# Tinker Juarez to ride in NorCal's Tour of the Unknown Coast



## Big-foot (Dec 14, 2002)

On Saturday, May 12, the 29th Annual Tour of the Unknown Coast bicycle ride will enjoy the presence of a living legend; cycling icon David “Tinker” Juarez. Few racers have had such successful cycling careers. He started racing BMX (bicycle motocross) in his teens, becoming the youngest licensed pro at age 15. In his twenties he switched to mountain bike racing, winning the US cross-country championship three times and representing the US at the debut of mountain bike racing as an Olympic sport in 1996 and again in 2000. He then took on the world of endurance mountain bike racing, where riders go for 12 and even 24 hours at a stretch, winning the US National 24-Hour title 4 times. 

Last year he took on yet another challenge by taking 3rd on the grueling Race Across America road event. Unlike the Tour de France where riders do a set distance each day, in the Race Across America the clock is always running, so the top contenders often ride for 24 hours or more, sleeping as little as 2 hours a night. Juarez completed his ride from Oceanside, California to Atlantic City, New Jersey in just ten days! 

This season he’s focusing mainly on mountain bike endurance races—February 11 he won the season-opener in Arizona. It’s that type of racing that has brought Juarez to the North Coast twice before when he competed in the Arcata 12 Hours of Humboldt endurance race. He also raced in the 2001 edition of the Bigfoot Classic mountain bike cross country race. “It’s so beautiful up there,” the Cannondale Bicycles sponsored racer said, “I really enjoyed being there on my earlier trips and I’m looking forward to seeing some more of the area.”

While the Tour of the Unknown Coast offers a variety of rides to suit all abilities, including a flat 10-mile “Family Ride,” a 20-mile “Farm Tour” a 50-mile route and a 100-kilometer route, Juarez will be taking on the challenging 100-mile route that takes riders under the giant redwoods of the Avenue of the Giants and along one of California’s last stretches of undeveloped coastline. “They tell me it’s really tough,” he related, “That it has a ton of climbing, which what I love!” Indeed, the 100-mile ride is called “California’s Toughest” for good reason. The route boasts nearly 10,000 feet of cumulative elevation, with over 3000 feet of that coming after mile 80!

Juarez will be on hand to sign autographs and visit with fans during rider check-in on May 11 at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale. For information visit www.tuccycle.org or call (707)845-6117.

Photo Caption: ON HIS WAY TO ATLANTIC CITY. Driving from Oceanside, CA. to Atlantic City, NJ in just ten days is grueling enough for most people. But Tinker Juarez did it on his Cannondale bicycle.


----------



## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

Tink is 'da man'. The only view I ever get of him is him passing me, very quickly.


----------



## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

saw him race before. "goooo, Tiiinnkerrrr, goooooooooo!!!"


----------



## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

FYI, it's http://www.tuccycle.org/ (not .net)


----------

