Big changes in store at Central Florida Bike MS ride
The name, location and format of the Central Florida Bike MS ride are all changing in 2024. The ride, formerly known as Bike MS: The Citrus Tour will now be known as Bike MS: Suncoast Challenge and will start in Lakewood Ranch. Instead of a 2-day ride, the ride is now a single day.
“We had been in the same region of central Florida for over a decade, it was time for a change,” said. Eden Quayle, Development Manager for Bike MS in central Florida.
The two-day Citrus Tour was based out of the ChampionsGate hotel near Orlando, but will now call Lakewood Ranch, near, Sarasota home.
“After consulting our top teams/riders and listening to their recommendations, we decided to relocate the ride to this beautiful area of the Florida coast which is very popular with cyclists.” Quayle said. “If you are looking for a great route along picturesque coastal roads, and along the Legacy trail, coupled with a lively post-ride celebration and street-style carnival please come and join us! You might even see a pirate ship or two!”
Another big change is instead of a two-day ride, the Sun Coast challenge will be a one-day ride.
“We also changed to a one-day format so that riders with families and riders who couldn’t commit to our usual 2-day Bike MS format could also take part more easily,” Quayle said.
Bike MS: Suncoast Challenge will take place on Saturday, April 20. There will be route options from 22 to 100 miles. The start will be at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, 8100 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. in Bradenton which offers plenty of parking.
Bike MS: Suncoast Challenge is one of nearly 50 BikeMS rides across the country, which raise funds for the Natinoal . This year, more than 50,000 people are expected to participate in Bike MS nationwide.
“It’s incredibly powerful to watch hundreds of people ride up to 100-miles for a cause,” said Robin Nunley, President, National MS Society, Mid South Florida Chapter. “MS is a disease that, although nearly 1 million Americans live with the neurological disorder, most people don’t know or understand what MS is. Bike MS: Suncoast Challenge is our way of shining some awareness on MS, because it’s going to take all of us to find a cure.”
As a fundraising event, there’s a minimum requirement of raising $250 to participate.
For more information or to register, visit: https://events.nationalmssociety.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=1701.
To experience Bike MS from year’s past, check out this video: https://youtu.be/9yzv6GOz8oA