Children in second through eighth grades will have the opportunity to participate in the Tour of Missouri event on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Immediately following the start of the actual tour by the professional bike riders at 1 p.m. on that Saturday, the students will be able to “Ride the Route,” a 1.5-mile trip from the start at the courthouse down Washington Street to the YMCA and then back up Locust Street to the start at Locust and Jackson streets.
Students will be starting where the professionals start and riding down the first part of the professional route to be cheered by an expected 15,000 fans, said Ed Douglas, Ride the Route coordinator.
“We believe this is a great opportunity for your student to see the start of the race and then participate in the event in a meaningful way,” Douglas said.
The first 200 riders who complete the necessary participation form and return it to the school receive a T-shirt commemorating the event. Students will receive the shirts at the event and will be asked to wear them during the ride. Already, 124 students have registered.
Students in second grade must be accompanied by an adult, Douglas said. Additionally, all bike riders, including adults, must wear helmets.
Details: Students should arrive by 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, near the intersection of Elm and Jackson streets. Participants may drive up east Jackson to Elm street to drop off their students and their bikes. The staging area for the students will be between Elm and Locust on Jackson Street. This will allow the students to watch the start of the race and then start as a group following the professional riders. The expected start time for the students is 1:10 p.m.
Parents are welcome to bring a bike and ride with their children. ..........
