Bike Race Ottawa

After 47 consecutive years , the Bike Race Ottawa crew just couldn't let a Father's Day go by without being on Preston Street so we're going and we hope many of you will as well. We plan to be near the Sala San Marco/ La Dolce Vito/Sanguiccio Deli from 11 a.m to noon, (last year's finish line) and then we'll move to La Roma/Pub Italia/Gelateria del Corso area from noon until 1:00 pm. (previous years' finish line). We'll be easy to find. So go for a lovely ride on the many cl...osed roads and then drop by to say a distant hello. Then take advantage of everything that is open on Preston Street and there is lots. Patios/coffee shops/gelato/take out food/take out beer etc etc. Here are the patios: https://www.littleitalyottawa.com/patio and here are the many other restaurants offering take out/delivery https://www.littleitalyottawa.com/takeout-delivery Let's make it a fun social day as it always is. See you on Preston!!!

The final and most important parts of the Preston Street Races: the finish and the podium presentation. Here is a wide variety going back several years and there have been more than a few winners who have gone on to be Canadian champions or be chosen to represent Canada on National teams or both. All of the photos that we have shown this past week are the result of the great camera skills and volunteer time that Greg Crevier has provided to the Preston Street races for many years. Thank you so much Greg for helping us relive the fun times we have all had. Preston was supposed to be tomorrow, June 21, but we'll find ways to have a different kind of fun this year. Stay tuned for one more post about tomorrow.

The Preston Street bike races provide a showcase for fast riders to use their speed and skill, but they also provide the opportunity for the cycling community to gather together at a fun social event in a historic area of Ottawa. As our beloved Mike Plummer said, he was always keen to work as our mechanic but he also enjoyed seeing all his friends during the day. Here is just a small sampling of the smiling faces we see every year.

Another Preston Street highlight: the beer scale. A fun prize ceremony where the winners get their weight in local craft beer from the Kichesippi brewery, and they easily find help to carry it away.

Without doubt, one of the highlights of the day on Preston Street are the races for the youth. From age 4 to age 14, they bring their enthusiasm and boundless energy to the event. The spectators reward every one of them with huge applause and cheers all around the course. A really fun time, and lots of pictures to show it all.

The nervous time before the start. Getting ready to put on a show of speed and skill around the streets of Preston.

We are very fortunate to have the support of the businesses along Preston Street, and the bicycle races would not be possible without them. There are many great restaurants and other services available in this unique area of Ottawa. Check out all the pictures and you'll see lots of reasons to keep coming back to Preston.

The Preston races would not happen without the very generous help of all the volunteers from early morning well before the first rider has arrived until late afternoon well after the last rider has left. Huge thanks to them all for many years of making the event a success. They will take a pause this year and will return for the 48th in 2021.

Folks, everybody knows that the Preston Races won't be happening on Father's Day Sunday, but this week, we'll be posting images from previous editions to bring back some memories of the good times we have had. Today, we'll focus on some of the landmarks around the streets of the Preston community. Stay tuned for more each day and later on, a suggestion on how to keep the party environment going while still following all the current important guidelines.

New Awards At The Preston Street Bicycle Races The Preston Street bicycle races have been a fixture in the Ottawa racing scene for 47 consecutive years and we look forward to the 48th edition in 2021. No one could have predicted the current situation which is preventing the races from happening this year. One of the most important contributors to the Preston Street races has been the master mechanic Mike Plummer. For well over 30 years, Mike was the pit crew. He arrived ea...rly in the morning on race day, quietly set up his tent next to the finish line, and got ready for whatever the riders asked him to do. Most of the time it was unhurried, calm work, but if a race was on, fast work was required, yet Mike still had the ability to keep it calm. Many riders got back into the race after Mike did his magic with his tools. Mike said he always enjoyed the quiet times at Preston when so many friends would walk by his tent and say hello. The reverse was true for so many who knew him. That’s one of the things about bicycle mechanics. They are usually in the back of bike shops and we just don’t see them that often. Preston gave both Mike and his many friends a chance to chat, with a bike race in the background. Unfortunately, Mike passed away on April 18 after a courageous fight with cancer. Bikerace Ottawa will be honouring Mike’s contributions to the Preston Street Bicycle Races and two new awards will be established in his name. The awards will be presented to the top local riders in the Elite Men’s and the Elite Woman’s races. We have asked the master blacksmith Gilles Cordier to fashion two unique trophies and the plan is to incorporate two of Mike’s well used tools into each. Imad Elghazal at Rebec and Kroes, where Mike last worked will be helping Gilles find the right tools for this tribute. The trophies will help us all to retain the great memories of having Mike with us on race day. Meanwhile, we hope you are all well and we’ll see you on the roads soon.

The city of Ottawa has announced that all public gatherings are being banned until June 30th due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to maintain physical distancing. This means that the 48th consecutive Preston Street races will not be held on June 21. As well, a youth focused event that was in process for June 20 at Tunney's Pasture, will not go ahead. Bikerace Ottawa will continue to work with the Preston Street Business Improvement Association and the city to hopefully find a date later in the year. As well, BRO is keeping in close contact with the organizers of the Tour De Gatineau which has also been postponed, to determine if combining the events to some extent might be possible. Stay safe and healthy. We will get through this and back on our bikes in race mode.