Category Four Men turn a corner in a rain-soaked Tour De Bowness during Heritage festivities on Monday, August 4, 2025. Credit: Calgary Journal StaffPosted inNews
Calgary’s Tour De Bowness challenges cyclists with gruelling hill climb and rainy street race
The Calgary neighbourhood of Bowness hosts the Tour De Bowness, a premier cycling event and provincial championship, every Heritage Day Weekend.
Organized by the Alberta Bicycling Association, the three-day amateur racing event includes a 44-132 km distance race in Cochrane, a gruelling hill climb along Mackay Road and a criterium–a short circuit road race–starting and finishing along Bowness Road.
The event attracts cyclists from across Canada, Europe and the United States. See race results here.
Grigoriy Ichshenko, with the Calgary Carnkmasters Cycling club, competes in the gruelling Tour De Bowness Montgomery Hill Climb, a kilometre-long, steep race. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFBrendan Walsh, with the Rundle Mountain Cycling Club, climbs Calgary’s kilometre-long Mackay Road in 1:47.86. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFRyan Jaket, with the Calgary Crankmaster Cycling Club, races up the gruelling kilometre-long Tour De Bowness Hill Climb in 1:50.72. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFAxel Lecompte placed second in the U17 Tour De Bowness Hill Climb. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFKathryn Durrell finished second in the Women’s Category Four Tour De Bowness Hill Climb up Mackay Road, finishing in 2:12.05. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFMaine Gruener wins the Women’s Category Four Tour De Bowness Hill Climb up Mackay Road, finishing in 2:03.93. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFMichael Stimson charges up the gruelling kilometre-long Tour De Bowness Montgomery hill race, finishing in 1:48.10. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFErik Loewen, who races for Vectra Heavy Haulers p/b CO2 Brewing, pedals up the kilometre-long Tour De Bowness Hill Climb, finishing in 1:49.05. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFThe top five women cyclists in Category Four line up to race up Calgary’s kilometre-long Mackay Road a second time. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFChildren, along with some of their parents, line up to compete in the Tour De Bowness’ Kids Crit race along Bowness Road. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFChildren race along Bowness Road as part of the Tour De Bowness’ Kids Crit. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFWomen racers round a corner in the Tour De Bowness’ Criterium, a fast-paced race along a short circuit of city streets in Bowness. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFCategory Four wommen cyclists turn a corner during the Tour De Bowness’ Criterium, a fast-paced race along a short circuit of city streets in Bowness. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFCategory Four Women cyclists in the lead peloton singling each other during the Tour De Bowness’ Criterium. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFFCategory Four Men racers congratulate each other after completing a rain-soaked Tour De Bowness’ Criterium. PHOTO: CALGARY JOURNAL STAFF
