March 24, 2015 (Milton,ON) – Milton is hosting additional cycling competitions for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games – and this time they are outside and free for all to attend. Top cyclists from 41 countries and territories will literally race the clock during the time trial competitions for the Pan Am Games on Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, August 13 for the Parapan Am Games, as the crowd cheers along roads near Milton’s world-class velodrome.
A map detailing the 20-kilometre route – known as the Milton Time Trial Course (MRT) venue – has been released. The races will start and finish on Louis St. Laurent Avenue, just west of Savoline Boulevard.
To ensure a world-class field of play, as well as the safety of athletes and spectators, the race routes will require road closures at certain times from July 15 to 22 and August 12 to 13 on Louis St. Laurent Avenue and nearby streets, as well as detours for some Milton Transit routes.
Additional traffic changes will be needed to ensure athletes arrive on time for their competitions at the nearby Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome during the Games.
On Monday, March 23, residents and businesses are invited to attend community engagement sessions detailing the transportation changes necessary for the Games, which will be held at the Milton Sports Centre (605 Santa Maria Blvd.). The business session will run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by the resident session from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The sessions will be a chance for residents and businesses to speak with experts from the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015), the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), the Integrated Security Unit (ISU), and the Town of Milton.
The Pan Am (20 km) and Parapan Am (10 km) Milton Time Trial Course was designed under the direction of international experts to meet the critical technical requirements that govern Olympic, Paralympic and world championship courses.
On Thursday, August 13, the Parapan Am riders will race along Louis St. Laurent Avenue, Regional Road 25, Britannia Road and Fourth Line. Depending on their classification, some riders will complete one lap, while others will complete two.
In these time trial races, a rider will be released from the start ramp every minute, starting with the slower-ranked riders and ending with the fastest-ranked riders to make for an exciting finish.
Businesses in this area will be able to stay open during the Games; however, customers are encouraged to plan ahead and allow for more travel time as it may take longer to reach their destination and, in some cases, routes will change at Games time. It should be noted there will be no vehicular access along the closed roads during the time trials races and athlete familiarization pre-race rides.
The Milton business and resident meetings are the start of a larger rollout of community engagement information sessions in municipalities across the Games footprint, which will run until mid-May.
Already, sessions have been held in downtown Toronto, Caledon, Hamilton, Markham, Mississauga, Minden Hills, Mono and Oshawa. For a full list of upcoming sessions, visit here.