LEWISTON — Pardon Don Felice if he imagines hundreds of local and nationally renowned bike racers wheeling up the cobblestone brick road at Lewiston’s Artpark, hoping to crash through the finish line while passionate onlookers cheer them on.
The inaugural Tour of the Grand Niagara, to be held this Sunday, might only included a few of those pieces, but Felice is hoping that’s a start. The race is slated to begin at 8:45 a.m.
According to Felice, the founder of BikeBoy Racing, the 26-mile race that starts and finishes in the Village of Lewiston is the first of its kind in the municipality, and he expects the event to grow in subsequent years.
“Part of the reason I put the race together is that I’ve always dreamed of having a race like this in my hometown,” said Felice, who has seen his race team grow from three members to over 30 in the past 18 months. “To be considered our own club, we have to sanction a race. This is it.”
Felice said the course will start in Lewiston, travel through the country, then come up along Lower River Road. The final piece is the rigorous trek up the cobblestone entrance to the park, one that could make for a memorable finish.
“The best spot to view the finish of this race would be up on the hill as they come in,” Felice said. “It would be great to see a Tour de France-type atmosphere at the finish line with people cheering and yelling. We’ve got a lot of people interested and a number of volunteers who are helping.”
Although he originally planned the race to coincide with the Peach festival that runs simultaneously, Felice said he had problems getting the Kiwanis Club to give final approval for the event. So he forged ahead alone, getting the village’s recreation department to help sponsor the event.
And he hopes it doesn’t end there. Felice is planning on a bigger, better race next year, and hopes to expand on the number of entrants.
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