Mock Tour will go from Nanaimo to Duncan on Saturday, Aug. 20 and is a way for the 21 riders in this year's event to get a sense of how they'll travel come September and October. (Tour de Rock)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

one month out

Tour de Rock simulation preps riders for the real thing

Aug 19, 2022 | 5:20 AM

NANAIMO — With just over a month left until the ride for real, Tour de Rock riders are hitting Island roads for a dress rehearsal.

Dubbed “Mock Tour”, this year’s contingent of riders will hold a full practice stage of the event on Saturday, Aug. 20 from Nanaimo to Duncan and back.

Simon Douthwaite, 2019 Tour de Rock participant who’s serving as a mentor to the team this year, said the over 100 kilometre mock tour will include public events and first-time encounters between their riders and sick children.

“Even if they may have imagined it, to have it all happen at once: the ride, the physical and emotional, then to see the crowds and level of community support.”

They will leave Northridge Village on Turner Rd. in Nanaimo around 9:15 a.m. and head south through Ladysmith, Chemainus and Duncan before returning around 5 p.m.

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Twenty-one riders will be in the slow lane of the Island Hwy. until Chase River, then merge with Hwy. 1 the rest of the way.

Travellers can expect minor delays but the practice session is important for the contingent of first time riders who have been training in smaller groups.

Douthwaite, who resides in Nanaimo, said many of the Tour de Rock riders are active first responders who’ve trained exceptionally hard over the past eight months.

“Doing a night shift then getting up on a Sunday morning and doing a six hour training ride. For eight months straight they train three days a week, they’re away from their families.”

Cpl. Terry Crawford of the Nanaimo RCMP detachment and Adam Fras, a Parksville city councillor and volunteer firefighter, represent the mid Island Tour de Rock participants.

Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock raises money for the Canadian Cancer Society to continue life-saving research into a cure. The event also raises operational funds for Camp Goodtimes, which works with sick kids and their families to offer an authentic camp experience.

Once the annual ride officially gets underway on Sep. 24 in Port Alice, riders will slink their way through a majority of Island communities including Qualicum Beach and Parksville on Sep. 29 followed by Nanaimo on Oct. 2 and 3.

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