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Let’s play bikes.
For riders in the Cops For Cancer - Tour de North charity fundraising ride those words have deep meaning.
It’s the rallying cry for the group of riders left to carry on Shane Kelly’s memory after the 51-year-old Prince George man succumbed to his injuries after being struck from behind by a hit-and-run truck driver while on a training ride through a residential neighbourhood on July 7.
Next Sunday (July 20) at 8 a.m. the Tour de North team will gather at the Prince George Aquatic Centre for a scheduled group ride, the first without Kelly, and they are inviting city to join them before they head out on their bikes.
“This ride is an important part of the healing process for Shane’s teammates as we carry forward with something he was truly passionate about: raising funds for children with cancer and supporting the families who face it,” says Laura Nelson, manager, Cops for Cancer.
The ride is an opportunity for the community to show its support for Kelly and his family and the other Tour de North riders to help them grieve the tragic loss.
“Everyone is welcome to join us at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, July 20th at the Aquatic Centre overflow parking lot off 18th Avenue to send well wishes as we begin the ride,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, Prince George RCMP media relations officer.
“For the safety of all road users and in keeping with the training plan, the ride will be reserved for 2025 Cops for Cancer team members only.”
The riders will be escorted by the RCMP, BC Emergency Health Services and BC Sheriffs.
They will follow a route from the 1700 block of George Paul Lane to the 3000 block of Massey Drive via Foothills Boulevard and Highway 97 from 8-8:30 a.m., then will head south to Hixon, arriving there at about 11 a.m. The return ride along Highway 97 will start at noon and finish at about 2:30 p.m. at the Aquatic Centre parking lot.
Motorists are advised to expect a few short delays as escorts manage traffic to allow for safe passing and to watch out for the cyclists and allow them plenty of room.
One other Tour de North rider, an RCMP officer, suffered a broken leg and internal injuries in the collision with the truck July 7 and will not be riding in the event, a seven-day, 850-kilometre ride from Prince George to Prince Rupert, Sept. 12-18.
Police later arrested a hit-and-run suspect at a nearby townhouse complex and towed away his truck pending an investigation. Prince George RCMP have not revealed the driver’s identity or the charges he faces.
