saanich and Oak Bay will be impacted with traffic delays.

Traffic impacts and road closures are expected at the following locations:

• Victoria: Belleville Street, Government Street, Wharf Street, Johnson Street Bridge and Harbour Road — 6:50 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., 8:25 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. Traffic will be permitted in the opposite direction of cyclists. Expect delays at intersections as cyclists pass.
• Esquimalt: Tyee Road, Skinner Street and Craigflower Road — 7 a.m. to 7:20 a.m., 8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• View Royal: Island Highway — 7:05 a.m. to 7:35 a.m., 8:20 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. to 10 a.m. Two-way traffic will be permitted, but delays are expected at intersections as cyclists pass.
• Colwood: Island Highway, Ocean Boulevard, Lagoon Road and Metchosin Road — 7:15 a.m. to 8 a.m.
• Metchosin: Metchosin Road, Duke Road, William Head Road, Lombard Drive, Rocky Point Road, East Sooke Road, Liberty Drive, Kangaroo Road, Lindholm Road and Happy Valley Road — 7:25 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• East Sooke: Rocky Point Road, East Sooke Road and Gillespie Road — 7:40 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.
• Langford: Happy Valley Road, Glen Lake Road, Langford Parkway, Leigh Road, Dunford Avenue, Jacklin Road, Goldstream Avenue and Atkins Avenue — 7:55 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.
• View Royal: Atkins Avenue and Burnside Road West — 8:15 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. Traffic will be permitted in the opposite direction of cyclists. Expect delays at intersections as cyclists pass.
• Highlands: Munn Road and Willis Point Road — 8:25 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
• Highlands: Millstream Lake Road and Ross Durrance Road — 8:35 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. Only northbound vehicle traffic travelling in the same direction as cyclists will be permitted.
• Saanich: Burnside Road West, Prospect Lake Road and Munn Road — 8:20 a.m. to 12:21 p.m.
• Saanich: Wallace Drive — 8:50 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Traffic will be permitted in the opposite direction of cyclists.
• Saanich: Old West Saanich Road, Prospect Lake Road, Burnside Road, Charlton Road, Granville Avenue, Hastings Street, North Road, Doyle Road, Elkwood Road, Oldfield Road, Brookleigh Road, Ash Road, Grandview Drive, Ferndale Road, Gordon Head Road, Arbutus Road, Telegraph Bay Road and Cadboro Bay Road — 9:05 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.
• Saanich: Queenswood Drive — 10:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Only southbound vehicle traffic will be permitted.
• Saanich: West Saanich Road, Interurban Road, Quayle Road, Beaver Lake Road, Hamsterley Road, Sayward Road, Alderley Road, Santa Clara Avenue, Claremont Avenue, Wesley Road, Sea Ridge Drive, Stormtide Way, Seapearl Place, Lochside Drive and Royal Oak Drive — 9:10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Central Saanich: Wallace Drive, West Saanich Road and Old West Saanich Road — 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Two-way traffic will be permitted.
• Oak Bay: Beach Drive and King George Terrace — 10:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Full road closures will be in place. Residents may be permitted to access their homes during breaks between cyclists.
• Royal Oak: Royal Oak Drive between McMorran Way and Cordova Bay Road — 9:53 a.m. to 1:52 p.m. The road will be limited to local traffic. Other drivers will be detoured along McMorran Way, Sunnymead Way and Galey Way to Cordova Bay Road.
• Victoria: Crescent Road, Hollywood Crescent, Dallas Road and the waterfront perimeter of James Bay, including Erie Street, St. Lawrence Street, Kingston Street, Montreal Street, Quebec Street, Pendray Street and Belleville Street — 10:20 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
• Victoria Inner Harbour: Belleville Street between Menzies Street and Government Street — 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Full road closures will be in place.

A full list of road closures can be seen here.

Registration for the event is open until Friday, August 14th and can be completed here.

The event looks to offer cyclists the ride of a lifetime. Head down to the legislative buildings this weekend and take part!

Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria 

• Where: Start and finish at legislative buildings
• When: Saturday, August 15th – Varying times