Today was Transportation Alternatives' Battle for the Fastest Commute! where a bike rider, subway rider, and cab rider are pitted against each other to see who can get to a destination fastest. This year, the race started at 8:25AM at Fix Cafe on North 11th Street and Bedford in Williamsburg and ended at Bellevue Hospital at East 26th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan.

And results? Lucie Olewinski, the bicyclist, was the fastest, making it to Bellevue in 15 minutes. Subway rider Philip Pond made it there in 19 minutes while it took cab rider James Vincente 23 minutes. Olewinski's win is not surprising, but we're stunned that Pond was able to get to the finish line so fast - he must have caught a flier at the Bedford L. Interestingly, Hopstop says it would take 27 minutes by subway and walking while Google Maps says it would take 14 minutes by car.

Olewinski, a nurse practitioner who commutes to her night shifts at Bellevue by bike, told TA her "victory proves to would-be bike commuters that getting to work by bike is fast and easy" and also encourages others to "take advantage of the good summer weather and give bike commuting a spin." There are currently over 120,000 people who commute by bike - here are some maps for cycling in the city.

It's Bike Month in NYC - there are tons of events still! And here are results from Transportation Alternatives' commuter races in 2006 and 2005.