America’s Largest Road Cycling Competition Races Into Milwaukee
Professional racers, a community hour for kids and a whole lot of fun await.
Sam Schneider at front of the field at the 2024 Centraal Bay View Classic in the Tour of America’s Dairyland. (Photo by Jeramey Jannene)
The fast-paced Tour of America’s Dairyland bicycle racing series returns to Milwaukee this week. The 11-day series features fan-friendly racing, culminating each evening in professional riders hitting speeds of approximately 35 miles per hour on short loops on city streets.
Each stop in the series is a party in and of itself, with food and beer vendors, a community hour to get out onto the course, and a professional announcer to keep first-timers and superfans alike plugged into the action.
The series formally enters Milwaukee on Thursday with the Centraal Bay View Classic and returns again on Saturday with the Café Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic. Many of the other days take place in nearby suburbs, including Shorewood and Wauwatosa.
Bicyclists compete in timed races, completing lap after lap on city streets. An announcer keeps the crowd informed on what’s happening, with pace cars and video display boards also tracking the races. Action picks up not just at the end of the race to determine the winner, but also in single-lap sprints (primes) with cash prizes.
The accompanying street festivals allow spectators to lean on the course walls and cheer on the racers, or sit back in a chair and enjoy a snack and beverage.
All of the races are free to attend, with larger crowds forming later in the day for the professional races. The action concludes around 8 p.m. each day, with racers recovering at host families’ homes.
A community hour is held each day, allowing children to give it their all, even if that includes training wheels, or adults to ride at their leisure. The Downer Avenue and Shorewood races also include the Dairyland Mile, a one-mile sprint for runners.
Daily events begin with amateur riders and progress to 75-minute women’s and men’s pro races. Check the schedule to make sure you’re catching the event you want to see, and monitor the action on Instagram.
If you’re watching the Downer or Shorewood races, pay attention to the extra races in 2026. ToAD is hosting the USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships. The five-day event starts on the final two days of ToAD before moving to Columbus and Fall River. A race for men age 75 and older at 1:50 p.m. on Saturday is sure to inspire all in attendance to maintain their fitness for decades to come.
More information, including a full schedule for each day, is available on the Tour of America’s Dairyland website.
Remaining Races
- June 23 — Wilo USA Cedar Creek Classic
- June 24 — Tour of Hartland
- June 25 — Centraal Bay View Classic
- June 26 — Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic
- June 27 — Café Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic
- June 28 — Café Hollander Tosa Village Classic
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