32nd ANNUAL SANTA FE CENTURY TO TAKE PLACE
MAY 20 & MAY 21, 2017
New in 2017 – a Celebration and Pageant of Vintage Bikes
Santa Fe, NM, April 7, 2017 – The 32nd annual Santa Fe Century will take place May 20 & May 21, 2017 in Santa Fe New Mexico and will feature for the first time a Vintage Bike Pageant and Celebration. The Century is partnering with Classical Bicycles of New Mexico – an informal group of bicycle collectors and vintage bike enthusiasts – in spotlighting vintage or historic bikes built circa 1987 or earlier.
Jeff Della Penna, a member of Classical Bicycles of New Mexico, explains that the motivation for celebrating vintage bikes at the Santa Fe Century was to harken back to the Golden Age of road bicycles. Many of the vintage bicycles participating this year will be the same type of multi-speed bicycles that were ridden at the very first Santa Fe Century in 1985. “Vintage bike events are becoming more and more popular around the world,” Della Penna said. “The biggest event, held in Italy, draws over 6,000 riders…all riding vintage bicycles built in 1987, or older. Vintage bikes are all about the joy of the ride, not how fast you go. Riders dress in period clothing, to correspond with their bicycle’s vintage, and savior the ride as opposed to rush or race through it.”
The vintage bikes also known in Italian as “Bici Eroiche” will be the focus of a special pageant or “Concours d’Elegance” on Saturday afternoon, May 20th during registration and packet pick up for the Century rides. Registration will take place in the parking lot of the Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center at the corner of St. Michael’s Drive and Hospital Drive. The pageant will be an opportunity to see these vintage bikes up close and meet the owners. All bicycles displayed in the “Concours d’Elegance” will receive a commemorative medal. Any vintage biker owner who registers for a ride at the Century will receive a special number plate that can be displayed on their bicycle’s frame, designating that bicycle as vintage. Riders and spectators should keep their eye out for these special bicycles riding on Sunday, May 21st.
Speaking on behalf of the Century’s board of directors, president Tony Alarid said, “The vintage bike pageant is exactly the kind of exciting event that the board of directors wanted to add to the Santa Fe Century weekend. We are excited to see the bikes that we all rode many years ago.”
All riders of vintage bike should be at Christus St. Vincent Medical Center by 5 pm on Saturday to participate in the pageant. In order to be a part of in the Concours de’ Elegance, all owners of vintage bicycles must sign up for either the Century, Half Century, 20-mile rides or the timed Gran Fondo (100-mile) or Medio Fondo (50-mile) races that take place the following day, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Riders of vintage bikes are encouraged to dress in period style clothing – although ASTM approved helmets are mandatory for all riders.
The Century ride and Gran Fondo follow the ancient Turquoise Trail through the historic mining towns of Madrid and Golden, over the mineral rich Ortiz and San Pedro Mountains, across the rolling Estancia Valley, past the traditional villages of Cedar Grove, Stanley and Galisteo and return to scenic Santa Fe. The Half Century and Medio Fondo also follow the Turquoise Trail but turn off before reaching Madrid, following County Road 42 to the village of Galisteo. From there the ride follows the same Century route back to Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe Century is the first major cycling event in the spring in the Southwest and is open to riders of all ages and abilities. The weather in May is moderate and provides an opportunity to shed winter gear for warmer riding in Santa Fe. The Century features a police escort through the city of Santa Fe and six well-stocked food stops manned by volunteers who return year after year. All rides finish back at the Christus St. Vincent Medical Center parking lot where participants can celebrate their accomplishments with a massage as well as award-winning BBQ, local micro-brewed beers and live music at the Celebration Corral. Age-category winners of the Gran and Medio Fondos will receive medals and the overall winners will receive cash awards.
For more information about the rides, discounted hotel rates as well as early discounted registration fees, please visit www.santafecentury.com.
About the Santa Fe Century
The mission of the Santa Fe Century, a nonprofit organization, is to get people interested in cycling and to have fun doing it. The focus of the Century event is to provide low cost rides featuring beautiful scenery and a variety of rider services, including excellent food stops. While proceeds from the Century are not used to support other nonprofits, over its 32-year history the organization has donated funds and bicycles to many local bike programs and organizations.
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