Cycling road races bring Pan Am Games to the masses
Circuitous course lets fans watch for free
There are few ways to watch a cycling road race more pleasant than hanging out with a welcoming family on the roof of their Bloor Street West townhouse on a beauty of a day.
Especially when the host attached a large Canadian flag to the balcony using duct tape. Way to go, Doug (thumbs up).
Beauty.
Saturday's two road races — the women's 82.5 km won by Canada's Jasmin Glaesser in a photo finish, and the men's 165 km by Miguel Uberto Aponte of Venezuela — brought the Pan Am Games closer to the folks on the street than any other event.
This was simply because it wandered the furthest afield of the main competition area down on the lakeshore at the CNE grounds. Anyone could stop and watch the racers go by, lap by 16-km lap, and get involved with the Pan Am Games for free.
CBC Sports stationed social media reporters around the course to capture how the neighbourhood enjoyed it.
First by the location on Bloor, after the race started, was an officer on a motorcycle.
"Let's go, officer! Way to go, man!" yelled a guy clad all in red and white with a flag around his shoulders, while banging on a big metal ring with some kind of mallet.
Athletes weren't here yet, but close, as you could hear the cheering deeper in High Park, where the riders were following a circuitous path. Then the dogs picked it up and began barking, a cop siren sounded and here came the women's peloton, packed tight as it went by.
"Go Canada! Yay, Canada!" yelled the folks along the street, many lounging on the grass of the park.
No idea whom the Canadians were, of course (Alison Beveridge, Glaesser and Kirsti Lay), but that wasn't the point. They were in red and white … and black … so that's what mattered.
A few laps later (five in total for this race) the peloton had left three riders behind and as they passed, the crowd rose to the occasion.
"Go Guatemala. Go, go, girls. Go, Costa Rica. Yay."
Above-the-street party
On the rooftop, new friend Clare was timing the laps — around 25:30 or so each time, so you knew how long to enjoy the company. Craig was here, originally from South Africa, and he knew his sports, so was a fine companion to pass the waiting moments.
Doug and Jen were being great hosts for two dozen or so guests (and this surprise one) who came by for at least one of the races. Grape juice (of sorts), Coke products of all descriptions, hot dogs, cold cuts, veggies and dip, and caramel corn wound through the afternoon.
Down on the street the gathered may not have known names but they caught the rhythm quickly, and as Glaesser, and Cuba's Marlies Mejias broke from the pack they were yelling as at any other venue these two weeks.
That breakaway lead was closer to a minute through five visits and now, after they had gone by, there was no way to know which of the women won (it would be in a photo finish).
Or at least they didn't until a leather-lunged guy on the rooftop volunteered to yell the results down to a happy street.
Guess who?
About 10 minutes behind, when some people were wandering off to find something to eat or drink before the men's race (MacKenzie's Pub, or Aztec's Mine, down below, seemed convivial), there was a commotion back up the road. Yes … one more cheer to be made.
"Go Guatemala. Go you girls."
That was for Cynthia Lee Lopez, and Jasmin Soto Lopez, who rode in tandem most of the way.
Another five minutes passed and down at the corner of Bloor and Ellis Park Road, having finished the big climb one more time came Maria Vargas.
"Go Costa Rica. Way to go, Costa Rica."
Bloor Street returned to normal, but for the frustrated drivers handling one-lane each way and apparently unaware they could go north to find an easier route.
The Pan Am Games had gone by.