Tour of Walla Walla

[KQ]

April 12, 13, 14

This is the 21st year of what has become a Spring Classic in the road racing schedule. Four stages – three days of exciting racing in the beautiful Walla Walla Valley.

http://tofww.racedaywebsites.com/

Check out their FB page too:

https://www.facebook.com/TofWW/

[KQ]

Curious is anyone is planning on doing the tour. Registration deadline is April 8.

If You Go

Tour of Walla Walla schedule, Friday, April 12-Sunday, April 14:

Friday: Wilson Hollow Time Trial (this out-and-back course starts with a short kicker), and Waitsburg Road Race with its famous hilltop finish (excluding Men/Women Cat 4/5).

Saturday downtown Criterium: Flanked by historic buildings (seven corners made up of right- and left-hand turns) and an enthusiastic and cheering crowd.

Sunday: Kellogg Hollow Road Race (no hiding on these roads).

As always, the Men Pro 1-2 will have a protected rolling enclosure for both road races.

Information provided from the Tour of Walla Walla website.







Tour of Walla Walla to kick off state cycling circuit

Cyclists race along Main Street, Walla Walla during the 2018 Tour of Walla Walla bike races. 4-2018 Lehman Photo

Tour of Walla Walla becomes the kickoff to a larger statewide cycling circuit when competitors take to the roads this month.

The bicycle stage race April 12-14 is the first leg of the inaugural Tour of Washington.

The race here will be followed by Tour de Bloom in Wenatchee, May 3-5, and the Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race in Enumclaw, May 18-19.

The circuit encompasses 11 stages in three races to ultimately crown one champion.

It’s a major change from previous years and one organizers with Allegro Cyclery and Visit Walla Walla believe will bring more attention and participation in the road race.

A partnership with Rotary Club of Walla Walla for the second year also bolsters the event. Rotary will serve as a partner and fiscal agent. The service organization will supply volunteers for the event, including as course marshals. Tour of Walla Walla will provide fundraising opportunities for Rotary, too.

Among them: a new Tour of Walla Walla Spaghetti Feed.

On the first night of the cycling competition, Rotary will put on a carb-centered recharging meal of pasta, salad, bread and dessert. The dinner runs 6-9 p.m. at the First Congregational Church. Tickets for the dinner are available when event participants pick up their race packets, the club announced. The cost is $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids 10 and younger.

Proceeds from the event and the dinner will be used to help fund Rotary’s humanitarian projects locally and globally, the announcement said. That includes high school scholarships, contributions to the Blue Mountain Action Council Food Bank, playground equipment and shelter for disaster victims.

Tour of Walla Walla enters its 22nd year. A break in 2017 attributed to weather, a downturn in road racing and decreasing participation in the race, gave organizers an opportunity to regroup and bring it back with more support.

The partnerships with Rotary and Visit Walla Walla are doing that, said race coordinator Michael Austin of Allegro Cyclery.

He said more than 300 riders are expected for the event, which includes courses on Walla Walla’s country roads and a Saturday criterium amid the historic buildings.

“That’s the one people love or hate,” Austin quipped.

With road closures downtown for that portion of the race Saturday, the event affects access to parking and local businesses. Austin, who has operated businesses downtown since the mid-1970s, says he’s empathetic to the frustrations but also believes the event can be good for downtown, too.

Part of the benefit in partnering with Visit Walla Walla, CEO Ron Williams added, is the focus the designated marketing organization can put on connecting participants to local businesses.

“The major demographic for the race is 35-55 years old,” Williams said. “We get the young riders, but we also get the riders traveling with their families.”

The web hosting work provided through Visit can help showcase things to see and do for family members and people traveling with riders during their down time.

It’s an aspect, Williams said, for which Allegro hasn’t previously had the reach for as coordinators focused more on the race portions.

“Tour of Walla Walla has been quietly operating in the background,” Williams said. “Now with Rotary and Visit, we can take it to another level.”

Sponsorship opportunities at levels between $250 and $2,500 remain for the event. Those interested can contact Jan Corn, Rotary president-elect, at impresssalon@gmail.com. Register for the bike race at ubne.ws/2FX8Lau. Deadline is April 8.

[jamal]

I have been meaning to come out for this one but this isn't the year. Only have about 2.5 weeks of real riding in my legs right now and am not quite ready to race. Although this early in the year I never am and neither are most other people.

[KQ]

I have been meaning to come out for this one but this isn't the year. Only have about 2.5 weeks of real riding in my legs right now and am not quite ready to race. Although this early in the year I never am and neither are most other people.

So you're saying the field would be leveled given that everyone in the same shape?

[MakersTeleMark]

KQ: I was at a lamb cookoff yesterday with 40+ high end restaurants competing for the prize. This year they really stepped it up with the wine tents. Holy crap, the stuff coming out of WW was absolutely mind blowing. I was having owners of small appellations in France going over to WW tents comparing Pinot's. That stuff is amazing. And I've traveled all around the world for wine.

Mind blown.

[KQ]

KQ: I was at a lamb cookoff yesterday with 40+ high end restaurants competing for the prize. This year they really stepped it up with the wine tents. Holy crap, the stuff coming out of WW was absolutely mind blowing. I was having owners of small appellations in France going over to WW tents comparing Pinot's. That stuff is amazing. And I've traveled all around the world for wine.

Mind blown.

I think what you were tasting came from the Oregon portion of the greater Walla Walla Valley. That AVA is called "The Rocks." Washington wineries do make Pinot but more often than not they are sourcing fruit from vineyards in Oregon. That said there are some vineyards on the lower slopes of the Washington Blues and Washington’s Wahluke Slope grows a small amount of Pinot Noir.

The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA





Controversies
The AVA, unlike the Walla Walla Valley AVA, and the Walla Walla Valley itself, lies entirely within the state of Oregon. This has implications for use of the appellation on wines produced in Oregon and Washington. Because Federal rules require wines to be fully finished in the state in which the AVA lies,[12][13] only a handful of Oregon wineries,[14][c] out of the more than 100 wineries in both states in the Walla Walla Valley,[16] would be permitted to use the appellation on their product.[d] At the same time, Oregon wineries as far away as Portland could use the appellation.[e] This has caused some, labeled "prominent dissenters" by Wine Spectator's Harvey Steiman, to oppose the AVA.[5] Other reactions were less pointed with wine publishers using terms like "a bit of controversy"[11] and "the location...creates some nuances".[15] One of the same publishers said a "sub-appellation was ... inevitable given the uniqueness of the soils and resulting wines".[15]

[plugboots]

WW doesn’t have any drinkable Pinot, and that includes the rocks district.

[MakersTeleMark]

WW doesn’t have any drinkable Pinot, and that includes the rocks district.

I had to go back to my notes, and you are indeed correct. What I was enjoying was Estate Ferguson from L'Ecole which is over 200' higher then the rocks, and is in Oregon. The pinot was Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru 2016.

[plugboots]

There are indeed some great Bordeaux blends from in and around WW. Even the cheap stuff from L’Ecole is a great value. Were there any Willamette Valley (OR), Pinots at the cook off?

[KQ]

WW doesn’t have any drinkable Pinot, and that includes the rocks district.

Yup. No reason to drink Washington Pinot when 1) the Willamette Valley is amazing and 2) Walla Walla grows so many other varietals that are incredible.

I used to be a YUGE Pinot fan until I moved here. Now I'm so used to the bigger, fuller wines that come out of W2 that drinking a Pinot is like drinking a rosé. NTTIATWWT.

[MakersTeleMark]

There are indeed some great Bordeaux blends from in and around WW. Even the cheap stuff from L’Ecole is a great value. Were there any Willamette Valley (OR), Pinots at the cook off?

I'm not sure. I was a bit overwhelmed keeping track.

Yup. No reason to drink Washington Pinot when 1) the Willamette Valley is amazing and 2) Walla Walla grows so many other varietals that are incredible.

I used to be a YUGE Pinot fan until I moved here. Now I'm so used to the bigger, fuller wines that come out of W2 that drinking a Pinot is like drinking a rosé. NTTIATWWT.

I tried 6 different rose's. Not afraid to admit that I love rose, all day. Heeeyy!

[KQ]

And the race is on!

https://www.facebook.com/NightLifeWa...9843577099172/

[KQ]

One of our own took part in this race and while he said the weather could have been better he thought the race was well organized and a great ride.

Here is some footage from the race:


https://www.facebook.com/20243975978...8099969555491/


In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the Tour of Walla Walla! These racers braved some uncomfortable weather and still performed.

Thanks again to Allegro Cyclery Columbia REA Visit Walla Walla and Walla Walla Noon Rotary Club

[G. Gordon Liddy]

Tour of Walla Walla (TR of sorts)
Wet and cold were the themes of the weekend. But, that being said, if you're a road dork this is an amazing 3 day event you have to try some day.

Day One: 7 Mile TT - 3.5 miles up and 3.5 miles down. Just put my heart rate at near maximum and went as hard as I fucking could.
Day One - Part 2 - Road Race - Rain and wind slowed this one down a bit. A break got away early, and we couldn't quite shut it down. Just happy this one was over since the early rain just made the roads wet and me freezing. Tried to sprint for a few bonus seconds, but I missed a shift and blew up.
Went out to Cross Buck Brewing for multiple pints after a steak and wine dinner at home. (Charles Smith's Broncho was fucking delish if anybody cares!!) Drank too much, but had fun. We may not have won our divisions, but I'm damn sure we out drank the other nerds out there.

Day Two: 60 minute Criterium - KQ can verify that some of the roads in down town aren't exactly smooth as butter. It's always a little sketchy in the pack, but once the rain came with 20 minutes I just went to the back and played defense as I was sure these nut jobs were going to crash. By some miracle no crash and we all finished in the pack. Again, cold and wet. Watched the last race from another brewery and then hit up Cross Buck for fried chicken sandwiches which I highly recommend.

Day Three - Hardest day on a bike in my life. 63 miles. Shit load of climbing. A Canadian team went the front five miles into the race and with a massive tail wind blew the race to pieces. What started as a 60 man peloton shattered to only 9 up front and a chase group of 10. Most others just quit after the first lap. I made the front 9 and hung on for dear life almost getting dropped more than once. I finished the day in 7th and got 7th overall in the GC standings. I'll take it since I didn't exactly get a ton of training time since i was too busy skiing the most snow we've ever had in Sun Valley in February!!

[KQ]

Tour of Walla Walla (TR of sorts)
Wet and cold were the themes of the weekend. But, that being said, if you're a road dork this is an amazing 3 day event you have to try some day.

KQ can verify that some of the roads in down town aren't exactly smooth as butter.

Great TR! Again, bummer about the weather. April is usually nice around here.

Yes, roads in DT aren't the best but the powers that be have been working to correct that as best they can. Small town... limited resources. However, we did just get a government (state) grant for a road project so there's hope. LOL!