The leaders in the 2012 Penticton Grandfondo
Image Credit: Source/kelownacycling.ca
July 07, 2013 - 9:47 AM
PENTICTON - Thousands of cyclists racing through the region on Sunday will close down several streets.
The third annual Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan will have more than 3,000 racers zooming through Penticton, Summerland, Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Kaleden before returning to the finish line at Penticton's Gyro Park on Main Street.
There will be many road closures for Penticton residents. Large sections of Main Street will be shut down from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drivers can cross Main Street at Eckhardt Avenue, Duncan Avenue, Industrial Avenue and Green Avenue.
There will be a brief morning closure along Vancouver Avenue, Lower Bench Road, Munson Avenue, Upper Bench Road, Haven Hill Road to Wade Avenue from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m.
Penticton is not the only community affected by the races. The Granfondo event is 160 kilometres in length and runs through Penticton, Oliver and Summerland. The Mediofondo is 92 km and the Cortofondo is 55 km.
When heading up to Summerland cyclists will come in off of Highway 97 onto Lakeshore Drive, ride up Peach Orchard Road, traverse Giant Heads Road before coming back down Johnston Street to Highway 97. Race officials will stop traffic to allow the cyclists through the community.
On Saturday there will be a Piccolofondo for Kids race which shuts down parts of Main Street and Lakeshore Drive from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
For more road closure and traffic information check out the Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan website.
To contact a reporter for this story, to send photos or videos, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1
Kids’ 2012 Piccolofondo
Image Credit: SOURCE/granfondoaxelmerckx.com
Belgian former professional road bicycle racer Axel Merckx. He won an Olympic Bronze medal.
Image Credit: SOURCE/granfondoaxelmerckx.com
Penticton residents should expect several road closures for most of Sunday during the third annual Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan race event.
Image Credit: Source/Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan
News from © iNFOnews, 2013