Over 200 pedal the the island at Le Tour de Downbeach

Over 200 people get ready to take off Sunday morning for the Le Tour de Downbeach, which has been running since 2008. The course started in Ventnor, took riders into Atlantic City and made its way back downbeach into Margate and Longport.

Event organizer Diane Burbank takes up the rear Sunday.

Event organizer Mike Wiesen speaks to the riders before Sunday's Le Tour de Downbeach. The race was in honor of his late wife, Ann Marie, who died in November and was an organizer as well.

Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf welcomes the over 200 cyclists Sunday who participated in the Le Tour de Downbeach.

Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf asks the cyclists to have a moment of silence for one of the event's original organizers, Ann Marie Wiesen, the late wife of Mike Wiesen, left.

Diane Burbank, right, helps get riders on their way Sunday morning at the Le Tour de Downbeach cycling event.

VENTNOR — Yellow shirts flooded the Ventnor and Atlantic City boardwalks and the rest of Absecon Island on Sunday morning for a pleasant bike ride.

A sunny, breezy day greeted more than 200 participants in the annual Le Tour de Downbeach, a 14-mile ride that went through all four cities on the island.

Riders began at Newport Avenue behind the Ventnor branch of the Atlantic County Library System with a staggered start, sending riders off about 20 at a time. Event organizers Mike Wiesen and Diane Burbank helped get the cyclists underway.

Riders made their way up the Boardwalk into Atlantic City, turning at Kennedy Plaza across from Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. They traveled back down the Boardwalk and into Margate and Longport, ending at Tomatoe's restaurant in Margate with a barbecue.

This year, a donation from the proceeds will be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in memory of one of the event's original organizers, Ann Marie Wiesen. Wiesen, who died in November, was married to Mike, who owns AAAA Bike Shop in Ventnor.

Burbank started the race in 2008, with Mike Wiesen and his bike shop helping. Ann Marie joined in organizing the race in 2009.

Over 200 people participated in Le Tour de Downbeach on Sunday, June 4, 2023. (JOHN RUSSO / Staff Writer)

Event organizer Mike Wiesen speaks to the riders before Sunday's Le Tour de Downbeach. The race was in honor of his late wife, Ann Marie, who died in November and was an organizer as well.

Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf welcomes the over 200 cyclists Sunday who participated in the Le Tour de Downbeach.

Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf asks the cyclists to have a moment of silence for one of the event's original organizers, Ann Marie Wiesen, the late wife of Mike Wiesen, left.

Diane Burbank, right, helps get riders on their way Sunday morning at the Le Tour de Downbeach cycling event.

Event organizer Diane Burbank takes up the rear Sunday.

Over 200 people participated in Le Tour de Downbeach on Sunday, June 4, 2023. (JOHN RUSSO / Staff Writer)

More than 200 people participated in Le Tour de Downbeach on Sunday. The bike ride ran from Atlantic City to Longport and back.

Over 200 people participated in Le Tour de Downbeach on Sunday, June 4, 2023. (JOHN RUSSO / Staff Writer)

Contact John Russo: 609-272-7184

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Twitter: @ACPress_Russo

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I graduated from Rowan University in 2011 where I studied journalism. I've done everything from cover sports to news and have served as a copy editor and digital producer with The Press since July 2013.

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Over 200 pedal the the island at Le Tour de Downbeach