TORONTO -- Some of the top cyclists in North America -- including Canadian star Ryder Hesjedal -- will put rubber to the road Sept. 19 in the Queen's Park Grand Prix, presented by sportsnet.ca.
The race features the top professional and amateur teams from the U.S. and Canada. The event consists of three distinct races on Queen's Park Crescent, which circles the Ontario legislative building in downtown Toronto. The first race will be a 45-minute Master's Open Race for amateur men, followed by a 60 km Women's Elite Race and an 85 km Men's pro am race, the premier race attracting world class cyclists by invitation only.
Hesjedal is currently ranked 11th in the world by the International Cycling Union (ICU) and made headlines this summer by finishing seventh in the Tour de France. It is the best result by a Canadian since Steve Bauer placed fourth in 1988.
"I love racing in Canada and seeing the enthusiasm of Canadian fans," Hesjedal, from Victoria, B.C., said in a statement. "I hope by racing in this year's Queen's Park Grand Prix I can be an inspiration to young cyclists to take up the sport and for me that would be the best result of all."
Hello Vélo, Toronto's premier performance cycling boutique, is promoting the event and according to store owner Paul Parker, drawing Hesjedal only enhances the overall experience:
"We got in touch with (Hesjedal) through social networking and when he found out about the event and its history, he was quick to get on board," Parker said. "His involvement will be a big boost to the younger riders, who will get the chance to compete alongside one of our country's best."
The Queen's Park Grand Prix was last contested in 1998 and featured notable names such as Julian Dean (now racing for Garmin), Michael Barry (now racing for Team Sky) and Robbie Ventura (analyst on Versus and pro coach). The event will help raise funds and the profile of Trails Youth Initiatives.
"Cycling was on the wane for a while, but with the move to green initiatives, recent initiatives in the city of Toronto improving bike related infrastructure and a renewed interest in cycling through events like charity rides, cycling is definitely riding a new wave of popularity," Parker added. "Add in that the Pan Am Games will be coming to the city and it all fell in line to bring back the Queen's Park grand Prix, the crown jewel of Canadian racing."
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