El Tour de Tucson is the most significant perimeter bicycling event in Arizona that takes place every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It is a fun adventure ride that draws about 10,000 cyclists and features several categories. Participants compete in novice, intermediate, advanced, and professional rides. Cyclists can choose from races of 100, 75, 50 or 25 mi (160, 120, 80 or 40 km) or a Fun Rides of 10, 4, 1 and 0,25 mi (16, 6, 1.6, 0.4 km).
El Tour de Tucson was founded in 1983 by cyclist Richard DeBernardis. It is being organized by the Perimeter Bicycling Association of America. The first El Tour attracted 185 riders, but now it's one of the biggest events in the bike industry, that puts Tucson on the cycling map. The route winds through the city of Tucson and vicinity featuring by five mountain ranges, including those over 9,000 ft (2743 km). The courses range from flat to moderately hilly.
