Next Sunday, March 4th. there will be a 15 kilometre time trial on the Duke Point Highway, Nanaimo at 11.00am.. Registration will be at the start point, just before the overpass of highway 19 at 10.30am. Parking at Country Grocer Mall. The ride up to the start will be a good warm-up. Entry fee of $5.

Last Sunday, a number of  MIVA members met in downtown Nanaimo to pick a course for the first criteriums to be held in the Harbour City Centre in over twenty years.  After riding around several circuits suggested by a number of people, they finally decided on a challenging 1.5 kilometre, clockwise course that includes a real uphill stretch of cobbles passing beneath the enclosed footbridge between the Convention Centre and the Main Library (after going under this crossing for forty times, the riders may lable it "The Bridge of Sighs"!).  Other features of this technical ride  include seven turns varying from an easy sweeping downhill bend to sharp left and right corners in rapid succession, and short, fast straights lined with cafes and restaurants.

The Nanaimo Downtown Business Improvement Association is being approached to help fund this exciting June 17th. event as many of its members could benefit a great deal from the crowds the race is bound to attract. There is also a Fathers' Day picnic in the area for Dads and sons and this classic series of criteriums will give them a close-up taste of top class bike racing at its best as the event is expected to attract elite riders from across western Canada and from Washington and Oregon.

For a video of the proposed race circuit, go here.

The OBB Saturday morning group rides are returning with the object of preparing for the Victoria Gran Fondo in early June. First ride will leave OBB store at 9am on March 3rd. Note that all participants must be members of a Cycling BC affiliated club such as MIVA and should come with a road bike. Everyone must also have an approved helmet. The pace will be moderate and if there are enough riders, there will be two groups, one for the hardy boys and girls and a slower group for beginners and the unfit.

If your bike is in need of tender loving care and you are not sure exactly how to go about maintenance and repair of punctures, take advantage of OBB's free clinics from 11pm to 12.30pm on Saturday March 10th. and Saturday March 24th.

Over the last year, a number of different strategies have been used to make the club's social rides successful, including advertising a set time day, and start location plus  set routes,  but so far, the only one that seems to have potential is for club members to advertise their own projected ride on the MIVA Facebook page and include date, time and location of start. The MIVA Board will attempt to come up with alternative plans in the coming season, including riding out to events where other members are racing. Any of our readers who have good ideas about these non=competitive rides,please post in the comments section. Here is a good example of a British club out on a social ride Interestingly enough, couldn't find any Canadian examples!).

For a number of years, the Cobblestone Classic criterium took place in Winnipeg and many top riders from Canada and the States took part. This year, MIVA is organising the first, annual, new Cobblestone Classic in downtown Nanaimo as a fully sanctioned Cycling BC event. There will be races for category 1/2, 3,4 and 5 and for women and juniors. The Nanaimo Downtown Business Improvement Association is being asked to lend its support to this exciting event.

This Sunday, a number of the MIVA club members are meeting at the main  library to ride around the chosen circuit and discuss possible modifications to provide better spectator viewing and to draw in more support from local businesses.