Ride Day Schedule

1. Ride Day, Sunday, May 25:

• The GIRO takes place rain or shine.
• The GIRO is a tour, not a race.
• Bicycles only.

Breakfast & Registration begin at 7:00 a.m. The ride begins 8:30 a.m. SHARP. Stretch and warm up at home before traveling to Columbus Centre. Light breakfast food will be provided, but be sure to drink plenty of fluids before setting out. Water and food will be provided at rest stops along the route.

Arrive at Columbus Centre Parking lot (please park in the back near the tennis courts if you are driving). Parking is free. If you have not pre-registered or signed a waiver please do so at the registration table upon arrival. It is mandatory that all riders sign a waiver in order to ride. Pledge money can also be handed in at the registration table.

Opening Ceremonies: There will be welcoming remarks at 8:00 a.m. and the announcement of the Maglia Rosa winner. Riders cycling the 65km route will leave first and shortly after the riders cycling the 30km route will then depart.

2. Cycling the route:

• All Riders must wear a helmet - no exceptions.
• The city streets will NOT be closed off for the GIRO. You are sharing the roads, trails and parks with the rest of the city.
• Police officers will assist where busy intersections involve a left hand turn ONLY.
• All Riders are expected to follow the rules of the road.
• First Response Ontario will be available along the route for any accidents or injuries.

The GIRO is an urban adventure! Cycling in Toronto and Vaughan is fun, but also challenging in spots, at times confusing and even dangerous if you are not careful.

• Always ride in single file.
• Avoid riding alone.
• If not a seasoned rider, stay with your ride leader

For optimal safety and wayfinding, please cycle with one of our Ride Leaders. (The route will be signed as well as possible under the circumstances, but there are no guarantees you will not get lost if you ride on your own). Do not arrive on ride day unprepared, without having looked at any maps. Ultimately you alone are responsible for finding your way if you choose to ride by yourself. For this reason, you should ride with both route maps stored in a convenient place on your bike in the event you get separated from the Ride Leaders.

Car Traffic: While it is an urban ride, the Giro route is chosen to avoid traffic as much as possible. Automobile traffic on early Sunday morning will be very light, until about 11am. It will not get heavy until approx. 1-2pm. By then most Riders will have finished and made there way to Villa Colombo Vaughan for the post-ride BBQ.

• Streetcar/Railroad tracks – cross them at a 90-degree angle!

Thin tires (e.g. road tires) will get stuck in streetcar tracks and can easily result in injury if you are not careful. So never hop across parallel to the tracks. If you are downtown and a car is blocking the curb lane in front of you, it is much safer to wait patiently for it to move than attempt to cross over into the streetcar lane and back and risk getting your tires stuck.

• Change your hand and body position frequently. This will help stop strain on your body. Keeps arms relaxed and don’t lock elbows, especially going over bumps!
• Don’t stop pedaling on a downhill. Pedaling constantly helps ensure you get rid of lactic acid, which causes soreness in your muscles.

3. Help along the route:

If you or another rider have a mishap, and there is no help in immediate view, call First Response Ontario at 1-866-FRO-EMS1

The Messengers International ‘sag wagon’ will be patrolling the route, to encourage riders and pick up any who may be exhausted. (did we have this last year? I don’t remember…)

4. Rest-stops and other stops along the route:

There are several rest stops along the route that feature Italian specialties to keep riders refreshed and energized. The rest stops will be marked as well they will have volunteers who will assist you with any issues.

If you are participating in the 30 km route your rest stops will be at:

Weston Rd. & Dee Ave. – Crawford Jones Memorial Park

Islington & Steeles – Famee Furlane Club

If you are participating in the 65 km route your rest stops will be at:

College & Crawford – Dominion Parking Lot – Mr. Soles Shoe Repair

Scarlett & Eglinton – Edenbridge Plaza – CIBC Branch

Weston Rd. & Dee – Crawford Jones Memorial Park

Islington & Steeles – Famee Furlane Club

There will also be a FUN STOP at TLN Television located along the route at Steeles and Irondale. This stop will also have beverages for riders but most importantly TLN will have their cameras out doing live interviews with cyclists.

WATER STOPS will also be available at several locations along the route with volunteers.

5. Finish Line Barbecue

Congratulations – you have finished the route! Use your GIRO T-shirt to receive your free BBQ, Pizza, and PASTA FAGOLI!

Closing Ceremonies will begin at 12:00 p.m. were we will be awarding prizes to the top 5 fundraisers along with some entertainment.

Family & Friends can enjoy the BBQ, Pizza and Pasta Fagoli for $5.00

If you choose not to cycle back to Columbus Centre, buses will be available from 11:00 a.m. and on to transport cyclists back to Columbus Centre.

Good luck in your fundraising and training, and see you at the GIRO, on Sunday May 25!