News

(New York – Jan. 10, 2012 ) – Bike New York today announced lottery dates and details for the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour Presented by Eastern Mountain Sports, held Sunday, May 6, 2012.  The TD Five Boro Bike Tour lottery will open January 17 at 10:00 a.m. and close February 7 at 5:00 p.m.

Held annually the first Sunday in May, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is America’s largest cycling event. The Tour is produced by Bike New York, the city’s premiere bicycling organization, in association with the City of New York and the New York City Department of Transportation. The event provides participants the unique and fun experience to bike through all five boroughs – a 40 mile, traffic-free ride for 32,000 cyclists. Proceeds from the event fund Bike New York’s education programs.

“Bicycling is booming in New York City with more people biking, the growing network of bike lanes, and bike share on its way,” says Ken Podziba, president and CEO of Bike New York. “We’re excited to be able to contribute to this City’s biking renaissance with the largest and most exciting bicycling event in the country.”

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®, will once again serve as title sponsor. “At TD Bank, we want to be as green as our logo,” says Greg Braca, regional president, TD Bank. “This event is another way for us to support our green strategy while sharing with others an environmentally friendly way to enjoy the City.”

Last year’s one-day sellout confirmed that the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is not only the country’s largest cycling event, but also the most popular.  As a result, Bike New York is implementing a lottery system.  Bike New York is continually looking for ways to enhance customer experience each year, and the lottery provides a system that ensures bicyclists who want to participate will have a more fair and equitable chance.

Those interested in participating in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour will have the opportunity to register for the lottery from January 17 through February 7.  People can also register for the lottery in groups of up to four. When the lottery closes, registrants will be randomly selected and notified whether they were chosen or not by March 1. Lottery winners will be given a week to complete registration and secure a spot in the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour.

VIP Registration and “Ride for a Reason” Charity Program

The lottery is not the only way to ride in the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Similar to last year, there is a VIP registration that includes a confirmed spot in the Tour, priority start, VIP breakfast and lunch, exclusive Bike New York merchandise and other perks. VIP registration opens January 17, the same day as the lottery.  Prospective riders can also “Ride for a Reason” and champion one of Bike New York’s 40 charity partners.

“Last year’s ‘Ride for a Reason’ charity program was a great success, raising more than $1.2 million for our partner charities,” said Podziba. “Based on last year’s fundraising accomplishment, we’re excited to see this year’s results from our charity partners. Fundraising for a charity is a tremendous way to give back and support a meaningful cause while having the time of your life.”

In addition to the Bike New York/Department of Transportation team, below is a full list of Bike New York’s charity partners:

Volunteer Opportunities

Those who do not get into the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour can guarantee an entry spot into the 2013 Tour by volunteering this year during Tour weekend or Bike Expo New York.  Bike New York volunteer applications will be online the second week of February.

Bike Expo New York

All 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour participants will pick up their rider packet and Tour vest at the inaugural Bike Expo New York (BE NY) presented by Eastern Mountain Sports.  Located at Basketball City on Pier 36 (along South St. at Montgomery St., Manhattan, NYC) , BE NY will take place the three days before the Tour, May 3, 4, and 5. Free and open to the public, the Expo will provide a perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to take an unprecedented look at urban cycling against the backdrop of New York, meeting the demand from both retailers and consumers for a major bike expo on the east coast.

For more details about the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour and Bike Expo New York, visit www.bikenewyork.org.

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 About Bike New York:

Bike New York is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that promotes and encourages bicycling through education, public events, and collaboration with community and government partnerships. For more information, visit www.bikenewyork.org.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®:

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 7.8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,280 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized wealth management services through TD Wealth, and insurance products and services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody’s. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit www.td.com.