22nd Tour de Palm Springs set for this weekend

Motorists were advised today to be prepared for traffic delays resulting from road closures beginning Friday to accommodate thousands of cyclists taking part in the 22nd annual Tour de Palm Springs.

Palm Canyon Drive between Tahquitz Canyon and Amado Road will be shut down from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday only, Tahquitz Canyon Way, between Indian Canyon Drive and Belardo Road, will be off-limits to vehicle traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. And from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., northbound Indian Canyon Drive from AmadoRoad to Vista Chino will be reduced to one lane.

Since 1999, the Tour de Palm Springs has raised more than $4 million for charities in the Coachella Valley. The first race raised $20,000. In 2015, organizers donated $179,000 to 80 local charities.

While online registration ended on Tuesday, riders can show up in person Friday at the registration tent on West Andreas Road, off Palm Canyon Drive, from noon until 8 p.m. Later in the evening, a 35-piece marching band will march downtown to formally kick off the race festivities.

On Saturday, races start as early as 6:30 a.m. One-mile and three-mile
walks also begins 10:15 a.m. for non-cyclists hoping to participate in one of the largest charity-based bicycle races in the United States.

Every year the event draws between 6,000 to 10,000 cyclists, according to organizers.

For more information, visit www.tourdepalmsprings.com.