The Tour De Dungeness, Sequim’s premier annual bicycle racing event, was expected to kick off the first of two weekends of bicycling this weekend, its 23rd year.

However, race organizer Mike Van Doren said that the first Saturday of racing, March 14, has been canceled. Concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 cornoavirus led to a lack of available volunteers.

“We won’t know about the second weekend until another week or so goes by,” Van Doren said on March 11.

The tour was slated for two Saturdays — March 14 and March 21 — with an expected field of 400-450 riders from across the Puget Sound region and Eastern Washington.

Riders in multiple categories compete on a course that includes Lotzgesell, Cays, East Anderson, Sequim-Dungeness Way, Woodcock and Kitchen-Dick roads.

Races start at 9:45 a.m. each day.

If held, drivers can expect minor traffic delays are expected in the area through the afternoon as riders complete the 12-mile circuit. Parking for the event is the large field at the north end of Kitchen-Dick and Lotzgesell roads (enter at the southwest corner of the lot).

For more information, call Van Doren at 360-775-7796.