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Cyclists dominate Victoria’s commuter challenge

Of the 19 teams competing, 17 cyclists reached their destination quicker than the car.
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Ashley Cockle (L) and Mike Gonzalez (R) participate in Bike to Work Week Greater Victoria, both winning their heat against their respective cars by three minutes.. (Arnold Lim / Black Press)

Everyone has their favourite mode of travel when it comes to the daily commute, but if you’re someone who finds themselves stuck in traffic a lot, this may cause you to rethink your preferred mode of transportation.

Wednesday morning marked the unofficial start of Bike to Work week, with the local Victoria chapter organizing the commuter challenge once again. This fun contest between car and cyclist brought together 19 teams that started in locations throughout Greater Victoria from Brentwood Bay to Westshore Mall.

Almost all of the teams were making their way to the corner of Fort and Blanshard Streets, with the lone exception of one team from the Canadian Forces who went in the opposite direction, beginning their challenge in James Bay and commuting to CFB Esquimalt.

In 17 of the 19 matchups, the cyclists beat their motorized counterparts with the exception of one car and one tie, believed to be a photo-finish.

According to organizers, cyclists starting in Langford, Cordova Bay, View Royal, Saanich, Fernwood, Esquimalt and James Bay all finished faster than their teammates driving vehicles.

“The message from today’s results is clear: no matter where you live in Greater Victoria, commuting by bike is a viable and, in many cases, time saving way to get to work,” stated a release from the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society.

“Together with the health benefits, cost savings, and avoidance of traffic and parking stress we hope that today’s results convince those who are hesitant about biking to work to give it a try. Just like any new routine or habit, the first step is the biggest challenge and it only gets easier from there!”

You can check out all the results below:

2017 Commuter Challenge Results by Ragnar Haagen on Scribd