The kickoff of the Tour of Alberta is 100 days away — only 102 days until cyclists hit the streets of Red Deer.
The inaugural 900-km international pro cycling race begins on Sept. 3 in Edmonton with a prologue and wraps up on Sept. 8 in Calgary.
After cyclists leave Edmonton, the five-stage race runs through Strathcona County, Camrose, Devon, Red Deer, Strathmore, Drumheller, Black Diamond, Canmore and Okotoks, before finishing in Calgary.
Cyclists will race more than 150 km per day.
Red Deer is hosting the Stage 2 (Country Roads) finish on Sept. 5.
Local organizing chairman George Berry said about 300 volunteers will be needed for the Red Deer leg of the race.
“We’re having some pretty good response already and we haven’t had a huge call out for volunteers yet because we haven’t defined all of the roles,” said Berry on Monday.
The call will go out in the next two weeks.
“We’ve had some businesses come on board who said they will try to encourage staff members to do it. Several different groups have come forward saying they want to help out and how can they.”
Berry said most volunteers will be needed to monitor entry ways to driveways and alleys and helping out at corners to make sure everyone is safe and stays off the course.
“It ends in Red Deer on Ross Street just south of the Knox Presbyterian Church. And while it’s in downtown, it does three laps of downtown.”
Riders will enter Red Deer on Hwy 11 to 30th Avenue, then turn south on 30th to Ross Street. Heading west on Ross Street, they will enter the downtown loop at the corner of Ross Street and 40th Avenue.
Tour of Alberta will be the province’s first major professional cycling race and the biggest stage race in Canadian history.
Athletes from more than 20 countries will participate and the race will feature five teams that will have cycled in the Tour de France in July or Tour of Italy in May.
“It’s going to be the biggest thing to hit Red Deer in a long time.
There will be between 120 and 130 professional cyclists coming and the entire event is free. There is no cost to anybody.
“(The public) will have access to the riders at the end of the race downtown in the finish area. A lot of the riders make themselves available for photos and autographs.”
For more information on the Tour of Alberta, visit tourofalberta.ca.