1,200 racers gear up for bike race that begins in Yukon and ends in Alaska

WHITEHORSE – About 1,200 athletes are checking their bicycles and their passports in preparation for a bike race that begins this weekend in Yukon, passes through British Columbia and ends in Alaska.

Race co-ordinator Mike Kramer says the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay starts in Haines Junction on Saturday morning.

It ends 240-kilometres later after travelling along a mountainous route that briefly dips into northwestern B.C. before crossing the border and finishing at Haines, near the northern end of the Alaska panhandle.

Kramer says the race began in 1992 with about 80 riders but has grown in popularity and now attracts participants from across Canada, the United States and as far away as Australia.

In addition to the mountainous terrain, Kramer says riders must be prepared for any type of weather, from sun and tail winds to snow, which he says is forecast for this weekend.

Kramer says the tough course and the weather add to the challenge of the relay, which can be tackled solo or in teams of up to eight riders, each taking one of the race legs. (CKRW)