El Tour de Tucson 2008 Race Report
One Great Ride: El Tour de Tucson is one of the largest bicycling events in the world. Here’s a recap of the 2008 event
by Kari Redfield
On Nov. 22, the University Medical Center 26th El Tour de Tucson presented by Diamond Ventures brought out tens of thousands of people to ride, volunteer and cheer. This annual event offers four road distances, plus other options: 109 miles, 80 miles, 67 miles, 33 miles. Other options are the LeMond Fitness Indoor El Tour and the Tucson Medical Center Kids Fun Ride.
It was an exciting atmosphere at the start/finish area and throughout the entire week of the ride. The UMC El Tour Super Week featured a three-day Bike, Fitness & Health EXPO at the Tucson Convention Center with Sanofi-Aventis Orientation Meetings, as well as the Dedication Dinner, the Rusing & Lopez 13th annual El Tour Golf Classic and the LeMond Fitness 8-day Indoor El Tour program. The ride brought out many elite cyclists and thousands of recreational riders. Total number of ride participants for all distances and the other options was 8,636.
Seven first-place winners of the El Tour de Tucson from past years rode: David Milne (won in 1983, 1984, 1985); Jame Carney (1998, 1999, 2000); Robbie Ventura (2001, 2002); Phil Zajicek (2003); Curtis Gunn (2005); Michael “JR” Grabinger (2006); and Carlos Hernandez (2007).
And some of the top pro women in the United States lined up at the start, including: Erica Allar, Mari Holden, Robin Farina and Jennifer Weinbrecht.
In addition to providing a spectacular venue for cyclists, El Tour raises funds for Tu Nidito Children & Family Services, the American Parkinson Disease Association, Water For People, Ben’s Bells Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Diamond Children’s Medical Center, other Perimeter Bicycling charities and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This year, the event raised more than $262,000 for local charities, and 452 cyclists from 17 states raised $1 million as part of Team in Training. The total was more than $1.26 million dollars going to charities. Go to perimeterbicycling.com for links to each of the charities’ websites to learn more.
In the 109-mile ride, the Mexican National Team of David Salomon, Carlos Hernandez and Eduardo Lugo took first, second and third place, finishing in 4:20:35, with their fourth teammate, Jose Valdez, coming in with the chase group four minutes later.
Cat 1 cyclist Eric Marcotte of Scottsdale, who races for Bicycle Haus, took fifth place, with a time of 4:25:22. This was his first El Tour de Tucson. “My main goal was to get going and move up front as soon as possible.” He broke a spoke about 12 miles into the race, and one of his teammates gave up a wheel to him.
Marcotte caught back up to the group and tried to recover. “I was 30th coming out of the wash with the lead group 15 to 22 seconds in front of me. A couple of guys and I worked together back to the lead group of 10 to 15.”
From there, people begin attacking, says JR Grabinger, a professional cyclist from Flagstaff, who races for Successful Living Pro Cycling Team. This is his third year as a pro. He rides the American National Racing Calendar and some of the Pro UCI U.S. Calendar for a total of 75 to 100 days of a racing a year. Grabinger is a previous El Tour first-place finisher who was 10th in this year’s event.
Finally, three of the Mexican National team riders went off the front and were able to open up a gap. “This year, I think that the front group was too disorganized to chase down the breakaway,” Grabinger says.
Erica Allar was the first woman to cross the finish line, coming in a ripping fast 4:38:02, averaging 23.4 miles per hour. Allar took first in the 2008 El Tour de Phoenix. In 2008, she rode for Aaron’s Professional Women’s Cycling Team. Because Aaron’s team dissolved at the end of the season, Allar will race for Colavita/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team in 2009.
“All the top women were riding in the same group,” Allar says. “After the second wash, three other women caught the three in the lead, and everyone was together for second half of the ride. That was cool. It was more exciting.”
Spring Clegg came out of the wash as the first woman and ended up finishing third, behind Allar by 2 seconds. Clegg is active duty military and earned the Military Female Award. She was the first active duty military woman to cross the 109-mile finish line. Primarily a mountain biker who went pro this year, Clegg rode as a Cat 2 woman pro road racer this year. “It was my first time doing the Tour. I loved it. I think I am hooked.”
El Tour By the Numbers
1,600: Number of riders who lined up in the Gold area.
8,611: Total participants.
166: Cross Country Automotive Bike Patrol members.
375: Participants in the TMC Kids & Family Fun Ride.
8,004: Participants in the University Medical Center El Tour de Tucson presented by Diamond Ventures.
4,497: Riders who registered for the entire 109 miles.
$1.26 million: Amount of money raised for the event’s charities.
2,750: Number of volunteers.
28,081: Number of spectators lining the course.
$50 - $70 million: Amount estimated to be brought to the Tucson area during the course of the year, including $20 - $30 million on ride weekend alone.