The City of Windsor is doing what it can to keep the historic Tour di Via Italia alive, in hopes of hosting a national championship race in the near future.
The 57th annual bike race is already on a tight budget, as chair Aldo Sfalcin says it's lost thousands of dollars it used to count on through sponsorships, so the city is scaling back its fees for security fencing and policing by 1,300, to $1,700. "What happened here (at city council) tonight helps us to maybe survive for another year. I know it's not a lot of money, but it takes a lot to put on this race," explains Sfalcin.
The chair says Windsor is definitely in the running to host the North American cycling championships, against places like Vancouver and New Jersey.
Sfalcin believes a strong partnership between the Tour di Via Italia and the city will go a long way in bringing big racing events to Windsor.