Delaware Tech hosts 3rd Annual Tour De Sussex Bicycle Race
On Sept. 24, Delaware Technical Community College Owens Campus held its 3rd annual Tour De Sussex, a varied-increment bicycle race along a scenic route of Sussex County. Bicyclists had the choice of 25-, 50-, 62-, or 100-mile rides. The 62 mile ride is the metric measurement for a century, or 100 kilometers.
Delaware Tech’s Chris Moody, director of workforce development and community education, explained that this event was orchestrated to be a multifaceted program, providing scholarships and other funding for workforce development programs.
Workforce development partners with Delaware Tech’s Kids on Campus summer programs, contract training, professional development classes, high school programs, and other educational outlets that are provided to the community, said Moody. The proceeds of the tour are used to balance the funds provided to each of these programs, making scholarships and financial aid more available to their participants.
“Some programs are allotted a small budget each year, and a lot of the participants in the workforce development programs cannot receive financial aid, so this event helps adjust those budgets, providing scholarships where they are in more need,” said Moody.
Along with benefiting Delaware Tech’s programs, Moody said the bike event also helps bring together Sussex County partnerships, and create a unique community for small businesses and groups to work together.
When originally organizing the event, Moody said he contacted Sussex Cyclist, a local club for bicyclists in Sussex County, for the logistics of how to orchestrate the route. From there, he contacted local businesses and partnerships, some that originated at Delaware Tech.
Ben Jones and Jenn Rowan started their company, LifeCycle, a bicycle restoration business, in February of 2015. Together they have expanded to bike maintenance classes, “Sag” support for local bike races, and are opening a retail location in Milford, in the spring of 2017.
“Ben and I were in a class together, and he sat in the back of the room dwelling up this business idea, and when I asked him about it we started working together and ended up creating LifeCycle right here in a Delaware Tech classroom,” said Rowan.
Other local businesses were incorporated into this race, Dogfish Head Brewery was one of the rest stops on the path, along with donating all of the beverages to the after-race barbeque held on campus.
Dwight and Debra Summers from Keysville, MD, both enjoyed the race and the amenities provided along the route.
Dwight Summers said he chose the 100-mile track around Sussex County, and was excited to get on the road. To train for this event, he said he rode a 100-mile route in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
They both said they were looking forward to riding down into Lewes, near the beaches and anxious to enjoy the refreshments from the local vendors when they got back.
To see photos from the race, as well as more information on the vendors that attended, click here.
Bicyclists take off at the 8 a.m. mass start on Delaware Tech's Owens Campus for the Tour De Sussex. Photo by M.Bennett.
Staff and Volunteers cheer on the cyclists taking off for their ride around Sussex County on the Tour De Sussex. By M.Bennett.