WOW Cyclothon About to Get Rolling

From a previous WOW Cyclothon.

From a previous WOW Cyclothon. Photo/Contributed

Vala Hafstað

The eighth WOW Cyclothon begins in Reykjavík tonight and runs through Saturday, Morgunblaðið reports. The country’s largest cycling race continues to carry the name WOW despite the bankruptcy this spring of WOW Air, which used to be its number one sponsor.

Contestants will cycle around Iceland – a 1,358-km (844 mi) distance, mainly along Ring Road 1. If traveling along the Ring Road, please exercise extreme caution when sharing the road with the cyclists.

You can view the route of the race here.

Photo/Contributed

Most participants compete in relay teams, while a few compete solo. Contestants have 72 hours to cover the distance. They collect donations, which this year go to a summer camp in Reykjadalur for children and teenagers with disabilities.

“The idea is for the donations to go toward a much-needed addition to the camp, which will improve the facility and access to it substantially,” states Díana Sjöfn Jóhannsdóttir, marketing director for the charity that runs the camp.

Roughly 570 contestants have confirmed participation in the Cyclothon this year, three of them competing solo. There are nine four-member teams in Group A and 47 ten-member teams in Group B, in addition to 60 contestants registered in the youngest age group.

Photo/Contributed

The race for the youngest group and for the individuals begins at Egilshöll, Reykjavík, tonight at 7 pm, while the other two groups begin their race tomorrow night. The first contestants are expected to complete the race Friday morning.

The Cyclothon culminates in a final celebration and award ceremony at the Reykjavík Art Museum Hafnarhús, on Saturday at 8 pm.

Weather

Clear sky

Today

-2 °C

Partly cloudy

Later today

4 °C

Cloudy

Tomorrow

1 °C