PHOTOS: Paul Martin Wins the Tour di Via Italia on Erie Street

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 4246 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

The Tour di Via Italia cycled through the streets of Windsor, Sunday afternoon, and previous champion, 39-year-old Paul Martin of North Royalton, Ohio returned as the first place finisher in the main race.

Martin finished with a time of 1h 58′ 14″ and was followed by fellow Team Panther teammate Ryan Aitcheson who took second in the Elite 1&2 Master 1 Men’s race. Aitcheson, from Kitchener Ontario finished with a time of 1h 58′ 18″, only four seconds behind his team mate. Third place went to Jeffery Schiller of Team Garneau Quebecor Norton.

The main race in the Tour di Via Italia was a 100km, 55-lap, rectangle along Erie Street, Parent Avenue, Giles Boulevard and Howard Avenue which saw an average rider speed of 50.7 km/h.

The Tour di Via Italia returned to the streets of Windsor for the first time this year since 2010. Reconstruction of Erie Street East into the La Bella Strada concept with extended patios and an “old country” feel, forced the annual race to be rescheduled for Downtown Windsor in 2011, and ultimately cancelled.

Now in its 53rd year, the Tour of Via Italia takes places every year on the Sunday of Labour Day weekend and has become a staple event for Erie Street.