Tour de Bronx is Largest Free Cycling Event in New York State

A press conference announcing the 15th Tour de Bronx was held recently at The Children's Hospital of Montefiore. Pictured are (left to right): Paul Cummings, Montefiore Associate and member of the hospital's Bike to Work Program; Cheryl Hurst, LCSW, Senior Social Worker, Montefiore School Health Program; Paul Meissner, Program Adminstrator, Montefiore Department of Community Medicine; Jane Bedell, M.D., MPH, Assistant Commissioner, Bronx District Public Health Office; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; Montefiore Medical Center President & CEO Dr. Steven M. Safyer; and Lynette Alvarado, Project Manager, St. Barnabas Hospital. The Tour de Bronx will be held Sunday October 24 at 9:30 AM, starting from the Bronx County Building. For more information, go to www.tourdebronx.org.

This special event attracts over 6,000 avid cyclists from throughout the tri-state area and beyond. The event features a 25-mile ride, which is great for all ages and skill levels, and a 40-mile ride, which has a much faster pace and covers a greater distance in the same amount of time.

"Cultural riches, historic sites, beautiful parks and significant revitalization at virtually every turn are all on display at one of our borough's most popular annual events, the Tour de Bronx," said Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. "Whether you're a borough native or just visiting the Bronx, I invite you to join me on this great ride and be a witness to our continuing revival. I guarantee you that after experiencing the splendor of The Bronx you will keep coming back for more. See you all here!"

"The Tour de Bronx is a perfect way to promote health and wellness and to discover all that the Bronx has to offer," Dr. Safyer said.  "This annual event demonstrates Montefiore's commitment to partner with other organizations in the Bronx to advance the health and well-being of our community.  I look forward to enjoying a beautiful day of biking across our borough."

"It's not every day you get to take your bike for a ride on a car-free Sheridan Expressway, or honor a community activist as extraordinary as Megan Charlop," said Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, a sponsor of the event. "The Tour de Bronx is New York City's oldest organized borough bike ride for a reason; it's the most epic way to spend an autumn Sunday in New York." 

This year's ride is dedicated to the memory of Megan Charlop, a former Montefiore employee who dedicated her life to improving the wellness of the people of the Bronx. For 26 years, Charlop worked for Montefiore Medical Center where she was instrumental in creating a Safe House for Lead Poisoning Prevention and for seven years as director of the Division of Community Health at Montefiore's School Health Program, which has medical clinics in 16 Bronx schools. In 1999, Charlop was one of 10 to receive the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health and Leadership Program award for her lead poisoning prevention work at Montefiore. She helped found the South Bronx environmental group Greening for Breathing with the award money.

The 15th Annual Tour de Bronx will take place Sunday, October 24 at the Bronx County Building at Grand Concourse and 161st Street. Check-in time is at 9:30 a.m. You can register today at www.tourdebronx.org.

###