The fourth annual Tour of the Catskills is all set to start this weekend (August 5th-7th) as part of the Great American Cycling Series. With almost 800 entries, from 24 states, across all categories, the event is the biggest Pro/Am stage race in the United States. The event is made up of three stages around the Catskill Mountains of Green and Ulster counties in upstate New York, and “captures the essence of the history, culture, and scenery of the Catskill Mountains.”
The race will consist of a 12 mile (~19.3km) time trial in Hunter, NY on Friday, a 65 mile (~105km) road race on Saturday and a 59.8 mile (~96km) road race on Sunday; Pro/1/2 category men will ride longer road race courses of 96 miles (~154km) and 91.4 miles (~147km). The Catskills is also considered one of the toughest events in the US, thanks to the inclusion of the Devil’s Kitchen climb – which featured in the Tour de Trump in the 1990’s – in the 2010 edition.
The 2010 men’s event was won by French rider Aurelien Passeron, who recently finished fourth in the Pais-Corrèze stage race. Headlining the pro/1/2 race will be April’s Tour of the Battenkill champion New Zealander Brett Tivers (Garneau‐Club Chaussures‐Norton Rose), whose main competition is likely to come from US Elite Road Champion Max Korus, leading a strong Bikereg.com-Cannondale team.
2010 winner Kristen Gohr Farm leads the women’s peloton at the head of a Farm Team Elite Women’s Cycling team that also includes Jenny Ives. The big challenge should come from multiple Canadian champion Susan Palmer-Komar of P-K Express.
As well as the Tours of Battenkill and the Catskills, the Great American Cycling Series includes the Tour of Washtenaw, the Tour of Vail, and the Tour of the Adirondacks.