October 1, 2015. Louisville, KY. – Time to get into gear, registration for the PNC Tour de Lou – the Kentucky Derby Festival’s annual cycling event – is now open at KDF.org.  Set for Sunday, May 1, 2016, this will be the third year for the cycling event.  PNC returns as the title sponsor.

“PNC’s support of the Kentucky Derby Festival Tour de Lou will showcase Louisville with a cycling event that captures an incredible adventure of our city and parks, but most precious of all, a shared human experience during the most exciting two weeks in our community,” said Charles P. Denny, PNC regional president of Greater Louisville and Tennessee. PNC is a longtime friend of the Festival and has partnered on other events including Discovery Day at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, the Marathon/miniMarathon Team Challenge, as well as the Pegasus Parade.

KDF is partnering with Louisville Bicycle Club to produce the 2016 PNC Tour de Lou. The route will again be an open course, which will start and finish at Waterfront Park near Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  There are separate distances based on experience levels:

• 20 miles – Beginner/New to cycling (Open course, no streets closed.)
• 35 miles – Moderate/Experienced (Open course, no streets closed.)

The course includes a scenic Olmsted Parks Tour showcasing Shawnee, Chickasaw, Wayside, Iroquois and Cherokee parks.  Cyclists will also travel through neighborhoods around the city from Downtown along Main Street and Waterfront Park, to Portland, Algonquin and South Louisville; as well as Old Louisville, NULU, the Highlands and Butchertown.

“The PNC Tour de Lou continues to grow, attracting cyclists from 19 states in 2015,” said Mike Berry, KDF President & CEO. “Holding this event in a bike-friendly city like Louisville only adds to its potential to become one of our signature attractions every spring.”

Early registration is $35 from October 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015.  The next price point is $45 from January 1, 2016 – April 24, 2016.  A portion of the registration fee also benefits the Louisville Bicycle Club.  For more information, visit www.kdf.org or call (502) 584-FEST.

Sponsor: PNC. Contributing Sponsors:  Baptist Health Sports Medicine, Louisville Marriott Downtown, Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling.  Supporting Sponsors:  Louisville Bicycle Club and Louisville Water Company. Media Sponsors: 102.3 The Max and The Courier-Journal.

Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.