Courtesy of Downer Avenue BID
On Thursday, the Historic Downer Avenue Business Improvement District announced the 43rd year of Downer Avenue bike races, slated to take place on Saturday, June 24. The famed Café Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic bike race continues to be one of the most eagerly awaited stages of the nation's largest cycling event, the Kwik Trip Tour of America’s Dairyland.
The Downer Classic, celebrated as the 9th day of the 11-day statewide tour, will witness the participation of 500 cyclists from all across the globe. These competitors will vie for prizes and primes, accelerating to impressive speeds of up to 35 mph. The course begins and ends on North Downer Avenue, with cyclists pushing their limits on city streets and spectators lining the several-block route. Races will begin at 11:05 a.m., with the final race starting at 7 p.m. For the first time in its history, the Café Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic will also include a one-mile running race, the Dairyland Mile. This race, hosted by Infinity Running, is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
There’s races for the whole family, with the Sendik’s Tween Kids Race for ages 10-12, and the Bel Air Little Kids Race for ages 2-9, will offer a bike decoration station, courtesy of Lake Park Dental and Untethered. Kids are reminded to bring their helmets to the event. Culver’s and Corner Bakery will reward young participants with cookies and ice cream at a station located in front of Sendik’s.
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Café Hollander will be offering food and drinks all day on Hackett Avenue as part of the festivities. Other Downer Avenue merchants will also be serving delicious food, drinks and offering sale items in their storefronts along the race course. The Downer Classic remains steeped in tradition, with this year’s event continuing to bring family excitement.
