Tour de Dane Femmes Wrap Up

The third annual Tour de Dane Femmes finished up Saturday, August 31. After 5 grueling weeks of hauling beer around the Isthmus and climbing to the top of Blue Mounds State Park twice, it came down to the wire. The battle for points continued until dusk on the 31st day of the tour!

Here are some highlights of the stages. 13 Femmes participated. 6 finished all of the stages!

PRE-STAGE: Commuter Salute. Go green by running (biking) errands or commuting to work via bike.

Sandlot makes good use of jersey pockets for her trip to the liquor store

Thing 1 leaves Little Thing with Dad and bikes to Target

STAGE 1: MONONA LAKE LOOP. Drop off beer at your local bike shops to show your support. This was a harder stage than the mileage would suggest. Carrying 6-packs to Cronometro, Machinery Row and Slow Roll UNOPENED is no small feat.

Cujo finds Colin’s one-hour National Record for the record

Speedy finds a thirsty Slim at Machinery Row

Shaq leaves beer in good hands at Slow Roll

STAGE 2: TAVERN TRIBUTE. Pay it forward at Ranch Saloon and enjoy a draft at Missouri Tavern to support local taverns who support cyclists. This stage was an unexpected source of joy. Many Drafters did this individually. We also did it as a Monday night ride. A round was bought for the patrons at Ranch Saloon in Dane, only to have one of the recipients buy a round back, “because that’s how we do it hear.” All the Drafters ended up at Missouri Tavern for an all skate. It was all wonderful.

It takes more courage to pay it forward when you are all by yourself…

Hammer Time pays it forward at the Ranch Saloon

STAGE 3: CROSS PLAINS TIME TRIAL. This was for the green jersey, and ice cream or coffee at Creekside Scoop or Crossroads Coffeehouse. The Drafters enjoyed their patio throughout the summer, and thrilled to restore our caloric debt as their fine establishment. And the winner of the coveted green jersey…. HAMMER TIME.

STAGE 4: HORRIBLY HILLY This was a grueling 46 mile stage that covered some of the Horribly Hilly Hundreds terrain. Participants supported the Friends of Blue Mounds by committing to ride or volunteer at HHH in 2025. Perhaps the highlight of this stage was watching the video Pit Stop posted of her son climbing the hill while she cheered him on, and seeing her Strava segment congratulate her on the biggest climb yet.

STAGE 5: MILITARY RIDGE GRAVEL GRINDER. An effort to bring dirty fun to the Draft, and to support Riley Tavern and Rails to Trails, this stage was enjoyed by many.

Pit Stop and Cujo cross the finish line together

STAGE 6: VIVA LA CYCLING CLUBS. Here’s to those who keep Madison one of the most welcoming for cyclists, planning routes and building community. The cross-pollination between clubs has been a beautiful thing. As is seeing the original Voler Drafter Jersey circa 2013.

The yellow jersey came down to 2 bonus points awarded for scrounging up this relic (the jersey, not Pit Stop and Shaq). Congrats to our two yellow jersey winners! Out of 105 possible points, each of these Femmes earned 100.

STAGE 7: CAPITAL OFF ROAD PATHFINDERS. Dirty Drafters in the making. Sandlot and Pit Stop got on mountain bikes for the first time. Sandlot ended up buying one and Pit Stop donated generously to CORP. Speedy had family in town and got them out on the trails at Blackhawk.

Sandlot gets a feel for the trail on her gravel bikes, and then buys a MTB!

T1 finding dirty outside a diaper change

Unknown to the Drafters, but a shout out to another Femme who dirty drafted for the FIRST TIME!

STAGE 8: ALP d’ BLUE. The battle for the polka dot jersey came down to it on Saturday Aug 31. Cujo and Keez went head to head. Keez had the faster time, but Cujo goes home in the polka dot. The judges agreed that climbing Blue Mounds twice was prerequisite fo the jersey. The rule book for 2025 has already been amended. Congrats to all the Drafters who dared to climb Blue Mounds not once, but twice ( Cujo, BrickO and Shaq).

Cujo visits Blue Mounds Bicycle Works in search of oxygen after climbing Alp d’ Blue twice

Keez doesn’t look like she just took the QOM

EXIT STAGE: VOLUNTEER OR PARTICIPATE IN AN EVENT

So many completed this stage! A shout out to Keez for winning the State Road Race in New Glarus, Hammer Time for winning the Badfish TT and riding RAW plus some (240 miles), Shaq for finishing Bike MS Best Dam Bike Tour and RAW back to back, Nemo and Pit Stop for Roll & Stroll, Sandlot for Ride the Drive.

For those still looking for an event…. please consider singing up for the the Badger Challenge on Sept 22. Pit Stop has a team to support her OR manager, Todd, who was recently diagnosed with sarcroma Their team is Hot Toddies at badgerchallenge.org

A sincere thanks to all who participated in any or all of the stages. Supporting local bike shops, taverns, coffee shops and ice creams shops who support cyclists was one of the goals. The other is to remember the fun in pedaling, to engage others in the sport, and in that small way, build stronger women cyclists for the future Tour de France Femmes.

Awards will be given at one of the next two Monday night drafts… depending on arrival of the jerseys and other prizes.

Thanks again to all who dared to step out of their comfort zone and buy a drink for a stranger, pedal hard on the time trial, climb Blue Mounds (twice), try mountain biking, and building community by wearing the colors. Go Green!

Draft responsibly,

BrickO