Lake Nona will take another step toward becoming one of the healthiest communities in America Sunday, February 28 as it plays host to the fifth annual Tour de Cure - the American Diabetes Association’s signature cycling event. Tour organizers anticipate more than 1,200 cyclists to participate in the festivities, raising in the neighborhood of $250,000 to support the mission of the ADA.

Designed with families, novice and avid cyclists in mind, the Tour de Cure will feature several course lengths and difficulty levels ranging from the 10 mile Family Fun course to the flagship 101 mile route stretching from the UCF Medical School Campus at the heart of the medical city in Lake Nona to  Avalon Park and back. The Tour also offers a 30 and 60 mile course for veteran cyclists as well.

“The main goals of the event are to help raise funds to change the future of diabetes and help stop this devastating disease,” says Cesar Cesareo, coordinator for the Tour de Cure event. “We want folks of all ages and skill levels to come out and enjoy a day of cycling for a great cause above all else.” This will be the first year the event will be held in East Orlando, as previous incarnations of the event were held in Clermont. “We’re excited for the longer courses with the beautifully scenic back roads that offer a fairly flat terrain and the famous head winds of that side of town that will offer a workout challenge for the most athletic cyclists out there,” he says.

The decision to move the Tour de Cure to Lake Nona was a natural one, according to Cesareo. “Lake Nona is striving to become America’s healthiest community which falls right in line with the mission of the ADA: to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all those people affected by diabetes,” he says.

With the new location, the event is presented with the opportunity for improved routes, ample room to grow and an additional family-friendly shorter route, something leisurely cyclists have been calling for. “With these changes the Tour de Cure will continue to cement its reputation as one of the premier cycling events in the Central Florida area,” says Cesareo.

Each of the event’s four courses will be fully supported with rest stops, food, water and a team of volunteers to assist with any medical or mechanical needs. The 10 and 30 mile courses will be completely closed off to traffic for safety purposes. As for the 60 and 101 mile courses, protection remains a top priority for organizers and cyclists there as well, with all of the recent news about bike and highway safety. “Our longer routes will feature a 15 mile police escort…and law enforcement at major intersections to ensure the safety of our riders,” says Cesareo. Rest stops on the longer courses will be placed roughly every 10-18 miles to ensure that no cyclist is left behind.

Cyclists will also be treated to special perks to start and finish their day of cycling for a worthy cause. “We offer our riders breakfast, lunch, massages, live bands, various entertainment and plenty of prizes,” says Cesareo. “Top fundraisers will receive additional special attention including served lunch, no line massages and special ‘Thank You’ gifts to reflect the fact that they went the extra mile, literally, in their fundraising efforts.”

Past riders have been keen to note that the event always has a unique way of making the riders feel special, from the professionalism exhibited by volunteers to the band that plays well on into the afternoon after the courses have seen their last cyclist cross the finish line.

Cesareo says: “Whether you’re an avid cyclist or you’re just looking for a leisure ride for fun, the Tour de Cure has something to offer everyone who wants to participate in this great event for a great cause.”

Article by Corey Gehrold