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Read the press release here.

Cyclists Gearing Up for 2015 Tour de Bronx

By Eddie Small | October 12, 2015 2:08pm
 This year's Tour de Bronx will take place on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m.
This year's Tour de Bronx will take place on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m.
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Bronx Borough President's Office

THE BRONX — Thousands of cyclists will soon pedal their way into the borough for the 21st annual Tour de Bronx.

The tour is the largest free cycling event in the state and will take place on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m., offering bikers the chance to take part in either a 40- or a 25-mile ride.

Both rides begin by the Bronx County Building at Grand Concourse and 161st Street and end at the New York Botanical Garden with a music festival.

The 40-mile ride is recommended only for experienced cyclists who are comfortable riding in traffic, and children younger than 16 who are participating in it must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The route goes east out to Throggs Neck before heading north, taking riders on a loop through City Island and up to Wakefield. It then goes back down through Woodlawn and Riverdale before riders reach the end of the tour in the Botanical Garden.

The 25-mile ride also heads east to Throggs Neck but only goes up to Pelham Bay before taking riders back west to finish up at the garden. It is a more leisurely option, and NYPD escorts will join the cyclists on this ride.

Participants must register for the tour and sign a waiver, which they can do online at bikenyc.org/tourdebronx. People can sign up to be volunteers and marshals for the tour at this website as well.

Volunteers will help riders with the check-in and registration process at the start of the race, and marshals will help bikers navigate the routes and fix flat tires. They will also show riders where to find food, water, first aid and repair stations.

Marshals must sign up for the race before Oct. 23, and a 25-mile training ride for them will take place on Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. The ride meets at Lou Gehrig Plaza at 161st Street and Grand Concourse.

The event is presented by Transportation Alternatives, the Bronx Tourism Council and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

“Tour de Bronx is a great event for people of all ages, especially for visitors to our vibrant borough," Diaz said in a statement. "It gives everyone an opportunity to explore historical sites, see beautiful waterfronts, and ride through our amazing local neighborhoods.”