2024 Tour de Madison

DESCRIPTION.  The 36th annual Tour de Madison (TDM) will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, May 18.  The tour offers a 65-mile metric century (with about 3,750 feet of climbing and four rest stops), a 45-mile route, and a 22-mile family ride.  The WAB group will ride the metric century route, but you may detour onto the shorter route when the 65- and 45-mile routes diverge.  The metric century route will feature four rest stops and SAG support.

REGISTRATION.  You must register twice: (1) on the WAB website AND (2) on the TDM website, https://tourdemadison.com.  TDM registration opened on Jan. 1.  The fee is $45 through May 3, and $60 from May 4-12.  Registration closes at midnight, May 12.  There is no day-of-ride registration.  To register for the WAB group ride, go to WAB’s website at https://www.wabonline.org/ .  Click on Calendar.  Look for the May 18th Tour de Madison event.  Click on it.  The resulting page will describe the ride in detail.  Click on the blue “+ BOOK THIS EVENT!” link.  Fill in the registration form, agree to the liability release, and confirm your booking.  You will receive a confirmation e-mail at the address you provided.  If you are not a member of the Williamsburg Area Bicyclists (WAB), you are still welcome to ride with us (but will not be covered by the club insurance). 

DATE & TIME.  Saturday, May 18.  We will start the metric century ride at 8:00 a.m. sharp (even though you may start riding as early as 7:30 a.m.)

STARTING LOCATION & ROUTE.  The ride starts at Hoover Ridge Park, 1-199 Primary School Dr., Madison, VA 22727.  From Madison, drive south on Fairground Road (VA Rte. 687).  Turn left onto Primary School Dr.  In 0.1 mile, turn left onto Hoover Ridge. Continue 0.1 mile to the Park.  The RideWithGPS route is 2024 Tour de Madison Metric Century (65.5).

WAB GROUP RIDE.  The WAB Calendar will list a B+ pace, but given the hills, the expected average pace will be around 15.5-16.5 mph.  B, B+, and A- cyclists are encouraged to start the ride together.  Different pace groups can split up as the ride progresses.  Please wear a WAB jersey so we look like a team.

STAYING OVERNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT.  It is a 2.25- to 2.5-hour drive from Williamsburg to Madison.  If you want to drive the morning of the ride, that’s an awfully early start.  Last year, WAB members stayed in Culpeper the night before the ride; in the morning, they had a 20- to 25-minute drive from Culpeper to Madison.  You are encouraged to stay Friday night in Culpeper (17 miles north of Madison) because the University of Virginia’s graduation ceremonies will also be held on May 18.  Therefore, it will be virtually impossible to book a hotel room within a 30-mile radius of Charlottesville for Friday night, May 17.  Several members have booked rooms at the Baymont by Wyndham in Culpeper.  Last year, many WAB members stayed at the Microtel Inn & Suites.

FRIDAY EVENING DINNER.  Join your fellow WAB members for a group dinner on Friday evening in Culpeper.  In early May, the ride leader will provide information on the dinner’s location and time.

CAVEAT.  There is always a possibility that adverse weather or wet pavement could result in cancelation of the official WAB ride.  The ride leader would do so with as much lead time as possible, but your investment in the nonrefundable registration fee and your hotel registration would then be in jeopardy.  You could cancel your hotel reservation (and lose the registration fee), or you could choose to ride despite the weather and water.

QUESTIONS.  The Tour de Madison’s website does a great job of describing the tour.  If you have questions about the WAB group ride, contact the ride leader, Ken McFarland, at kenmcfarland482@gmail.com or (724) 822-6485.