Tour of America’s Dairyland Plans Summer Races
Series drops Bay View, adds Brady Street. But final decision depends on state of pandemic
The 2019 Tour of America’s Dairyland Downer Classic. Photo from TOAD.
While many festivals are being postponed or canceled for the second straight year, Wisconsin’s premier bicycle racing series hopes to pull off its late June event.
The 12th annual Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD) is scheduled to run from June 17 through the 27th. Sponsored by Kwik Trip, the multi-day, outdoor series features daily races ranging from amateurs to professional men’s and women’s races. A new, kickoff race for junior racers only will occur in Muskego Park on June 16th.
“Everything depends on the cities we race in and their willingness to provide permits,” said ToAD executive director Bill Koch. So far that’s eight cities.
But pulling off the races also depends on the status of the virus and vaccination effort. Koch said his group will be closely monitoring things.
The announced locations include a number of returning races, including the signature Otto Wenz Cafe Hollander Downer Classic on Milwaukee’s East Side and a race in suburban Shorewood. But there are also new locations on tap.
Brady Street will make its first appearance in the series, effectively replacing a Bay View race. The latter lost its host after the Kinnickinnic Avenue Business Improvement District was dissolved.
The Wauwatosa race, long the closing location for the series, will be in a new location in 2021. The race is being moved to the irregular street grid of the Wauwatosa Village, instead of a hilly rectangle centered on W. North Ave.
The 2021 series will no doubt be impacted by the pandemic should it happen. But if you can’t wait and want to ride yourself, ToAD is hosting its last virtual race series this weekend (March 6th and 7th). Racers will compete, virtually, on the Manitowoc and Wausatoa Village courses.
The 2020 event was canceled. The 2021 event will not be delayed. If it cannot be held in June it, too, would be canceled.
Proposed 2021 Schedule
- June 16: Muskego Park (Juniors only)
- June 17: Janesville
- June 18: East Troy
- June 19: Grafton
- June 20: To Be Announced (TBA)
- June 21: Manitowoc
- June 22: TBA
- June 23: TBA
- June 24: Brady Street
- June 25: Shorewood
- June 26: Downer Avenue
- June 27: Wauwatosa
