TOMPKINSVILLE — Forget the Tour de France. A bicycle advocacy group is hosting its annual bike ride around the forgotten borough.
Registrations for the Transportation Alternative's third "Tour de Staten Island," presented by Lucarelli & Castaldi law firm, opened on Monday.
The Oct. 5 ride aims to show cyclists different bike lanes in the boroughs and how they are connected, said Ben McRobers, events director for the group.
"We're tying to highlight as many of the bike lanes and infrastructure as possible," McRoberts said. "One of the reasons is to highlight the need for more infrastructure."
The 22-mile route will start at Tompkinsville Park and bicyclists will follow arrows to the center of Staten Island, with a rest stop in Historic Richmond Town.
They'll pedal back down to the ferry through Bay Street.
Unlike other borough tours held by the group, the streets will not be closed off from motorists or have a police escort. The group will paint arrows along the route and it will be a "ride at your own pace" event, McRoberts said.
And because of the hillier nature of Staten Island compared to the rest of the city, the ride can potentially be a bit more strenuous on cyclists' legs.
"It will be a little bit more strenuous," McRoberts said. "Definitely a little bit more intense, especially when you get into the center of the island."
The route does consist of a fare amount of level coastal streets too.
McRoberts said the group has slowly expanded the race every year and had 500 riders hit the streets of Staten Island last year. This year, the group has set a 1,000 cap on bicyclists.
The "Tour de Staten Island" will take place on Oct. 5, with rider check in from 9 to 10 a.m. Price is $5 for Transportation Alternative members, $10 for non-members. For more information, visit the event's website.
