TOUR de FAIR HAVEN

Jersey Shore's Annual Bicycle Racing Event
Not as prestigious and well-known as the Tour de France, nonetheless the Tour de Fair Haven is expected to draw 250+ bicycle racers from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York metro area. The event is sanctioned by USA Cycling and is organized by Christian Young, owner of Cycles54 in Wall and Michel Berger, Fair Haven resident, in partnership with the Borough of Fair Haven and the Fair Haven Business Association. Christian is a former National Champion, 2x Olympic Trials competitor, 10x NJ Champion, with over 100 career victories. Michel grew-up in Paris, France riding his city bike around town with his wife-to-be on the handle bar.

Safety first, closed course - no car traffic
Tour de Fair Haven consists of 4 races along the scenic Navesink River in a closed 4.5 mile course. Based on ability and experience, a rider is qualified for one of the 5 Categories. Entry level (weekend warriors) is Category 5 (or Cat 5) while top elite level is Cat 1 (averaging speed up to 30 mph!). Women and Juniors (under the age of 18) have the same Cat guidelines. Age is also a consideration; Masters 45+ for instance, is anyone above the age of 45 years old for a given race.

Understand the magic of bike racing
Tour de Fair Haven's first race will group Cat 4/5 (22 miles), followed by Masters 35+ (27 miles), Masters 45+ /All Women (27 miles) and the feature race PRO and Cat 1/2/3 (36 miles). The first race starts at 7AM from Fair Haven's Firehouse grounds. The last race will end around 11AM with kids races and beach cruiser cruz following immediately after. A veteran race announcer will help the novice understand the on-going race tactics and unlock the magic of bike racing. Fair Haven businesses will showcase their individual services and provide home-baked goods and refreshments for all during the event.

Things to look for
To stay competitive, bike racers log twenty hours of riding each week. Nothing screams dedication more than tan lines - wearing clothing in the same exact place on their body each time. Another clue, shaved legs. Crashes are common resulting in huge abrasions on the leg. The wound will heal much faster if there's no hair to hold in dirt and debris. Race bikes are very light and twitchy, accelerate quickly and effortlessly but what about the tire.... about as wide as a thumb. At 20 mph, the tire looks as wide as a pinky. At 40 mph, it looks like a strand of hair. After a while, you get used to it!

First time racers
Tour de Fair Haven is going to be a fast course. For the weekend warriors expect a challenge in keeping up with the main group. For first time racers, it is not uncommon having difficulty in doing so but performance improves with every race. After all, bike racing is not about "doing your best" or "setting personal records". Bike racing is about competing against (or at least keeping up with) the best!

For a good cause
Tour de Fair Haven is in memory of Kerrie Anne Guibord who was an avid, locally renowned cyclist who passed away this year, 5 years after receiving her ALS diagnosis; ALS has no known cause or cure. All proceeds of the event will be directed to Joan Dancy & PALS Foundation which is dedicated to improving quality of life for ALS patients in our community. The Tour de Fair Haven brings the ALS community, cycling community and nearby Jersey Shore communities together in a safe, educational and respectful environment.

For more information: 732.212.0800
www.tourdefairhaven.com
www.joandancyandpals.org