Tour de Bowness August Long weekend, Calgary
We attended the Criterium Race in 2024 and what a blast it was. Watching cyclists race to the finish in a multiloop route gave us lots to cheer about. The Tour de Bowness is a weekend long cycling celebration with several events including the criterium race, the Provincial Championships out at Horse Creek Road near Cochrane and a MacKay Road (in Bowness) 1 km, 141 ft sprint hill climb! This event is highly recommended by cyclealberta!
L’Étape Edmonton by Tour de France. It appears as this event is no longer running. Too bad as I know some former participants and they really enjoyed it. If you have information that it is going ahead, please let us know and we can update our information. There are events running in other jurisdictions, just not Canada.
The event provides a safe race for athletes of all ability levels from family rides to elite riders chasing down the Green Sprint Jersey, Polka Dot KOM Jersey and the coveted Yellow Jersey for the overall winners.
L’Étape Canada by Tour de France was one of 21 worldwide amateur cycling events created to make you feel like a true Tour de France champion. Race in a course designed by Tour de France experts on closed or partially-closed roads right in your own backyard. It is an event for athletes of all ability levels from beginners to seasoned cyclists welcome!
Gran Fondo Badlands – Drumheller July 4, 2026
Cycling through the unique landscape of Alberta Badlands, this Gran Fondo supports a variety of distances and even welcomes e-bikes. Registration is limited to 1,200 cyclists. To prepare for this ride, consider riding our Badlands Tour route prior to the event to get a feel for the area topography and conditions. This area of the province is usually very hot in the summer so come prepared for the sun and heat.
Whistler Gran Fondo – Vancouver, Sept 12, 2026.
We cycled this iconic event in 2012 and again in 2022. Unfortunately in 2022 there were less than idea logistical issues on the part of the Fondo planning committee. If you do decide to participate check out some the recent event reviews and make a decision on your own. We have heard, from friends that did the 2024 and 2025 event, that the logistic issues have been smoothed out and the event is once again an enjoyable day out.
A good reason to ride this event is that the road is dedicated to cyclist all the way from Vancouver to Whistler, they even sweep the road prior to the event! I would recommend booking your Whistler accommodation early in the year (yes, that means January) and signing up for the event once you know how your cycling season goes. If you are training for the event we recommend our Highwood Pass, Four Hills of Banff, Sundre to Bearberry, and Banff to Lake Louise routes as fantastic training options that will get you in tip top shape for the Fondo. If you train in the hilly Foothills of Alberta you will have less of an issue doing this ~ sea level to ~2,000m elevation ride in BC.
Tour de Victoria – On Aug 15, 2026 pick a distance from 15 km to 160 km in beautiful Victoria. This event sell out every year! We have not done this ride but it has been reported to us that this is one to put on our bucket list!
DV 100 – Sadly, we were informed by the DV100 race committee that this event is not going ahead in 2026.
The Kootenay Rockies Gran Fondo is back this September 12, 2026! The picturesque ride starts and finishes at the St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino where the riders head for the start line in front of the old brick missionary-turned hotel. Three distances are offered. We have not done this Gran Fondo so if anyone who has can give us a report, we would appreciate it.
The C4 Gran Fondo starting in Cardston in southern Alberta is running Aug 15, 2026. The ride is known for its spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains, particularly Chief Mountain. The longer distances will start by heading south towards the Caraway border crossing. Roughly 10 km later, the cyclists will detour towards Police Lake Provincial Park. Both the 100 and 140km cyclists will end up near the Caraway border crossing, where they will turn around and return to Cardston before the final 50 km that takes them to Mountain View and back. The 50km route will go to Mountain View, Alberta. All roads are paved, and the highways have a nice large shoulder! We love cycling in this area so this is definitely and event to try.
Want to try a gravel event? Check out the Cochrane Crusher, Cochrane’s finest gravel cycling event. Held on August 16, 2026 with a route that explores some beautiful scenery in the Foothill’s Region just 20 min north of Cochrane. You will have the option to race 50 km or 2 laps on the same course for a total of 100 km.
Cycle Alberta 