April 15, 2021. Louisville, KY. – The Kentucky Derby Festival’s annual cycling event – PNC Tour de Lou – rides through Louisville this Sunday, April 18. Now in its 8th year, the PNC Tour de Lou was created for cyclists of all experience levels. In 2021, participants were offered the opportunity to bike in-person this Sunday or participate virtually.
The Kentucky Derby Festival partners with the Louisville Bicycle Club to produce the event which features three separate distances that tour all areas of the city, from Downtown to the South End and Highlands. Cyclists will start and finish near Waterfront Park at 301 East Witherspoon Street and the corner of Floyd Street.
- 62.1 Mile Metric Century / Advanced Ride (Open course) – 8:00 AM Start
- 35 Mile Experienced Ride / Intermediate Ride (Open course) – 8:45 AM Start
- 20 Mile Ride / New to cycling (Open course) – 9:30 AM Start
The routes include an open course (no streets closed) with two lane or bike lanes provided for over 90% of the ride. Course highlights include a scenic Olmsted Park Tour showcasing Shawnee, Chickasaw, 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.
This year’s event will have some changes to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines including:
- Staggered start times, with increased time intervals in-between, to allow riders to socially distance
- Capped number of participants
- Increased amount of Refuel Stops to decrease number of participants at each
- Single serve nutrition and hydration
- Sanitation stations at Refuel Stops
For more information, visit KDF.org/TourdeLou or call 502) 584-FEST.
Sponsor: PNC. Official Medical Provider and Training Partner: UofL Health Sports Medicine. Contributing Sponsor: Scheller’s Fitness & Cycling. Media Sponsors: ALT 105.1 and 102.3 JACK FM. Supporting Sponsors: Louisville Bicycle Club and Louisville Water Company.A portion of the registration fee also benefits the Louisville Bicycle Club.
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.
