The ultimate singletrack mountain biking experience is back.
The second annual BC Bike Race rolls through Sechelt on July 1, completing stage four of the epic seven-day race that starts June 28 in Shawnigan Lake and finishes July 4 in Whistler.
Stage four will see riders board the 6:30 a.m. ferry from Comox and into Powell River.
The first 30 kilometres will be from Powell River to the ferry at Saltery Bay, then from Lund, it's roughly 60 kilometres of trail and road racing into Sechelt where riders will finish the stage at Kinnikinnick Elementary School. The top riders should be at the finish line between 2 and 3 p.m. on Canada Day. Spectators are more than welcome to line the course and cheer on the riders as they finish.
Stage five continues on July 2 with riders making their way through some of the most polished, elaborate single track trail networks on the Coast. Riders will pass through Roberts Creek and Gibsons and then on to the Langdale ferry terminal for the trip to Horseshoe Bay where they will be bused up to Squamish to complete the remaining two stages in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.
More than 400 riders from around the world are expected to compete.
"As many people venture off for a week-long ski vacation or all-inclusive beach vacation, we are offering the opportunity for a fully supported week-long bike vacation," said BC Bike Race director of marketing Andreas Hestler. "It's for those of us out there who want a bit more in our downtime than just sand."
Hestler, a former Olympian, multiple Canadian national champion and a force in the multi-stage circuit himself, said the BC Bike race is a unique experience.
"Part of what has made my experience in this kind of race so amazing is the towns and cities we travel through," he said. "Each community has something special to showcase. It makes me want to come back for more."
