Melissa Gasia
Staff Writer
Community members hopped onto their bikes for the 10th annual Tour de Foothills Saturday at the Claremont Village.
The event was open to cyclists of all skill levels and consisted of 33, 62, 72 and 100 mile routes.
“People love cycling,” said Andi Chavarin, event coordinator assistant. “It is a good way to get out there. They always come out and the event sure gets bigger and bigger.”
The 72 and 100 mile routes covered the Glendora Mountain Road, which included an 8.2 mile climb up into the San Gabriel Mountains.
Cyclists who took this route had the option to buy a timing chip to compete for the GMR challenge for fastest time to climb the hill.
One hundred nine cyclists accepted the GMR challenge and 96 made it to the finish line.
Multiple rest stops offered cyclists refreshments and reinflated flat tires.
Families and friends waited at the finish line and some brought their own banners to show their support.
Upland resident and Tour de Foothills cyclist Marcos Zelada finished the 33-mile route in 2 hours and 15 minutes and was one of the first cyclists to cross the finish line.
“I didn’t expect to come in top three, but I did,” Zelada said. “I’m really proud of it, so it felt good.”
Every participant got a free beer and a free lunch, and all those who finished the route received a medal.
“They changed the course up this year, so it’s a better course,” Tour de Foothills cyclist Glenn Wells said. “It was a quite a challenge – few hills in it but it was good. We rode as a group and had a good time.”
Vendors sold bikes and sports attire, Cacique handed out yogurt smoothies and Massage Envy’s staff gave massages.
Tour de Brews took place from noon to 5 p.m. in front of the Claremont Depot. The event featured beer and wine tasting, and live music.
The majority of the cyclists went there after their bike ride to celebrate.
“We have a lot of riders who are really into beer tasting and wine tasting, so we thought it would be really cool,” Chavarin said. “You can sign up for it and try a bunch of beers right after you’re done cycling.”
At 4 p.m. there was a recognition ceremony for the top three fastest timed cyclists who joined the GMR challenge. All winners received a medal and a cash prize.
Gregory Goodwine and Charlene Yarnall each won first place and took home $1,000 a piece. Goodwine took 35 minutes and one second to do the 8.2 mile climb while Yarnall took 46 minutes and 53 seconds to do it.
The cycling event began in 2005 with only 265 riders. Over the years, it has grown to include more than 1,000 participants.
All proceeds from the event went to the Cycling Connection’s Christmas Bike Giveaway for needy children and the Bahati Foundation.
Melissa Gasia can be reached at melissa.gasia@laverne.edu.
