More than 600 Cyclists Take Part in the Inaugural Tour de Scottsdale

67-mile cycling event spanned five Phoenix-area cities, benefited local organizations

More than 600 cyclists from around the country participated in the inaugural Tour de Scottsdale - Building Trails, Building Families cycling event on Oct. 17. The 67-mile race, which started and ended on Market Street at DC Ranch in north Scottsdale, spanned five cities, including Scottsdale, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Carefree and Fountain Hills.

"With the exquisite McDowell Mountains as the backdrop and a pristine open desert setting, we were pleased to introduce cycling enthusiasts to this new course that we enjoy as our backyard year round," said Melinda Gulick, town manager of DC Ranch.

Awards were presented to the top three overall female and male cyclists. Fountain Hills resident Clayton Peck, 35, finished the race first with a time of 3 hours and 15 seconds. Other top male finishers included Brian Marcucci of Phoenix and Tom Archer of Scottsdale. Jane Meneely of Phoenix took first place for women racers after clocking in at 3 hours, 1 minute and 20 seconds. She was followed closely by Heidi Clayton of Phoenix and Lynn Koffman of Mesa.

Event proceeds benefited the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust, a nonprofit organization committed to preserving the McDowell Mountains and the Sonoran Desert, and Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit organization that helps low income, disabled and elderly homeowners through home renovation and repair. Each organization received $5,000.

The Tour de Scottsdale was presented by DC Ranch, a premier golf and residential community in north Scottsdale; USA Cycling; event producers DCB Extreme Adventures and the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. Event sponsors included the City of Scottsdale, Arizona Parks and Recreation, National City Mortgage, U.S. Bank, Lund Cadillac and The Four Seasons Resort.