Tour de Nez Returns to Downtown Reno

Tour de Nez bicycle racing in Reno, Nevada.
Photo © Stan White

After running its 2008 Reno events at the Grand Sierra Resort, the Tour de Nez returns to the streets of downtown Reno in 2009. The 17th Annual Tour de Nez arrives in Reno on Wednesday, June 17, with a free 5 p.m. kick-off party at Amendment 21 Grill & Sports Bar, 425 S. Virginia Street. The outdoor bash will feature deals on beer and food, and a showing of the bicycle film Pee Wee Herman's Great Adventure.

On the afternoon of Friday, June 19, Tour de Nez riders will converge on Wingfield Park for a series of races on a course laid out along downtown Reno streets. Pro men, women, and masters will be competing in the Reno Circuit Race. The U.S. Handcycling Federation Criterium National Championship will run one of their three Tour de Nez races (the other two are in Truckee and Northstar-at-Tahoe). There will also be the Biggest Little Kids, Messengers, and Classic Clunker bicycle races. Look for gear, food, and drink vendors around Wingfield Park during the events, including a Green Expo featuring an assortment of gear, green products, and green non-profits displaying the latest in green technology, renewable energy, and fair trade products. At the end of the day, the bicycle film Breaking Away will play at the Wingfield Park Amphitheater.

Be sure to check the Tour de Nez schedule of events before heading out to the races.

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