The organizers of the Tour of America's Dairyland have announced their tentative schedule for this year's race series. If forward progression continues on our battle against the pandemic, we may see bike racing on historic Brady Street and, instead of Wauwatosa's long-held North Avenue spot, within the Tosa Village.
"Hope springs eternal and we are locked into welcoming as many (people) as possible back here for racing this year," states an email from organizers sent to subscribers, "IF we can provide a safe environment in which to do so!"
The schedule has not been finalized, but here is a glimpse on how the schedule is shaping up:
- Wednesday, June 16 – Muskego Park
- Thursday, June 17 – Janesville
- Friday, June 18 – East Troy
- Saturday, June 19 – Grafton - Where it all started
- Sunday, June 20 – TBA
- Monday, June 21 – Manitowoc
- Tuesday, June 22 – TBA
- Wednesday, June 23 – TBA
- Thursday, June 24 – Brady Street
- Friday, June 25 – Shorewood
- Saturday, June 26 – Downer Avenue
- Sunday, June 27 – Wauwatosa Village
Notably absent is Bay View's night race, which, upon its debut, immediately rose to the top as one of my favorites, with its electric atmosphere and high quality event management. The race in Kenosha is also out.
"The reception thus far from them is mostly positive, but there has been some fallout," organizers noted on their site, "While we know Kenosha and Bay View will not be a part of the 2021 calendar, we have some incredibly exciting new ones ready to step up!"
Fortunately it seems every time a favorite disappears, its replacement more than handily rises to the occasion. And with the return of the Manitowoc race, last seen in 2009, there is hope that these beloved courses are not gone for good. (Bring back Port Washington!)
Waukesha and West Bend are currently missing from the schedule as well, but the schedule still has holes to fill before everything is finalized.
As for the new courses, both Brady Street and the Tosa Village should provide a beautiful, historic backdrop and a decent amount of elevation undulation and an assortment of corner turns to capture the imagination of spectators and riders alike.
Race registration has not yet opened, but if you're interested, you can sign up for alerts to stay updated.
Jason McDowell grew up in central Iowa and moved to Milwaukee in 2000 to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
In 2006 he began working with OnMilwaukee as an advertising designer, but has since taken on a variety of rolls as the Creative Director, tackling all kinds of design problems, from digital to print, advertising to branding, icons to programming.
In 2016 he picked up the 414 Digital Star of the Year award.
Most other times he can be found racing bicycles, playing board games, or petting dogs.
