The Five Boro Bike Tour has done away with towering pyrotechnics at the starting line for this year’s ride, out of respect for the Boston Marathon victims.
“We felt it was unfortunately reminiscent of the bomb attacks in Boston,” said tour CEO Ken Podziba. “We got calls and e-mails about it, and we agreed 100 percent. It was out of respect for the tragedy. It was the right thing to do.”
The annual event will go on as scheduled May 5.
In previous years, the giant sparklers spewed flames into the air for an hour at Church and White streets in TriBeCa.
Podziba yesterday said his group, which organizes the 34-year-old cycling event, has also asked the MTA to pull its subway, bus and commuter-rail ads and street-pole banners that feature last year’s photo of two smokestack-like columns spewing fireworks among a crush of riders.
He said the organization’s event program will be redone.
Some 32,000 cyclists are scheduled to make the 40-mile trek, which starts in downtown Manhattan and ends on Staten Island.
“At this time of sadness and uncertainty, we want to assure riders, volunteers and spectators of the upcoming TD Five Boro Tour that we are working closely with our partners in New York City government to ensure the tour will be a safe and an enjoyable experience for everyone,” Podziba said.