THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2008
Annual Tour Of Elk Grove Features 100 Miles Of Cycling
One of Elk Grove Village's largest and most high profile events is just weeks away.
The Tour of Elk Grove bike race will wheel through the village, and now surrounding communities as well.
Last year over 1,000 riders took part in races as between 25,000 and 30,000 people looked on.
This year's ridership is expected to be on pace with previous years for the races that offer one of the largest overall purses in the sport with $170,000 in total prize money and $28,000 to the top racer.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said the race has reaching effects far after the last racer packs up their bike and goes home.
Johnson said, "We look at this thing as a chance to tout the business park and it puts us in a different light than to be always fighting O'Hare (Airport) expansion."
The race is growing this year, for the first time crossing out of Elk Grove Village's borders.
The road race next month will be 100 miles and will wind its way primarily through Elk Grove Village and Schaumberg but also through Itasca, Roselle and Wood Dale.
Several racers who participated in cycling's premiere event, the Tour de France, and who qualified for the Olympics are expected as are racers from 20 countries including Australia and New Zealand and racers from Europe and Africa gear up.
One team having difficulty getting to Elk Grove Village is the team Ghana in Africa.
Johnson said they are having difficulty with their passports and visas as the United States has Ghana on a terrorism watch list.
According to Johnson, the team is expected to have another interview with U.S. officials next week.
The race is for the pros, but there are events for many amateur levels. The race has five levels Johnson compared to minor baseball leagues.
Pro riders are like the major leagues, said Johnson; Elite One is like AAA ball, Elite Two is like AA ball and so on. Racing has categories from one to five.
Amateur racers will be able to pit their times against the pros as the race will offer limited spots for officially clocked amateur time trials.
Even little kids will be able to get in on the racing action with their own Big Wheel race.
Also new this year is a "jumbotron" television near the stands for fans to watch the road race.
A portion of the proceeds from the Mayor's Challenge and amateur time trials will fund the Soldier Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Heart of a Marine Foundation, a group that provides assistance to veterans.
On Friday and Saturday nights block parties will be held featuring the bands Underwater People on Friday and The Hat Guys on Saturday.
Johnson said sponsors, registrations and other fees generally cover most of the costs for the Tour. Additionally a 1% hotel and motel tax covers any shortfall not paid by the village.
The tour is broadcast by Comcast locally, nationally and internationally.