Annual Tour de Cape ready to roll
Damage from last Saturday’s tornado aside, the 25th annual Tour de Cape is expecting to take place as scheduled this weekend in southwest Cape Coral.
“We’re going to look and assess the area, but I think by Saturday it will be cleaned up enough,” said Parks & Recreation special events coordinator Todd King. “The only part of the affected area we have on the bike route is Sands Boulevard and Surfside at Beach Parkway. We should be clear for the ride.”
Tour de Cape begins on Friday with a kickoff celebration at Fathoms Restaurant at Cape Harbour. Participants can register and pick up pre-event packets for Saturday’s 5K run and Sunday’s bike rides. Participants can dine and socialize with discounts offered at the restaurants between 5 and 8 p.m.
Participation fees are still discounted at the kickoff celebration at $20 for the 5K run, $35 for the bike tours or $40 for both. The fee goes up by $5 for those registering on Saturday or Sunday.
Saturday’s 5K run begins at 8 a.m. with check-in/registration and a continental breakfast starting at 6:30 a.m. Check-in for the kids’ 5K bike tour begins at 9 a.m. with the ride following at 11 a.m.
“We rerouted the bike tours this year now that the utilities expansion is out of the way,” said King. “Looking ahead, the weather looks okay. We always like to keep things safe for the riders, but it looks good.”
Designated courses begin and end at Cape Harbour and are laid out for the four bike tours of 15, 30, 60 and 100 miles through the west and north sections of the city. A continental breakfast, lunch and rest stations on the courses with snacks and beverages are offered.
Check-in for the bike tours begins at 6:30 a.m. The two longest rides will set out at 8 a.m. followed by the two shorter rides at 8:30 a.m. Participants are reminded that these bike tours are not competitive races. Approved helmets are mandatory for all bike tour participants. The tour is not a closed course so traffic laws must be obeyed for everyone’s safety. Cape Coral Police will be assisting with the public safety for the event.
“We usually have about 1,000 riders and 400 runners participate,” said King. “That’s what we are expecting again.”