STATEN ISLAND, NY – A stream of cyclists, steady as the pouring rain, took one last lap down Bay Street before heading home on the ferry as part of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday.
More than 32,000 set out on the 40-mile journey that spans the city’s five boroughs, starting in Lower Manhattan and traveling north into the Bronx, before heading to Queens, Brooklyn and finally crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and ending at Fort Wadsworth.
The weather was not dampening spirits as the riders made their way to the St. George Ferry Terminal. Some walked, others pedaled, but all pushed up a final hill, finisher medals on full display.
“Oh man, it’s been a long ride,” said Joseph Smith, who came from Connecticut to ride on the tour. “You have to have a better bike than this. But it could be worse, the weather didn’t really bother me.”
The first wave of cyclists left at 7:30 am and was welcomed cool temperatures and scattered rains. Ponchos and space coats were a common accessory as were the blue and green helmet covers distributed to the participants.
The event allows cyclists from all over to ride in New York City without the added pressure of cars. To get this on the Staten Island tour stop, the DOT has announced that a number of roads will be closed on Sunday, at the discretion of the NYPD.
In addition, the lower level of the Verrazzano in Staten Island was closed from 2 am to 7 pm, although the upper level. remained open throughout the event.
Billed as the largest charity bike ride in the world, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is the primary fundraiser for Bike New York, a nonprofit organization that empowers New Yorkers to transform their lives and their community through cycling. Proceeds from the event directly help fund public bicycle education and free access programs for more than 30,000 adults and children in the five boroughs, according to the organization.
