BC Superweek is a series of pro-cycling races that includes the Gastown Grand Prix  and Tour de White Rock in Metro Vancouver in the summer.

The series also used to include the Tour de Delta, Giro di Burnaby, and PoCo Grand Prix, but not any more as of 2023.

There are also cycling races in the Lower Mainland that are unrelated to BC Superweek. They include the Rotary Ride for Rescue and Whistler GrandFondo. The first of these is a fundraising event that goes up Cypress Mountain in June. The second is a race that goes from Vancouver to Whistler in September. Other fundraising cycling events are the Rotary Ride for Hearing and GearUp4CF (both of which are leisurely rides and not at all competitive).

Cycling Races in Vancouver

Taking place in five Lower Mainland cities over the course of ten days, BC Superweek is one of the most prestigious cycling competitions in North America.

Professional cyclists race through city streets, climb challenging hills, travel at speeds of up to over 70 kilometres an hour and compete for more than $120,000 in prize money.

BC Superweek

BC Superweek takes place each year in July (at in years without a pandemic). In the past it has included the following races, most of which not longer happen.

• Tour de Delta – three days of cycling races in Delta. (Cancelled)
• Gastown Grand Prix – cycling races in Vancouver through the streets of Gastown.
• Giro di Burnaby – a closed circuit cycling race in downtown Burnaby. (Cancelled)
• New West Grand Prix – a fast-paced 935-metre circuit in New Westminster. (Cancelled)
• PoCo Grand Prix – cycling races in Port Coquitlam. (Cancelled)
• Tour de White Rock – two days of racing in White Rock. (Not happening in 2023.)

The BC Superweek of Cycling cancelled all its Lower Mainland races in 2022 due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. This included the Gastown Grand Prix in downtown Vancouver as well as races in Burnaby, Delta, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam and White Rock.

In 2023 only one of the cycling races is taking place. The cities of Burnaby, Delta, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam have decided not to participate and have cancelled their races permanently. The status of the event in White Rock is uncertain. It’s not taking place in 2023, and might or might not in the future. Only the Gastown Grand is happening this year.

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Other Races

Other cycling events in the Lower Mainland include the following:

• Rotary Ride for Rescue – road and mountain bike races up Cypress Mountain in June that raise funds for North Shore Search & Rescue and Rotarian humanitarian projects.
• Whistler GrandFondo – a cycling race between Vancouver and Whistler in September.

Other & Cycling Events

In addition to cycling “races”, a number of leisurely, non-competitive cycling events also takes place in the Lower Mainland each year. Examples include the following:

• Bike the Blossoms – a Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival event in April.
• World Naked Bike Ride – an “alternative” event in the summer (where clothing isn’t required).
• Bike the Night – a cycling event that took place in September prior to COVID (and will hopefully take place again).
• GearUp4CF – a fundraising event for Cystic Fibrosis Canada that starts and finishes in South Surrey.
• Rotary Ride for Hearing – a 100+ km cycling event to raise money for charities that help people who are deaf and hard of hearing in the summer.

Rotary Ride for Rescue Video

Rotary Ride for Rescue isn’t one of BC Superweek of Cycling’s events. It’s not an overly competitive race either. It’s more of a fun, social event, and one where the most important prize is seeing who can raise the most money for charity. And the biggest winner of the event is North Shore Rescue which is the charitable beneficiary of the event!

Rotary Ride for Rescue is hosted by the Rotary Club of West Vancouver Sunrise on a weekend in June. The video below shows what the race looks like. As you’ll see, cyclists have to ride from the bottom of Cypress Mountain to the top. At the end there is a celebratory party which usually includes a pancake breakfast.

To learn more about the event, see our article about Rotary Ride for Rescue.

Other Information

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

• Places for a Walk, Jog or Cycle
• Outdoor Recreation in the Lower Mainland
• Vancouver’s Calendar of Events
• Lower Mainland Festivals and Events