Detroit Cycling Championship returns to Detroit for third year
- Event hosted by Detroit Athletic Club Foundation
- July 13 event to draw about 500 participants
Hundreds of top cyclists from around the globe will speed through the streets of downtown Detroit next month for the Detroit Cycling Championship.
The third annual event, hosted by the Detroit Athletic Club Foundation and set for July 13, will draw about 500 participants, DAC Director Kristin Ritter said.
Participants will compete for $45,000 in cash prizes and primes, marketed as one of the top purses in the country, for the professional men's and women's races, according to a news release said.
The USA Cycling-sanctioned race draws some of the country's top women cyclists, including Dearborn native Emily Ehrlich.
A dozen races will take place on the route, which is just shy of a mile, starting on First Street and Grand River Avenue, near Beacon Park. The track goes down Grand River, then turns and goes down Third Avenue and onto Bagley Street.
Race fees are $25-$45, and kids ages 3-9 can participate in the kid's race for $5. There is no charge to attend as a spectator.
This year the DAC has added a few festivities to activate Beacon Park, including a cornhole tournament, soccer clinic for kids and a family fun zone sponsored by Meijer, as well as a HandleBar Detroit pedal push competition, Ritter said.
Strategic Staffing Solutions is working with the DAC Foundation and Detroit Cycling Championship to give away 100 bikes to children and their family members through the Fit Kids 360 Detroit program.
Top sponsors of the event are Chemical Bank, DTE Foundation, Ford Motor Co., Meijer and Strategic Staffing Solutions.
The event costs about $200,000 to organize and has about 300 volunteers, according to Ritter, who declined to disclose sponsorship dollars.
The DAC Cycling Club Race kicks off at 10 a.m. and the Women's and Men's Pro Category 1 & 2 races start at 4:10 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
For the event's schedule or to register, visit detroitcycling.com.
DISCOVER WHO WE ARE
WELCOME TO A UNIQUE EVENT
The third annual Detroit Cycling Championship is taking place on July 13, 2019. In its inaugural year, top cyclists from across the country raced throughout the heart of downtown Detroit to compete for the top prize. Following the 2017 race day, USA Cycling (USAC), the national governing body of bicycle racing in the United States, also took notice of the caliber of the event and provided a top A+ rating. In 2018, the Detroit Cycling Championship was part of the Pro Road Tour and will again be included on the tour in 2019.
MISSION
Our mission is focused on supporting local athletics and creating a unique event for Detroit.
CYCLING HISTORY
The DAC has a long history of involvement in cycling. Some of the first amateur races in Detroit were held in the 1890s at the original Woodward Avenue clubhouse.
ABOUT DETROIT
Discover more about the Motor City
PARKING
Making your race experience the best it can be.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Learn more about the race.
CYCLING AT THE DAC
The DAC has a long history of involvement with amateur cycling. Many of the first races held in Detroit took place at the original Clubhouse on Woodward Avenue.
Contact Information
Kristin Ritter | (313) 910-9868,