Pics © John Gibson

The BC Bike Race, Vancouver, Canada, features a brand new route for riders tackling the seven day stage race, as the city's Lions Gate Bridge will carry riders from Vancouver into the legendary trails of the North Shore.

“To be the best mountain bike race in the world we must include the North Shore,” commented organiser Dean Payne.

Since the early days of the race organiser Dean Payne had wanted to include the North Shore trails, but now the event has two successful years under its belt support from the city officials to change the route has been made rather easier.

A few preliminary phone calls to BC Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and a few more to District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton set the wheels in motion. Mayor Walton, known to some as the “mountain biking Mayor”, immediately embraced the concept and shares Payne's overall vision of the future for both the BC Bike Race and Vancouver's North Shore.

Vancouver's North Shore now joins Vancouver Island, Cumberland, the Sunshine Coast, Squamish and, of course, Whistler throughout the events 400km race around British Columbia.

There are other changes afoot too, with a new stage 2 and modified stage 3, with the organisers working to remove sections of fire road in favour of upping the singletrack ratio.

The events popularity is backed up by nearly 70% of places having sold already, and organisers are prepared for the event to sell out very soon.

More information at www.bcbikerace.com