After 15 years as a celebrity mountain bike racer, Seamus McGrath became a rookie again B次元官网网址� this time behind the scenes of the cycling world.

The 35-year-old was enjoying new-found retirement from professional racing last year when he came up with the idea to organize a day of distance rides through Greater Victoria.

B次元官网网址淥n the bike it came to me,B次元官网网址� said the Colwood resident, Olympic athlete and director of the inaugural Ryder HesjedalB次元官网网址檚 Tour de Victoria, which happens Saturday.

B次元官网网址淏ike riding comes naturally to me. ThatB次元官网网址檚 about it. I definitely donB次元官网网址檛 have event planning experience.B次元官网网址�

What started out as three rides ballooned into the new Victoria International Cycling Festival, a seven-day celebration of cycling and bikes. As of last week, 1,100 cyclists are registered for the 140- and 90-kilometre rides, plus a few hundred are expected for the downtown four-kilometre community ride the same day.

From films to sprint racing to bike decorating, the festival has become the perfect antidote to McGrathB次元官网网址檚 retirement from pro riding.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just looking forward to seeing people crossing the finish line with smiles on their faces,B次元官网网址� McGrath said.

Angela Kewda understands the nerves that come with tackling something not only new, but big B次元官网网址� very big.

The Victoria resident regularly cycles to work at the University of Victoria, but she has never ridden 140 kilometres in one go.

But with a special road bike borrowed from a friend, Kewda is opting to tackle the more gruelling course Saturday, which she expects will take her more than seven hours to finish. Still, thereB次元官网网址檚 the draw of cycling with celebrities, such as Tour de France racer and Metchosin resident Ryder Hesjedal.

B次元官网网址淭his has been a year of cycling discovery,B次元官网网址� Kewda said.

For a schedule of events, please visit www.tourdevictoria.com and www.vicf.ca.

emccracken@vicnews.com