Bike World News

The Tour of America’s Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, an omnium bicycle race across 11 Southeastern Wisconsin cities, will include a Women’s 3/4 category, in addition to the Pro Women 1/2 category, in this year’s daily race schedule, promoter Midwest Cycling Series has announced.

Cat 3/4 Women will have the opportunity to race in 10 consecutive days on this year’s 11-day Tour, which runs June 17-27 and will features nine criteriums (lap races) and two road races for professional and amateur cyclists.

“We listened to the passionate feedback we received after the ’09 Tour of America’s Dairyland from women cyclists who said they wanted more opportunities to race” said Bill Koch of Midwest Cycling Series.  “Basically, they said, ‘if you build it, we will come!’ so we’re looking forward to some exciting women’s racing of varying levels out there this year.”

The addition of the Women’s Cat 3/4 category will enable less experienced female riders the opportunity to compete against racers of a shared experience level for cash prizes and primes (incentives) before ten of thousands of spectators on the same courses as the Pros.  In the Wisconsin area, the Tour promoter will work with advocates of women’s cycling along with local bike shops to schedule women-only clinics this Spring to engage women in racing.

Added Koch, “Presenting sponsor Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has been a proponent of women’s cycling for years, and together with them, we remain committed to supporting women in the sport of cycling and giving as many women possible a chance to compete in an environment that is welcoming, rewarding and non-intimidating.”

Opening day of the 2010 Tour of America’s Dairyland will be celebrated minutes from Downtown Milwaukee in the village of Shorewood, Wis, near the shores of Lakes Michigan.  The Shorewood Criterium schedule will feature Men’s and Women’s Pro races only, along with a kids event.  Other Wisconsin communities hosting criteriums in the second year of the Tour include Thiensville, Grafton, Appleton, Sheboygan, Waterloo, Fond du Lac, Downer Avenue on Milwaukee’s Eastside, and Waukesha.  Greenbush and Elkhart Lake will be home to road races, the latter of which will be held on the historic Road America racetrack.  Across the 11 days, Tour of America’s Dairyland will award over $105,000 in cash prizes and primes to racers of multiple categories.

The high energy of the bicycle racing will be complemented in most communities by family-friendly activities, entertainment, a Sports Expo benefiting Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC), plenty of food and drink from local vendors, and much more.

Endorsed and supported by the Wisconsin Cycling Association and United States Cycling Federation, Tour of America’s Dairyland will have updates posted on www.TourofAmericasDairyland.com

Related Posts:

• Tour of America’s Dairyland returns for 2010 (1)
• Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Renews Presenting Sponsorship of Tour of America’s Dairyland Pro Cycling Event (3)
• Tour of America’s Dairyland to Feature Nine Days of Pro Women’s Racing (1)
• Tour of America’s Dairyland Opens Registration; Grafton Race Part of USA Crits Series (0)
• Registration open for Tour of America’s Dairyland (0)