Cycling enthusiasts paused to reflect on their passion before gearing up ride the last leg of Sunday’s 185-kilometre Tour de l’Alberta that passed through Westlock.
“Cycling is sort of my passion,” said competitor Greg MacIntyre during the rest stop set up at the Pioneer Museum on Sunday morning. “This is the longest ride of my year and this is my first event of the year, so it encourages me to ride all summer long.”
MacIntyre has been obsessed with cycling since he was a teenager, noting he’s been participating in events like this for close to 30 years now.
But when asked what his favourtie part of the tour was, he didn’t even pause to think.
“The people,” MacIntyre said. “The fast guys from our group just went ahead and we’re waiting for another one of our buddies we left behind. There’s a bit of camaraderie in this long distance riding.”
The Tour de l’Alberta was created in 1994 by the Edmonton Bicycle & Touring Club as a ride for club members to celebrate the Tour de France.
MacIntyre looked to his friend, Ken Chin, on the right who was finished up a sandwich. The duo were in the midst of completing the longest distance available that day — 185 kilometres.
“It’s a good venue with good food, and my legs still feel pretty good,” Chin interrupted. “We’re going to stick together and finish together.”
In fact, Chin had been competing with MacIntyre for a number of years.
“This event is a lot of fun,” said Chin. “A lot of my friends are doing it, and we’ve had the same group for the past few years.”
The duo explained the biggest obstacle while competing is staying hydrated, keeping your food up and pacing yourself to avoid injuries.
“It just comes with time, and more experienced riders will teach you those lessons as you go along,” said MacIntyre.
“As a matter of fact, my two daughters are riding 50 and 100 kilometres alone this year for the first time. They’re only 14 and 16 years old and it’s good. It’s safe and well organized, with lots of rest stops. I feel good about letting them go on their own because I know they’ll be well taken care of.”
