A Central Saanich intersection where a cyclist was fatally injured by a pickup truck during a bike event on Sunday was only overseen by a course marshal, not a flagger certified to control traffic, police say.
A course marshal can direct bikes but is not licensed to control traffic as a trained flagger is, said Sgt. Paul Brailey of Central Saanich police.
The 41-year-old woman was struck on Central Saanich Road where it intersects with Tanner Road and died of her injuries in hospital.
She was taking part in the ninth annual Tripleshot CrossFondo, with routes of roughly 25 and 45 kilometres through backcountry trails, Hartland mountain bike park and private properties in Greater Victoria.
Investigators are working to determine what actions the marshal took, Brailey said.
“Was the cyclist waved through? Did she fail to stop?” he said.
Some parts of the route were controlled by certified flaggers, but some areas just had marshals, who help cyclists follow the correct course.
“His job is basically to say: ‘Hey, there’s a car coming,’ and just stop the cyclists,” Brailey said.
The cyclist, who was heading north on Central Saanich Road when she was hit, had a stop sign. The driver was heading south on Central Saanich Road and was following the natural flow of traffic to curve left onto Tanner Road, Brailey said.
The driver did not have a stop sign and was not required to signal a turn, because the right of way is to curve left onto Tanner, he said.
Police are appealing for more witnesses to come forward, including other cyclists in the event, Brailey said.
Organizers of bike events like the CrossFondo are required to apply for a permit to use Central Saanich roads, said Dale Puskas, the district’s director of engineering.
The CrossFondo organizers followed the appropriate process, which includes submitting a traffic-management plan prepared by a qualified traffic-control professional along with a communications plan for public notification on the route, he said.
Applications go to the district’s engineering, police and fire departments for comments, and the district works with applicants on any required changes to the plan before issuing a permit, Puskas said.
Event organizers did not respond to an interview request Tuesday.
The CrossFondo’s website describes the event as Victoria’s only mass-participation off-road cycling event winding through “flowy pine-needle trails and hairpin turns, over hills, roots and rocks, past curious donkeys and horses, and churns through chunky peanut butter mud and pebbles.”
“Maybe a few hike-a-bike sections to keep it legit,” the website says.
The event fundraises for the Tripleshot Cycling Club’s youth program to support year-round training.
