Vancouver’s Gastown race to return in 2012
Now called the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix
The venerable Gastown criterium race, first run in 1973, is back after a five-year deal was struck with a new sponsor. Over the last few years there has been no race after it lost its sponsorship. Once known as the Tour de Gastown, it’s a highly regarded race that has seen such winners as Lance Armstrong and Canadian cycling legend Alison Sydor, both in 1991.
The race is now sponsored by Gastown tech company Global Relay and will be renamed accordingly as the Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix.
The 1.2 kilometre loop course – 50 laps for the men, 30 for the women – starts and finishes at the corner of Cambie and Water streets and is free to the public during Cycling B.C.’s Superweek, which also includes the Tour de Delta (July 6-8), UBC Grand Prix (July 10), Giro di Burnaby (July 12) and Tour de White Rock (July 13-15).
