Schaumburg OKs its part of bike tour

Though Schaumburg has plenty of preparations left to make before joining the Tour of Elk Grove international bike race in August, officials and residents now know where the bicyclists will be and when.

Trustees on Tuesday approved the route that will make up the first 80 kilometers of the 90K professionals' race the afternoon of Aug. 2.

The last 10K and finish line will be in Elk Grove Village, on the middle day of its three-day event.

The starting line will be at Alexian Field, home of the Schaumburg Flyers, where the racers will set off about 2:30 or 3 p.m., Schaumburg's Transportation Director June Johnson said.

The entire Schaumburg part of the course should be in use for only about 2½ to 3 hours, being cleared for normal activity again by 5:30 or 6 p.m. that Saturday, she said.

Coming a week before the Summer Olympics, the race is expected to draw many spectators and spark much activity for area businesses, Johnson said.

"This is a great race for us," she said. "It's going to bring a lot of attention."

Though this race is new to Schaumburg, the route draws on a tried and true pathway through the village that has served well an annual Schaumburg Park District running race, Johnson said.

The course heads north on Springinsguth Road, turning east onto Wise Road and then north onto Braintree Drive.

The bikers will turn west on Kingston Lane and then head just a bit farther north on Springinsguth before moving west on Weathersfield Way.

The course turns north on Glenridge Lane before moving east on Warwick Lane and then south again on Springinsguth.

Bicyclists will pedal east on Weathersfield Way before heading south on Cedarcrest Drive and across Wise Road to where the street becomes Mitchell Boulevard.

The course travels west on Morse Avenue and then north on Rodenburg Road, rejoining the earlier part of the course as Braintree Drive begins again north of Wise.

Apart from the start of the race on Springinsguth and Wise roads, most of the course is a vaguely figure-of-eight loop repeated eight or nine times.

On their final pass, the bikers will continue east on Weathersfield Way into Elk Grove Village, Johnson said.