Tour de Somerville offers equal prize money for women, men

Men and women will have equal prize money for the first time in the Tour de Somerville's storied history.

SOMERVILLE -- America's oldest major bicycle race will include two new features this year.

For the first time in its storied history, the 73rd annual Tour de Somerville, dubbed the "Kentucky Derby of Cycling," will offer the same prize money for the top finishers in the men's and women's featured races.

The Memorial Day classic, which attracts elite cyclists from across the country, will have $10,000 purses in both the women's 25-mile race and the 50-mile men's event, the tour announced.

Another first will be the participation of kids in the day's main race program. Boys and girls ages 3 through 12 will be able to race their bicycles in straight line sprints through downtown Somerville prior to the women's race.

At 1:30 p.m., the kids will race down Main Street at distances of 15 to 200 yards, with the young cyclists grouped by age. The riders should be accompanied by a parent and must wear a proper fitting bicycle helmet.

Participants must pre-register by going on the Tour of Somerville website, www.tourofsomerville.org, and follow prompts to the Kids' Sprints registration section.

Tour promoter Lisa Werner said that equalizing the monies for the Memorial Day cycling classic was long overdue. The change reflects the growing international movement for gender quality in both amateur and professional sports, she said.

"For decades both amateur and professional cyclists from around the world have been able win cash prizes, but many of the best female cyclists have had to settle for less than their male counterparts," said Werner in the release. "We are proud to announce that, here in Somerville, that changes this year."

Attracting 10,000 spectators and more than 600 competitors, the "Tour" culminates on Memorial Day with the historic Kugler-Anderson Memorial 50-mile criterium and the Mildred Kugler 25-mile women's race through the streets of downtown Somerville.

Tour activities begin the day before, May 29, with preliminary races in neighboring Bound Brook.

Founded in May, 1940 by racer and bike shop owner Fred "Pop" Kugler, the race has been held annually since then except during World War II.

The event's Memorial Day date became significant during the war, when its first two winners -- Kugler's son, Furman Kugler, who won in both 1940 and 1941, and his friend Carl Anderson, the 1942 champion -- were killed while serving overseas.

Sponsors for this year's Tour of Somerville include: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Unity Bank, Somerville Bicycle Shop, Nissan, Efinger's Sporting Goods, Somerville DSA, Verve, Pi Brewing Company, Cipollini Recycling and Carting, Flemington GMC, FERASCO, Alfonso's, Dino's Ice Cream, Anderson Windows, Magione's Ice, United Rent All, Somerville Elks Youth Activities, Bound Brook Elks, DGM Management Group, Saker Shop Rite, Bound Brook PBA and the Somerville PBA.