Tour of America’s Dairyland returns to East Troy Friday
The largest competitive cycling event in the United States, the Tour of America’s Dairyland, will make its seventh stop in East Troy on Friday, June 21.
The East Troy Cycling Classic begins at 11:35 a.m. with nearly nine hours of high-energy professional cycling around the East Troy Village Square and nearby streets.
“ToAD has differentiated itself by evolving into a community-wide festival that happens to have cycling throughout the day,” said Vanessa Lenz, Executive Director of the East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the event. “East Troy is day 2 on the 11-day race series and our schedule represents everything our local community has to offer.”
Spectators may watch the cyclists whiz by once every three minutes from anywhere on the racecourse, which will feature plenty of food, drink and entertainment. Admission is free.
“We are planning to add to the action with live music, food trucks & vendors, an ESPN radio broadcast, cabana parties and more. Many surrounding businesses will get in on the action with race day specials and bike themed items,” Lenz said.
The cycling classic will include two races that allow locals to get in on the action.
East Troy’s 5th annual Slow Ride Bike Race will feature riders competing to be the slowest without stopping. Last place comes in first. The winner gets $100 and there will also be a prize for best costume.
“The Tour de Square Kids Fun Races have been a favorite with nearly 200 children competing like the pros as they pedal their bikes fast and furiously toward the finish line,” Lenz said.
East Troy is only one of three hosts on the ToAD 2019 series to host handcycling – a form of adaptive cycling that enables athletes of all abilities to ride a “bike” exclusively using the upper body.
“It’s been praised for providing a newfound resilience and autonomy for these cyclists,” Lenz said.
The lowdown
The East Troy race start and finish will be on the east side of the square (2106 Church St.).
About 500 cyclists from around the country and abroad will ride laps around the half-mile course between 11:35 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. for timed races that range from 40 to 90 minutes.
The race will shut down streets on the course, but local businesses will remain open. Parking will be available in the Chester Byrnes lot, 2031 Division St., and a golf cart shuttle will be available.
The title sponsor for the East Troy Cycling Classic is the Dennis and Janice Klumb Family Foundation, which put up half of the bid fees to host the race. The East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce serves as the local host, with funding for the balance of the fees donated by other local and regional sponsors.
ToAD 2019, which marks its 11th year, runs Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 30 and features criterium-style races daily in different Wisconsin communities.
ToAD has become one of the most popular bike race series in the sport earning an outstanding reputation for delivering a world-class race experience for both participants and spectators.
In 2018, 1,009 unique riders from more than 42 states and 13 countries participated in ToAD with an average of 495 racing daily.
Overall an estimated 100,000 spectators attended races and other special race-day events in host communities.
“The East Troy Cycling Classic is a great time to celebrate the first day of summer and East Troy. It not only brings with it some of the top racers from around the world, as well as competitions for locals, but also puts the spotlight on our community, its residents and our businesses,” said Lenz.
Race day lineup
11:35 a.m. – Category 3/4/5 Women
12:25 p.m. – Category 4/5
1:15 p.m. – Category 3/4
2:15 p.m. – Category 2/3
3:15 p.m.-Masters 1/2/3
4:25 p.m. – Pro 1/2 Women
5:35 p.m. – Handcycle Races
6:10 p.m. – Slow Ride Bike Race
6:30 p.m. – Kids Race
7 p.m.-Pro Men 1/2
