The Tour de Blount was started by three cyclists back in 1991. They loved cycling and knew that the Blount County area was one of the best areas to ride. This was well before the day of organized bike rides, triathlons and road races. The TdB was to be the first bike ride in the area. The Tour de Blount quickly caught on and it became a popular event among cyclists, in part because Blount County and its rural back roads, ever-changing terrain and beautiful scenery is considered one of the best places to ride in the country.
The Foothill Striders Club is now responsible for hosting the TdB each year. The Striders are a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community service and healthy lifestyles through hiking, biking and running. The proceeds from the Tour de Blount go to support two scholarships for area high school students and to promote health and wellness in Blount County.
For 2023 the Tour de Blount will have three routes 25, 50 and 75. For most of its 31 year history the ride’s start/finish location was at Heritage High School. For a four-year period, it was moved to downtown Maryville, but returned to Heritage High School in 2016 and in 2017, in 2018 we moved to the Townsend Visitors Center where we had planned on the ride starting again in 2020, well, we know how that ended. For our return in 2023 we partnered with Mountain Challenge at Maryville College to host our event and will once again be there for our 32nd ride in 2026! The in-town start will provide us with 3 routes to meet the interest levels of all participants. In addition, a post-ride meal will be provided. Riders will be able to rehash the highs and lows of the rides while enjoying a meal and a great outdoor atmosphere. This is sure to be a great time with old and new friends!
Who can you bring with you to explore Blount County?
