A community of female cyclists rode together on Saturday at the 17th annual Venus de Miles bike ride.

More than 800 athletes took part in the all-women’s event, which started and ended at Bohn Park in Lyons. Riders who crossed the finish line throughout the morning and afternoon were cheered on by family members, friends and fellow cyclists.

“We were all having fun,” said first-time Venus de Miles participant Olivia Lawson.

Riders could choose between 30-mile, 48-mile and 64-mile courses, all of which took cyclists around the foothills and farmland northeast of Lyons. This year, around half of the riders were returning participants, with a few of the cyclists having done Venus de Miles since its inception.

“In the cycling community, there’s just a lot fewer women cyclists,” said event director Mariel McCown. “And especially in the races and rides you see, there aren’t really any non-competitive opportunities for women. So (Venus de Miles) was started as an opportunity to foster a community of sisterhood.”

McCown said the event’s usual 100-mile course, which goes up to Estes Park, was scrapped this year. Saturday’s routes were instead limited to the Front Range, and the first riders returned to Bohn Park around 10:30 a.m.

The “Finish Festival” in the park provided food and drinks for the cyclists who completed their routes. Complimentary facials and massages were also offered to the finishers, which McCown said seems to be unique to the Venus de Miles events.

“We’re not a race, we’re a ride,” McCown said. “There’s no podium. It’s really about community and just having fun.”

This year’s title sponsor for the event was the Cemex Lyons cement plant, which riders passed along their routes. Cemex erected a sign for the cyclists on Colo. 66 that read “We’re Glad You’re Here.”

“The cycling community is so strong here, and so passionate, and they run directly by our facility on a daily basis,” said Michael Clausen, corporate social responsibility manager at the Lyons plant. “It’s a natural fit for us.”

Cassiopeia, another local sponsor, is a female-forward cycling apparel boutique in Boulder.

“I love what this event is doing for women in the sport,” said Diana Freeman, founder of Cassiopeia. “Our missions are aligned.”

Cyclist Sarah Roman has ridden in several Venus de Miles events, but this was her first time experiencing it in Lyons. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the ride was based in the Prospect neighborhood of Longmont.“It’s a nice community of riders that look out for each other and stop when somebody needs help,” Roman said. “I made lots of new friends today.”

Sarah Diamond, a first-time event participant from Louisville, did the 30-mile course.

She said she was inspired by her colleague, a 60-year-old breast cancer survivor, who also did the 30-mile ride.

“Everyone’s just really lovely and cheering each other on,” Diamond said. “It’s been really cool.”