Tuesday night time trials are coming back to Sidney.
The Sidney Velo Cycling Club says it is bringing back the popular weekly event with COVID precautions in place.
Larry Pommen, the club’s treasurer, says they have been hard at work for the past two weeks with the provincial government to ensure the success of the event.
“This year we have online registration only, so that gets rid of money and paperwork and face to face contact. We’ve got two-metre marks on the pavement around here to remind people to keep apart,” Pommen said.
Pommen and a small group of dedicated volunteers were out doing everything from pulling weeds to putting up social distancing signs around the 17-kilometre course in order to prepare it for the first race of the season.
This year the Sidney Velo Cycling Club’s 40th year. Since 1980, the club has managed hold time trials on the roads of Sidney, every single year except in 2016 when construction work brought racing to a halt.
The trials have been a proving ground for Canadian talent over the years, with the weekly series giving up and coming riders plenty of opportunities to test their skills against the clock.
In fact, names like Ryder Hesjedal, Roland Green, and Simon Whitfield have all taken part in the trials.
“I mean any rider who went pro out of this area has done this ride one time or another,” says Pommen.
With major cycling events such as the Tour de Victoria canceled, the time trials are the only competitive road cycling event on Vancouver Island. It’s a fact not lost on the club, and they are striving to make their events a success all summer long.
“I think it’s a great chance for all these particularly the young competitive riders who’ve been kind of quite antsy with the pandemic that’s been going on,” says former racer Paul Standring.
The races will take place every Tuesday through September 1st. For more information on the race route or to register as a competitor head to the Sidney Velo Cycling Club website.
Cole Sorenson
