Almost 13,000 cyclists bravely fought the strong winds and heavy rain in Toronto on Sunday for the opportunity to ride up and down the Don Valley Parkway.

The car-free affair has turned into a custom in Toronto.

The yearly Ride for Heart fundraiser is in its 23rd year and has been able to raise an estimated $3.3 million for the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation.

With 13,000 riders, this is the foremost time that the event had been totally sold out, according to people that organized the event.

The ride closed a part of the Gardiner Expressway and a majority of the DVP for 12 hours from 2 a. m. until 2 p. m. on Sunday.

Motorists in Toronto had been cautioned concerning the plan of other routes because the highways were kept closed.