Tour de Blount
About this race
The Tour de Blount was started by three cyclists back in 1991. They loved cycling and knew that the Blount County area was one of the best areas to ride. This was well before the day of organized bike rides, triathlons and road races. The TdB was to be the first bike ride in the area. The Tour de Blount quickly caught on and it became a popular event among cyclists, in part because Blount County and its rural back roads, ever-changing terrain and beautiful scenery is considered one of the best places to ride in the country.
The Foothill Striders Club is now responsible for hosting the TdB each year. The Striders are a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community service and healthy lifestyles through hiking, biking and running. The proceeds from the Tour de Blount go to support two scholarships for area high school students and to promote health and wellness in Blount County.
For 2023 the Tour de Blount will have three routes 25, 50 and 75. For most of its 31 year history the ride’s start/finish location was at Heritage High School. For a four-year period, it was moved to downtown Maryville, but returned to Heritage High School in 2016 and in 2017, in 2018 we moved to the Townsend Visitors Center where we had planned on the ride starting again in 2020, well, we know how that ended. For our return in 2023 we partnered with Mountain Challenge at Maryville College to host our event and will once again be there for our 32nd ride in 2026! The in-town start will provide us with 3 routes to meet the interest levels of all participants. In addition, a post-ride meal will be provided. Riders will be able to rehash the highs and lows of the rides while enjoying a meal and a great outdoor atmosphere. This is sure to be a great time with old and new friends!
Who can you bring with you to explore Blount County?
The Tour de Blount brings an exciting 40.2K, Ultra to Maryville, Tennessee on May 18, 2019. Don't miss this beautiful event!
Pick your distance
Cycling
18/25 Mile (Shortest Fastest Route *distance subject to change*)
Race shirts were guaranteed to those who registered before May 6. At this point, you will only be able to select shirt sizes from what is available in inventory. There may be shirts available for post ride on TdB day. The 25 mile route is our shortest, flattest route, which makes it perfect for the beginner rider or those short on time. Riders have the option of beginning this out and back route on Highway 321 or on a more leisurely pace down the Townsend Greenway. Riders will have the option of turning around and returning after they have reached the rest stop or continuing on past to the popular Coulter's Bridge then turning around and heading back. Routes can be found at: https://www.strava.com/routes/18734505
42 Miles (Rolling Hills and Fast Descents *distance subject to change*)
The 42 mile riders head off in a different direction than the other 3 routes. It’s full of country roads (and a busy one you must cross – be careful!) and beautiful scenery. Don’t be deceived by the short mileage – its full of rolling hills and fast descents. You’ll enjoy the view of the mountains and farmland on this route! Route details can be found at: https://www.strava.com/routes/18735415
54 Miles (Intermediate, Lots of Short Hills and Few Flats -*distance subject to change*)
Race shirts were guaranteed to those who registered before May 6. At this point, you will only be able to select shirt sizes from what is available in inventory. There may be shirts available for post ride on TdB day. The 54 mile route comes in as our intermediate route and consists of a lot of short hills with a few flats appearing at times. This route takes us deeper into the county for a tour with vistas of the mountains and then into some gentle roads through farmland. Route can be found at: https://www.strava.com/routes/18736543
78 Miles (The Wall Challenge *distance subject to change*)
Race shirts were guaranteed to those who registered before May 6. At this point, you will only be able to select shirt sizes from what is available in inventory. There may be shirts available for post ride on TdB day. The 78 mile route is literally the pinnacle and high point of the Tour de Blount and is the most advanced route. We affectionately call it “The Wall Route” and it includes our “Conquer the Wall” challenge. “The Wall” is a 6 mile climb on Montvale Road which takes riders up the Western Side of the Foothills Parkway. The climb allows riders to measure themselves as the road climbs and becomes a 13-14% climb during the last 1.5 mile. Riders will be greeted by bell-ringers, photographers, and a well-deserved rest stop at the top. In 2015, the TdB initiated the “Climb the Wall” challenge with the King and Queen of the Mountain being awarded to the first male and female rider to reach the top of “The Wall”. Crowning of King and Queen will be done based on who reaches top of mountain first. There will not be timing chips used, it will be first one to the top is the first one "crowned" the King/Queen. Route can be found at: https://www.strava.com/routes/18737809
Weather Overview
These values reflect historical conditions on the race dates in Maryville in 2019, from Open-Meteo archive data.
About Maryville
Tour de Blount takes place in Maryville, Tennessee, United States. The local timezone is America/New_York.
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Race information has been sourced from the event's official website and other publicly available resources. For the most up-to-date details, please refer to the official website directly. If you notice any incorrect or missing information, don't hesitate to reach out to us by email.
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