El Tour de Tucson voted nation’s best road cycling event for 2023

As 10Best explains, it’s “a ride that’s been a part of the Tucson community for decades.”

That’s true. This year’s El Tour, the event’s 40th anniversary, is slated for Nov. 18 with more than 7,500 cyclists expected. Per the event’s organizers, cyclists “of all ages and abilities” are invited to register and ride (or take part in the return of the 5K run/walk in 2023).

Previously as part of the 10Best Readers’ Choice series, the Tucson region’s Chuck Huckleberry Loop has twice (2021, 2022) won the title of “Best Recreational Trail.”

The following list of “10 best road cycling events for 2023” is reprinted with permission from 10Best.com.

First organized as a sport more than 150 years ago, road cycling events remain a popular way for professionals and enthusiasts alike to compete against the backdrop of some of the United States’ most stunning scenery. Here are the 10 best road cycling events in the United States for 2023.

El Tour de Tucson is a ride that’s been a part of the Tucson community for decades. It has route options for cyclists of all skill levels, and all routes start and end at or near the Tucson Convention Center.

Options include The Century (102 miles), The Metric Century (62 miles), The Half Metric Century (32 miles) and the FUN rides (1-mile or 3-mile).

RAGBRAI, which stands for Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is a weeklong rolling festival for cyclists that’s been going strong since 1973. It’s a ride across the state that attracts participants from around the U.S., with a route that averages 500 miles.

The race starts along Iowa’s western border and ends along the Mississippi River at the state’s eastern border.

The Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hill Climb is a New Hampshire race that has been going strong for half a century. It’s a 7.6-mile ride from base to summit.

Proceeds from this race benefit the Tin Mountain Conservation Center which provides educational programs to foster a greater awareness of the nature and the environment.

Located in Wilmington, Delaware, the Wilmington Grand Prix is a criterium-style weekend bike race. It starts with a festive kickoff event and time trial on Monkey Hill. Then, high-speed racing happens on Saturday, followed by the Grand Prix’s Gran Fondo ride through scenic northern Delaware on Sunday.

The Tour de Summerlin is unique with its many biking lanes throughout its routes, which were planned to provide a safe and “rider-friendly” experience.

It starts and ends in downtown Summerlin, Nevada. Cyclists can choose from three different ride distances: 80, 40 and 20 miles.

With a course that spans two days and multiple states, Bike MS: Escape to the Lake was created as a benefit for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, so we can ultimately have a world free of multiple sclerosis. It offers a variety of interesting route options, and participants can enjoy pre-ride activities each year.

The two-day experience starts in Portersville, Pennsylvania and it takes riders through the hills of Western Pennsylvania before finishing in Conneaut, Ohio.

Riders who participate in the Bike MS: City to Shore Ride raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, an organization dedicated to ultimately finding a cure for the central nervous system disease while also helping people with MS live their best lives. This ride lasts one to two days and it starts in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Riders can choose from 20-, 40- or 75-mile routes on the first day, and the truly ambitious can add an extra 25-mile loop to bike a full 100 miles. On day two, riders who took the 75-mile or 100-mile track to Ocean City can choose to ride back to Cherry Hill.

The Limestone Cycling Tour takes cyclists along gorgeous rolling hills on curvy, seldom-traveled backroads in northern Kentucky.

Riders of different levels are welcome, and they can choose from four routes: the century, metric century, 44-mile loop or 26-mile loop.

The Tour of St. Louis is a springtime bicycle race in St. Louis, Missouri.

The weekend event includes the flat 11-mile Wildwood Centaur Time Trial, the hilly 1.3-mile Carondelicious Criterium and the flat and fast Mike Murray Classic Criterium.

The Campagnolo GranFondo San Diego is a festive race that welcomes all levels of cyclists. Participants can choose from three route options: 34 miles, 60 miles or 101 miles.

At the finish line, cyclists are cheered, awarded with a medal and ushered to the Fantastic Finish celebration with Italian pasta, live music, a beer garden and a bike valet.

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

About 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards: Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.

Editors for 10Best Readers’ Choice “best road cycling event” (2023): Ava Roxanne Stritt; Catherine Smith; Scott Hoffman