Thousands of cyclists participate in Tour de Palm Springs

The Tour de Palm Springs was Saturday and News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay was downtown Palm Springs on South Palm Canyon where the race started and finished.

Thousands of cyclists from all over came to the desert for the race.

“When you’re out there as soon as you pull up to the start line you are so pumped and when you hear everyone click in it’s like pure adrenaline and you just go,” Donna Delatorre, a Desert Hot Springs resident said she has participated in the race for the past 15 years. But this year, an unexpected injury left her cheering on the other riders from the sidelines.

“I was supposed to do the 100 but I fell and broke my wrist so my husband is riding in my place,” she said.

We met with many others from the community who came out to support the bike riders.

“We are protecting these two-wheel vehicles. They are quite expensive and we are hosting security for the riders after they finish their race,” Gary with Civil Air 11 Patrol said.

Another person who came to help out at the racers is a member of the jazz band from Cathedral City High School.

“We’re here to just pump up the bikers and the crowd and have good vibes for everyone who’s here,” Rogelio Lopez said.

Not only is the race a great way for these cyclists to get exercise and raise money for local nonprofits but also it serves as an opportunity for our community to come together.

“It’s always really cool when the bikers go by and especially when we are playing a tune and they take a second to look to the side and they start cheering us on and that’s always really fun and feels really nice," Lopez shared.

And the cyclists really appreciate all of the love and support.

“Everyone is happy being together," cyclist, Sylvester Johnson said after finishing the 50 mile race. "There all of one mindset enjoy yourself riding," he added.