Save the date: details released for the 2016 Tour de Delta, happening July 8-10 on B.C.’s Lower Mainland

Last year’s Tour de Delta was a phenomenal tour de force, bringing some of the pro scene’s best riders to the south coast of British Columbia for the annual, multi-day festival of sheer pedal power.

So with last year fresh in your memory, save the date: the calendar details of the 2016 event have been decided.

The 2016 Tour de Delta starts on Friday, July 8 with the MK Delta Criterium, winding through the Social Heart area of North Delta. Competition will loop through the town along a 1.2 km course, with a start/finish line at 84 Avenue West, offering attendees a view of the athletes 70 times as they rocket past. The Criterium’s course includes a fast downhill section that leads to an open left-hand turn, with riders expected to clock speeds in excess of 70 kilometres per hour. At its conclusion, throwing one last challenge at competing cyclists, a sprint to the finish greets riders less than 100 metres out of the race’s final corner.

On July 9, the Brenco Criterium follows, taking riders on a breakneck tour of the fishing village of Ladner, B.C. through a series of tight, high-speed corners and breakaway sprints—a combination that makes this part of the Tour de Delta a noted fan favourite. Starting at the intersection of Delta and Bridge streets in Ladner, the women’s race is a 36 kilometre, 40-lap event, while the men’s race clocks 54 kilometres and 60 laps.

The White Spot | Delta Road Race, of course, is the main event, happening on Sunday, July 10. A UCI 1.2 competition, the men’s road race takes place on a technical 11.64 kilometre circuit, taking ranks of more than 150 pro cyclists through the municipality of Tsawassen, British Columbia. This year, notably, sees the race following a new course with Dennison Park at its heart, emphasizing strength, strategy, precision and endurance. With a top-tier field field of international talent, there’s good reason why this event is the icing on the Tour de Delta’s cake.

Further details on the 2016 Tour de Delta can be found online at tourdedelta.com/race-details.