Cyclists gear up for tour of Valley

By John Bassetti | June 12, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Tour of the Valley

When: July 10 (morning) — time trial in Berlin Center/Ellsworth Township. July 10 (afternoon) — Criterium in Canfield (Village Green) July 11 — Road race in Columbiana (33 mile course/66 miles for pros) July 12 — Criterium, one-mile loop downtown

The Prize: Total purse of $12,500

Entry information

Entry fee: $110 or $35 per race/$20 time trial.

Registration: Truesport.com

The four-stage event will take place at select venues over the July 10-12 weekend.

By John Bassetti

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s not Napa Valley, but it’ll have to do.

The inaugural Tour of the Valley — a three-day cycling event scheduled to take place in Columbiana, Canfield and Ellsworth Township as well as downtown— got into high gear Thursday with a press conference on Federal Plaza.

The beauty of the four-part Tour from July 10-12 will be its eclectic use of surrounding areas.

“This brings cities and townships together for one major event instead of competing against each other,” said Phil Moore of the Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The first day includes a morning time trial in Berlin Center and Ellsworth Township starting and finishing at Mastropietro Winery.

“Picture the scenery around there,” Moore said. “It’s Mahoning County’s only winery that has its own vineyard and grows its own grapes.

“Spectators can bring their own food or drink, sit roadside and watch riders speed by,” Moore said of the time trials.

In the afternoon, a race around Canfield’s historic Village Green will take place.

“It’s short-course, very fast, tight corners and very exciting,” Moore said.

The meat of the event is a road race on Saturday through rolling hills in Columbiana.

Downtown Youngstown comes into the picture on Sunday with a race over a one-mile loop.

In addition to the cycling, activities at Youngstown State University that weekend will enhance the Tour experience and capitalize on the populace.

“Some of best events of the summer are clustered together,” Moore said of the weekend’s buzz at numerous venues.

Carbon Racing of Greenford is the impetus for the event.

“They travel around the country, competing in these races in other cities. They have the expertise and knowledge to organize and stage such events,” Moore said.

“We [CVB] just jumped on as cheerleaders and helped raise the funding to get it started. This shows the power of the young population in the Valley and what they’re into. It’s exciting to get them involved in events.”

More than 300 riders and teams of pro and elite amateur riders are expected.

“These are serious bicycle racers,” Moore said.

Dan and Erin Quinlan are founders of Carbon Racing.

“We wanted a race, but we didn’t know how to bring in funding and sponsors and additional support,” Dan Quinlan said. “They [CVB] were the piece to the puzzle that we needed to make this event happen.”

Quinlan has a vision.

“When we look at Youngstown and try to re-create it, we look at what brings people and wants to make them stay here. We’re trying to build events like this and the kind of culture that goes with it.

Quinlan described cycling as a sort of Velcro for the Valley.

“Once they [youth] get involved, they want to stick to it and stay locally. If they had any kind of sporting event or activity, it may keep people in the area,” Quinlan said of developing a demographic toward resurrecting the Valley.

“That’s how to attract the young and educated to stay,” Quinlan said. “If YSU students had an activity like cycling to get involved in, they might be more inclined to stay around with friends.”

bassetti@vindy.com