36th: El Tour de Tucson

36th: El Tour de Tucson

Kianna Montano, Beat Investigator-ELL/Foreign

El Tour de Tucson is one the largest road bicycling events in the United States. Hundreds of people from other states or countries travel to Tucson to be a part of our big event. The “El Tour de Tucson” was started in 1983 by Richard DeBernardis. The ride around Tucson takes places every year in November.

Tucsonans are used to large amounts of traffic, but this weekend almost all roads were closed because of Tucson’s Annual El Tour de Tucson. There were 4, 525 riders and most riders finished four competitive races; 100 miles, 75 miles, 50 miles, and 25 miles. Some riders also took place to be part of the 1/4, 1-4, and 10-mile “fun rides.”

90 members from Pascua Yaqui Tribe participated for #TourDeTucson to spread awareness for diabetes, and only 1 tribal member competed in every distance. Native American people are more likely to get diabetes than any other racial group in the United States, Central for Disease Control and Prevention stated.

David Salomon was El Tour de Tucson’s 2018 winner. His unofficial time was 3 hours and 56 minutes. He is from Cuidad Obrengon, Sonora, Mexico.

Closed roads from last weekend:

  • South 6th Avenue from Broadway to East 22nd Street

    El Tour de Tucson 2018; Winner
  • South 4th Avenue from East 15th Street to East Broadway
  • Broadway eastbound from 4th Avenue to Aviation Highway, bus lane
  • East Irvington eastbound from South Houghton to East Old Spanish Trail
  •  Way
  • East Escalante Road from South Houghton eastbound to East Old Spanish Trail
  • South Houghton southbound from East Coyote Willow Trail to East Mary Ann ClevelandEast Mary Ann Cleveland Way/Colossal Cave Road/Pistol Hill eastbound from South Houghton to Old Spanish Trail
  • North Sabino Canyon Road northbound from North Kolb to East Tanque Verde
  • North Silverbell Road from West Ina to Sunset Roads