2023 will be the 50th anniversary of the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), and Davenport is hoping to be picked to be the end point – as it was the first year, in 1973.
The big 50th RAGBRAI is set for July 23 through July 29, 2023. Early registration opened Nov. 15 with passes at $200 for the weeklong ride or $45 per day for those only partaking a select number of days.
Many expect the 2023 route to duplicate the original route from 1973, but the official announcement is not expected until late January.
Davenport was last the Mississippi River host city in 2018, and Dave Herrell, president/CEO of Visit Quad Cities, said his destination management group has submitted the response to the RFP for 2023 to again host RAGBRAI.
“As you know, Davenport and the Quad Cities hosted in year one, so the potential opportunity to host the 50th would be truly special,” Herrell said Tuesday. “Our goal would be to create a Local Organizing Committee of community leadership to bring the 50th RAGBRAI into a unique position to celebrate its significance as one of the best events in the country.
“The growth that is projected for 2023 is an incredible opportunity for the Quad Cities to leverage for tourism, community programming, and brand visibility,” he said. “Our team has already been working on preliminary plans as we inch closer to a decision on the 2023 route.
“We want RAGBRAI here and know that we will deliver an unforgettable experience for the cycling community and for everyone that has an emotional connection to this one-of-a-kind event,” Herrell said.
“It will require a lot of collaboration and teamwork among many partners and we are confident that the Quad Cities will deliver if we are selected.”
About 15,000 registered riders, with participants from all 50 states and a host of international locations, descend on Iowa every year to be part of the “oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world.”
Started in 1973 by Des Moines Register reporters John Karras and Donald Kaul, RAGBRAI is a seven-day bicycle tour that goes from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River with stops in overnight towns along the way. One of the largest tourism events in the country, a 2008 study by the University of Northern Iowa estimates RAGBRAI’s economic impact between $24 million to $25 million for the weeklong ride.
“Davenport looks forward to hosting RAGBRAI,” Mayor Mike Matson said Tuesday. “Davenport excels at all challenges. We will work with Visit Quad Cities and others to make this a great safe and wonderful experience for everyone.”
“Any chance we are afforded the opportunity to increase the visibility and commerce in our downtowns and the surrounding area, we will rise to the occasion with excitement,” said LaDrina Wilson, CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber. “We support Visit QC in leading the charge and will work with the city to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all should Davenport be selected.”
The 2022 RAGBRAI route was announced on Jan. 29, with this past summer cycling through northern Iowa, ending in Lansing, in the northeast corner of the state.
For more information, visit the RAGBRAI website.
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