Boston -Mont race coming to Boston

[beungood]

I read in yesterdays Boston Herald there is a Montreal to Boston Race (Tdf like) coming to Boston this summer. It said the finish is in Boston with a 90 mile segment. Anyone have any details?

[old_school]

First I heard of it, but here is the scoop from the Herald:

Cyclists to hit Hub for spin
By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa
Monday, February 12, 2007 - Updated: 02:59 AM EST

It was supposed to be hush-hush, but when has that stopped us? Word from Beacon Hill is that an international, 1,000-mile bike race - a la the Tour de France - is headed to Boston this summer.

Some 120 cyclists - 15 teams of eight riders - will start off from Montreal on Aug. 5, travel through Vermont and New Hampshire, and then finish up in Boston on Aug. 12.

While on the Boston leg, the cyclists will make a 90-mile loop through the city - actually, it will be a 9-mile loop that they’ll make 10 times - finishing up on Charles Street between the Common and Public Garden.

This bicycle buzz came out of a super-secret meeting at the Parkman House the other night attended by MayorTom Menino and his special events peeps; Rich Krezwick and Jonathan Paris of the Mass. Sports Partnership; Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas; Dr. Susan Lynch, the first lady of New Hampshire; assorted officials from Quebec and Montreal; and Boston Bruins [team stats] icon Ray Bourque.

Now, before you pose the obvious “Pour quois?” who better than the Quebec-bred Bourque - who continues to live in Boston even after fleeing to the Colorado Avalanche and retiring from NHL - to bring together both countries?

“Ray’s the real deal,” said Someone Who Was There.

The race, which won’t be just some sporty tourism stunt, will be sanctioned by United Cycling International, which is the sport’s governing body, and will feature top professional bike racers.

[davids]

...so it's true:

Wheels are in motion on new cycling event
By Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff | February 13, 2007

A touch of the Tour de France is coming to Boston this summer.

The inaugural Montreal-Boston Tour, a cycling race of roughly 1,200 kilometers (about 746 miles), will cross two countries and three states, ending in Boston Aug. 12.

The eight-stage race, which will begin in Montreal Aug. 5, was granted a 2.1 license by cycling's world governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale. That license sanctions the race for Tour de France-level riders and teams.

The first four stages will take place in Quebec. The fifth will go through Vermont, starting from the Jay Peak ski resort and ending at the Sugarbush ski resort in Warren. The sixth and seventh stages will take the riders through New Hampshire, where they will go from Franconia Notch State Park and through the cities of Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. The final stage of approximately 90 miles will take place on an urban circuit in Boston, with plans calling for the loop to begin and end at Boston Common.

Daniel Manibal, the race's president and managing director, said he wanted the last stage to evoke the Tour de France, which ends along the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

"The last stage, it highlights the city," said Manibal. "I wanted to have the feeling of the Champs-Elysees in Boston."

The new race falls between two major international cycling events: the Tour de France July 7-29 and the Vuelta Espana Sept. 1-23.

"I think that this new international event could become one of the best cycling events in the world," UCI president Pat McQuaid told cyclingnews.com.

Manibal would not commit to participants but said the new race would feature top international teams, with an emphasis on American riders.

Manibal added he would welcome the participation of Marblehead's Tyler Hamilton, who returned to stage-race cycling earlier this month after a two-year ban following a positive test for blood doping.

"We're going to do the utmost possible to have Tyler Hamilton," said Manibal. "Any day of week he can be our guest."

Manibal said that Bruins great Ray Bourque, who hails from the Montreal suburb of Saint-Laurent, would have a yet-to-be-determined role in promoting the race. Bourque's sports marketing agent, Cleon Daskalakis, said Bourque would be a natural fit.

"Ray is probably the best ambassador for something that comes from Montreal and goes to Boston," said Daskalakis. "He's probably the best role model for someone that's made that trip.

"He's an avid cyclist and he used to do a lot of his outdoor training on a bike."
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

Pretty amusing that the Herald's gossip columnists broke the story for them...

And there's got to be some more information here (http://www.montreal-boston-tour.com/)!

[Too Tall]

A downhill race? That is ridiculous.

[stevep]

this is a uci 2.1 7 day stage race.
pro teams only.
3 stages in canada
2 in vt
2 in nh
1 in boston, a circuit race in town.

if it goes as planned it will be a race along the lines and of the quality of the tour of georgia or tour of california.
pro teams plus nationals teams.
i will try to get my team in it as the top ranked team in the east... but we'll see...give the boys a spanking...humility is never a bad thing.
i understand milram, liquigas and some other euro teams are committed.
will be great to see another prime event. the promoter danial manibal has promoted the bug montreal races for years and is well known in promotional circles. good chace he will pull it off.
s

[old_school]

sweet

Steve, any idea what the Boston circuit route might look like?

[fstrthnu]

I wouldn't be so sure this race is actually going to happen.

Justin

[stevep]

sweet

Steve, any idea what the Boston circuit route might look like?

they have talked about around boston public garden and then it sounds to me like up and down storrow and memorial drive... w/ finish either at city hall or near the common.

as justin says. it will be clear as the date approaches. this is a very small time frame to pull off an event like this.
but the guy has pulled some rabbits out of a hat before..so you never know.

[fstrthnu]

they have talked about around boston public garden and then it sounds to me like up and down storrow and memorial drive... w/ finish either at city hall or near the common.

as justin says. it will be clear as the date approaches. this is a very small time frame to pull off an event like this.
but the guy has pulled some rabbits out of a hat before..so you never know.

Steve,

Did you hear this from a reliable source?. I know some one who works in Boston Administration and they tell me that the City of Boston will not approve the event (at least the stage in Boston). I hope they are wrong.

Justin

[stevep]

i heard this from daniel manibal,
may be preliminary...
well see.
boston will be a tough nut to crack although pelletier did it years ago w/ a crit around boston city hall.. never say never.

he also said that they cannot race across the us/ can border. have to drive
and that each stage must be held within a state. he cannot cross state lines on any stage because of state police approvals required.

[fstrthnu]

Man... I am really crossing my fingers. One of the stages is supposed to finish in Nashua, my home town!!!

Justin

[old_school]

Mumbles has no problem shutting down the city every time the Pats, the Sox, or the tooth fairy wants to hold a parade ...

It certainly would lead the way towards breaking the stigma of being one of the nation's least bicycle friendly cities.

[Bruce K]

There is also an article at velonews.com that says the final stage is going to be a crit around the Common Area.

This is pretty cool.

We might have to arrange a fiorum type event.

BK

[Bill Bove]

Just please, please tell someone in authority before you put up any electronic signs promoting the event :( wouldn't want to cause a panic or anything :no:

[Louis]

he also said that they cannot race across the us/ can border. have to driveand that each stage must be held within a state. he cannot cross state lines on any stage because of state police approvals required.

This is ridiculous. Sounds like the old Soviet Union to me. CCCP !!!

[old_school]

This is ridiculous. Sounds like the old Soviet Union to me. CCCP !!!

Little known fact:
While CCCP was disband a number of years ago, it has since risen from the ashes in a small New England town. Renamed CCB (click-click-boom), this small but ferocious tribe, under the tutelage of their fearless leader the mighty "Pooch," are sworn to seek and destroy all who cross their path.

[Bill Bove]

I thought that CCB were the initials for an acronym in some obscure biblical language spoken only by actors in Mel Gibson movies for "Pretty In Pink"

[stevep]

Little known fact:
While CCCP was disband a number of years ago, it has since risen from the ashes in a small New England town. Renamed CCB (click-click-boom), this small but ferocious tribe, under the tutelage of their fearless leader the mighty "Pooch," are sworn to seek and destroy all who cross their path.

take the pledge.
you and bove on the ccb mafia hit list.
watch out.
boom boom. my advice, sell your bike shiite and go to arkansas in the witness protection program.

funny that,
one of the masters dmitri buben from belarus was a member of the red army team in the 70s. im trying to pry his story out of him a word at a time... slow going. hes a great guy and a bike racer #1-A. fun to watch. his kid ( yahor ) is on the elite team. ask e-richie about dmitri, he lives down there. he just goes and goes.

[barry1021]

Just please, please tell someone in authority before you put up any electronic signs promoting the event :( wouldn't want to cause a panic or anything :no:

and watching the stupidity that goes under the name "government" here, i will believe this when I see it and not a moment before. It would be wonderful tho.

b21