Tour de Cancervive bikes through city

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Chestermere resident Maggie Lanotte, centre, waves as she starts the Tour de Cancervive final leg from the Chestermere Recreation Centre to Wellspring House in Calgary. Photo by Jeremy Broadfield

Local cyclist spends five days biking in support of cancer patients and their families

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Chestermere resident Maggie Lanotte, centre, waves as she starts the Tour de Cancervive final leg from the Chestermere Recreation Centre to Wellspring House in Calgary. Photo by Jeremy Broadfield

Chestermere cyclist Maggie Lamotte rode to support Wellspring in the annual Tour de Cancervive.
“I ride for everybody that…have been affected by cancer,” she said.
The Tour de Cancervive is a fundraiser for Wellspring which is a community support centre for cancer patients and their families.
The tour is an approximately 600km ride completed in five days.
Lamotte said that it’s a difficult ride but nothing compared to what someone with cancer and their family face.
“They have their struggles…what we have to face is a very small struggle compared to what a cancer patient has to face,” said Lamotte.
“That’s why Wellspring is so great, they support the families,” she said.
This year participants are starting in Calgary and doing a Southern Alberta loop.
“We’re starting in Calgary and finishing in Calgary,” said Cancervive General Manager Peggy Brosens, “making stops in High River, Pincher Creek, Lethbridge and Brooks.”
With the route this year, Lamotte was worried about the wind which did turn out to be a challenge for the riders.
“A headwind…can drain the strongest rider,” she said.
After arriving Brooks Saturday, cyclist were driven to Chestermere Sunday morning to cycle from the recreation centre to Wellspring House in Calgary.
Despite the rainy weather, everyone was in good spirits as they started the final leg.
This was Lamotte’s second year participating in the Tour de Cancervive. She started cycling last year to support her best friend who was cycling in the fundraiser.
“My friend Leslie had lost her dad to cancer a couple months prior to the ride,” she said.
“I had told her that I wanted to support her and so I decided to join her through it,” said Lamotte.
Prior to that Cancervive, Lamotte had never ridden a bike for more than an hour. To her surprise, she discovered she likes cycling.
“I fell in love with the sport,” said Lamotte.
She also finds the camaraderie of the participants to be inspiring.
“We’re fighting one cause,” she said.
“Everybody’s here for the same reason fighting cancer and supporting each other,” said Lamotte.
The tour is emotionally and physically challenging Lamotte said.
“The people that do the ride are all extremely supportive,” she said, “It becomes a little family.”
Everyone who rides has a story and a reason for why they are there.
“You share your stories…it touches everybody in a certain way and inspires people to keep going,” she said.
This year Lamotte has been training through the winter on her stationary bike. When warmer weather arrived she switched to biking a couple times a week through the spring and summer.
She has found that cycling has had more benefits than just fitness.
“I went through some personal struggles myself this year and it was something that…really helped me through it,” said Lamotte.
With the training she was able to do, Lamotte said she was nervous but in a different way for this year’s tour.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said, “this year’s been pretty crazy.”

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In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, Anchor Media Inc encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this site and downloading the Rogue Radio App. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to info@anchormedia.ca


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