Thousands of cyclists will fill Southern Arizona roads Saturday for the 33rd Tucson Medical Center El Tour de Tucson presented by Casino del Sol Resorts.
The event will feature familiar and famous faces, none bigger than that of Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly. Giffords and Kelly will ride in the 40-mile event; Giffords has been training for months for the event, the longest ride she’s made since she was shot on Jan. 8, 2011. Elaine Mariolle, who won first place in the 1986 Race Across America, has been training Giffords for the past two months.
“We thought last year was absolutely incredible when she did the 11-mile,” said Richard DeBernardis, El Tour founder’s and president.
The ride, which includes distances of 104, 75, 55, 40, 11 and 5 miles and a quarter-mile “fun ride,” is Southern Arizona’s largest participatory sporting event. More than 7,000 riders from across the country are expected to compete for trophies in a dozen or so categories.
Giffords and Kelly will be wearing Nos. 1 and 2, DeBernardis said; the former congresswoman is expected to finish her ride sometime after 4 p.m.
El Tour’s 104-mile route starts and ends in Armory Park; in between, riders navigate streets in Tucson, Oro Valley and Marana.
The 40-mile race starts at Armory Park at 7 a.m., the 75-mile at Pima College’s East Campus at 8:30 a.m., the 55-mile at Swan and Fort Lowell at 10:30 a.m., the 40-mile at 2090 E. Innovation Park Drive and the 11-mile, 5-mile and quarter-mile races start at 8:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue and 13th Street.
Proceeds from the event will benefit charities throughout Southern Arizona; Easter Seals Blake Foundation is El Tour’s primary beneficiary.
Firefighter Brendan Lyons, who was struck by a car while training for El Tour in 2013, is again involved. Lyons, who started the “Look! Save a Life” organization, partnered with David Hazen to promote Hazen’s “Down For the Count” app at El Tour. The app rewards users with gift cards if they pledge to not use their phone while driving.
“My message for motorists, you never know who’s out there, whether it’s a firefighter, doctor, just look out for cyclists, at the end of the day, safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Lyons said.
El Tour de France winner Greg LeMond was supposed to ride but had to pull out because of illness.
“Greg loves this event and he would be here every year, but this year he got sick, so he offers his apology,” DeBernardis said.
However, 1984 Olympic silver medalist and actor Nelson Vails will ride in the 104-mile race.
Vails is the first African-American cyclist to win an Olympic medal; he also starred in the movie “Quicksilver.”
“I always wanted to do an event like this but I’ve always been racing and trying to be a movie star,” he said.
The former Bronx bike messenger said he has been friends with DeBernardis since 1983, when he won gold at the Pan American Games.
“I hope, just like our friend Greg LeMond, he keeps coming back every, every year,” DeBernardis said.
