{"id":646069,"date":"2026-05-04T00:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T00:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/646069\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T00:00:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T00:00:10","slug":"32000-cyclists-brave-strong-winds-to-traverse-big-apple-in-48th-annual-td-five-boro-bike-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/646069\/","title":{"rendered":"32,000 cyclists brave strong winds to traverse Big Apple in 48th annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Roughly 32,000 cyclists from near and far braved windy conditions to take over city streets on Sunday for the 48th annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was a brisk morning when the first of five cyclist waves burst across the starting line in lower Manhattan at 7:30 a.m. While the sun came out and conditions warmed, more and more riders snaked their way through the 40-mile course, riding into strong winds throughout the day.<\/p>\n

\"\"The first of five waves of cyclists waiting to begin the TD Five Boro Bike tour in lower Manhattan. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Dylan Christie<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little nippy, it\u2019s a little breezy, but things are gonna warm up,\u201d said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike Mew York, the organization behind the event. He spoke with amNewYork before cyclists began moving across the starting line.<\/p>\n

However, the weather this year was markedly better than during the 2025 bike tour, when cyclists had to deal with a rainy ride<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing an anti-rain dance all year long. So thank God no rain today. Zero percent chance,\u201d Podziba said. \u201cWhen it doesn\u2019t rain, everyone shows up.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Podziba said the 32,000 participants were made up of riders from every state in the nation as well as 60 foreign countries.
\n\"\"Bike New York CEO Ken Podziba near the starting line to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour in lower Manhattan. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Dylan Christie\n<\/p>\n

He also noted the bike tour made history this year by marking the first time a sitting mayor rode the entire course. The mayor, Zohran Mamdani, road after delivering remarks at the starting line, finishing on Staten Island around 11:15 a.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cNearly 50\u00a0years ago, this tour began with the love of New York City; hundreds of cyclists; and one\u00a0very special\u00a0sponsor, Nathan\u2019s Hot Dogs,\u201d Mamdani said in his remarks. \u201cAnd now, today, we are brought back by those same loves of the city that we call home and the love of cycling across our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Mayor Zohran Mamdani doing the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office<\/p>\n

Bikers began in Manhattan, went through a small section of the Bronx, returned to Manhattan, then ventured into Queens and Brooklyn, before crossing the finish line at a festival on Staten Island.<\/p>\n

One rider named Rebecca, told amNewYork that the toughest parts of the course were climbing the Queensborough Bridge between Manhattan and the World\u2019s Borough and the Verrazzano Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Both are steep and long \u2014 with the Verrazzano having once been<\/a> the world\u2019s longest suspension bridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were some tough moments, but it was great,\u201d she said. \u201cI just kept going. Don\u2019t think, just move.\u201d
\n\"\"Cyclists faced strong winds while making their way up the Verrazano Bridge during the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Ethan Stark-Miller\n<\/p>\n

She also highlighted that the powerful winds gusting accross the bridge were \u201calmost blowing me over because I was going so slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Elsky, 30, also found the Verrazzano particularly challenging this year due to the strong winds.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the one part of the ride where we really kicked it into high gear, got the heart rate up, which helped keep warm,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the crosswind was borderline dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Cyclist David Elsky rode in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour dressed as Ricky Bobby, the fictional Nascar driver from the 2006 comedy film \u201cTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.\u201d Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Adam Daly<\/p>\n

Elsky did the ride dressed as Ricky Bobby, the fictional NASCAR driver from the 2006 comedy film \u201cTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,\u201d who was portrayed by Will Ferrell.<\/p>\n

The affair, which has been held nearly every year since 1977, is the largest charity bike ride in the world, Podziba said. It raises money both directly for Bike New York\u2019s own educational programming and a slew of charities.<\/p>\n

Karen Ubelhart, 71, was one of those cyclists who rode for a cause \u2014 specifically the cancer patient support charity Livestrong<\/a>. She has done the bike tour most years over the past 17 with her brother, because their sister Kathleen<\/a> \u2014 who was an avid biker \u2014 died of breast cancer in 2016 and they promised her they would keep raising money for the charity after her death.<\/p>\n

Ubelhart said she managed to complete the course this year despite recently having both of her hips replaced.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe promised [my sister] we\u2019d keep doing it until we can\u2019t,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m 71 and I just got two new hips and I couldn\u2019t ride the last two years because of that and so this is my first ride. That\u2019s why I\u2019m emotional, because I did it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Karen Ubelhart, who rode in the bike tour for the first time in two years after getting her hips replaced. Sunday, May 3, 2026.Photo by Ethan Stark-Miller<\/p>\n

Sarabpreet Singh rode with a group from the nonprofit Let\u2019s Share a Meal.<\/a> The New Jersey-based organization, following the values of Sikhism, provides meals and emergency aid to homeless people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was my eighth year, I feel very proud to be part of the city,\u201d Singh said. \u201cIt\u2019s a good vibe.\u201d\n<\/p>\n