Velorution, a well-known Sault cycle shop, is closing for business Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17 through 19.
But it’s for a good reason.
Six Velorution staff members will be racing their bicycles in the three-day Crank the Shield backcountry mountain bike stage race, which starts off from the Sault and continues to Stokely Creek Lodge and Searchmont before finishing off at Hiawatha.
It’s the first time Crank the Shield will be held in the Sault and Algoma area, the race was previously held out of Haliburton.
“I’m excited...it’s going to be a good jaunt. The first day is about 95 kilometres, about 60 kilometres the next day and about 70 kilometres the last day,” Velorution’s Joel Wenham told SooToday Tuesday.
“About 30 per cent of the people are really going for it, myself and Jan (Roubal, Velorution owner/operator) included, but the rest are looking at it as a bike ride, not as competitive as other people would be.”
Wenham estimated “right now there are 200 people in the race and about 40 locals participating.”
Wenham said Sean Ruppel, Superfly Racing president, “was amazed at how many locals really supported him to get the race going here.”
“We also have a lot of volunteers helping all the racers assemble their bikes, tune their bikes when the days are over and make sure things are going, we’ll have all the spare parts on hand.”
“We’ve also been volunteering in terms of building trails for the race, doing some signage and organizing some volunteers for the aid stations along the way. There are two stops in the middle of each day to help the racers get food and water,” Wenham said.
“We had a Crank the Shield info night last night, and we have around 30 to 40 people interested in volunteering...most of them are local customers and friends but there are also folks who have camps around Batchawana helping.”
Unlike some bike races, in which participants rest overnight in tents, accomodations, beer and food will be on hand for Crank the Shield cyclists at the end of each day, at Stokely Creek Lodge and Searchmont Resort.
“It’s a really unique format. I’m super excited,” Wenham said, adding he hopes Crank the Shield will lead to more such bicycling events being held in the Sault and area to benefit tourism.
Details of the race can be found on the Crank the Shield website including information about accommodations, how to contact event organizers, registration and fees, the route and schedule and other frequently asked questions.