"Bicycle racing in the United States is one of the fastest-growing sports around", says Phil Moore, Executive Director of the Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Next month, hundreds of professional and elite amateur cyclists will race through Mahoning and Columbiana Counties. In the first-ever "Tour of the Valley."
17 races, four different stages, over three days. Spinning through Berlin Township, Canfield, Columbiana and Youngstown. With a $12,500 purse in total cash prizes to bring in the pros.
"We have teams and or riders from as far away as New York, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, Indiana, all over the midwest", says Moore.
Local team, Carbon Racing, travels to more than 40 of these tours every year, so they helped the Convention & Visitors Bureau start a race closer to home.
"And we are going to be probably the largest event in the state this year, of this type", says Dan Quinlan, Vice President of Carbon Racing.
Organizers have set up courses so the bikers will buzz right past all the local restaurants and businesses. Moore says,
"A chance for people to sit around, have something to eat and drink, and watch the race."
But remember these racers are professionals -- not your average bikers out for a ride in the park.
"It's going to be fast, furious fast, some of the races with the pro one-two guys, really, really amazing, they take corners ten and 12 bikes wide, going through some of these corners at 30 miles-an-hour", says Samantha House, a rider on the Carbon Racing Team.
"High speeds, lots of action, everybody's along the sides of the barriers cheering", adds Quinlan.
And organizers hope the Tour of the Valley will grow to be a yearly event. Filling hotels, restaurants, and streets with cyclists and bike-lovers of all ages every summer.
