What to know about road closures, courses for the 2023 Tour of America's Dairyland in the Milwaukee area
The Tour of America's Dairyland cycling series returns for the 14th edition in June, bringing cycling events all over southeastern Wisconsin over 11 days.
Five of these events will hit the Milwaukee area the week and weekend of June 24. Here's what you need to know about the events, the schedules, the road closures and courses.
What is the Tour of America's Dairyland?
The Tour of American's Dairyland is an 11-day cycling race series in Wisconsin that visits a new municipality each day. There are races from Janesville and East Troy to Manitowoc and De Pere. The 2023 event runs from June 15-25. Amateur, professional and youth cyclists are able to participate in the various races throughout the day at each event.
The races are criterium, or crit, format. This means races are held on a short, roughly one-mile looped course. The short race on city streets provides an exciting event as racers pack together, making tight turns together. The format can be the most laps in a set time or a set number of laps. There can also be individual and team events.
What is the schedule for Tour of America's Dairlyand?
Janesville Town Square Gran Prix, June 15
East Troy Cycling Classic, June 16
Giro d'Grafton, June 17
Manitowoc Maritime Bay Classic, June 18
Tour De Pere, June 19
West Allis Cheese Classic, June 20
Mount Pleasant Momentum, June 21
Bay View Classic, June 22
Shorewood Criterium Classic, June 23
Otto Wenz Downer Classic, June 24
Tosa Village Classic, June 25
Are the events free to spectate?
Yes.
West Allis Cheese Wheel Classic
Date: Tuesday, June 20
Run Time: The first race kicks off around 11:30 a.m. The final race starts at 7 p.m.
The course: The roughly 0.85-mile course makes a backwards L-shape. Starting on Becher Street on the south border of the course, the race turns right on 71st Street and then right again on Rogers Street. Racers will then make a left on 69th Street before turning right on Burnham Street and immediately right 68th Street back to Becher. The course, along with some roads leading up to the course, will be blocked off from traffic. You can find the map and more info here.
Road closures: The official route and all roads within will be closed to through traffic. Some roads leading toward the course may be blocked off for about a block or so.
Bay View Classic
Date: Thursday, June 22
Run Time: The first race kicks off around 11 a.m. The final race starts at 7 p.m. Races will run at all times in between.
The course: Racers start the roughly 0.85-mile course at the intersection of Kinnickinnic and Lincoln avenues. The race heads toward downtown and then turns right at Zillman Park onto Ward Street and then a quick right onto Allis Street. The route then takes racers left on Lincoln Avenue toward the lake and swinging back to Kinnickinnic with a right on Woodward Street and then another right on Linus Street. You can find an official map and more info here.
Road Closures: The official route and all roads within will be closed to through traffic. Some roads leading toward the course may be blocked off for about a block or so.
Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic
Date: Friday, June 23
Run Time: Roads close from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. The first race starts at 11 a.m. The final event starts at 7 p.m. Races will run at all times in between.
The course: Racers will cover a one-mile route in the Shorewood neighborhood. The course is essentially a square with Oakland Avenue on the western border, Maryland Avenue to the east, Marion Street to the south and Kensington Boulevard to the north. You can find a complete map and more info here.
Road closures: Roads around the course will be closed from 8 a.m. until around 11 p.m. There will be no parking on the course. Barricades will also be set up on some roads leading to the course. Residents who live within the center of the course will have access to enter and exit at the intersection of Lake Bluff Boulevard and Maryland Avenue.
Otto Wenz Downer Classic
Date: Saturday, June 24
Run Time: The first race starts at 11 a.m. The last race starts at 7 p.m. Races will run at all times in between.
The course: The roughly 0.85-mile race course is a trapezoid that runs up Downer Avenue from Bradford Avenue before turning right on Park Place and then right again on Lake Avenue back to Bradford Avenue. You can find a map and more info here. The route and likely the a few streets around the course will be closed to vehicle traffic.
Road closures: The official route and all roads within will be closed to through traffic. Some roads leading toward the course may be blocked off for about a block or so.
Tosa Village Classic
Date: Sunday, June 25
Run Time: The first race goes off at 12:30 p.m. The final race starts at 7 p.m. Races will run at all times in between.
The course: The nearly one-mile course starts on State Street in downtown Wauwatosa. The race then makes a U-shape turnaround using Underwood, Harmonee and Wauawatosa avenues before heading onto Blanchard Street. The race then turns right on 72nd Street before to right on State Street. The route and likely the a few streets around the course will be closed to vehicle traffic. You can find the map and more info here.
Road closures: The official route and all roads within will be closed to through traffic. Some roads leading toward the course may be blocked off for about a block or so.
Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tour of America's Dairyland 2023 road closures, Milwaukee area courses
