Charity ride · Tucson, Arizona · since 1983
El Tour de Tucson
The 43rd El Tour de Tucson is Saturday, November 21, 2026. Packet pickup and the expo are at the Tucson Convention Center in the days before.
What is the El Tour de Tucson?
El Tour de Tucson is a timed charity ride held in Tucson, Arizona, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with 102-, 62- and 32-mile routes that all start and finish at the Tucson Convention Center. It began in 1983 with fewer than 200 riders and now draws about 10,000 a year. Perimeter Bicycling, the nonprofit that runs it, says the ride has helped raise more than $138 million for charities since it started. The 2026 edition is November 21.
Registration opens roughly a year out and prices rise monthly: $125 through April 30, $135-$175 May through September, $185-$300 in October and November (2026 adult pricing). Riders 17 and under are free. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable; distance changes are free until October 18, then $25. The event does not run a lottery.
- Next edition
- Usually
- Saturday before Thanksgiving
- Start
- Tucson Convention Center and surrounding streets, downtown Tucson (260 S Church Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701)
Tucson, Arizona - Distances
- 102 miles (Century) — 7:00 am start; 2,800+ ft of climbing
- 62 miles (Metric Century) — 9:00 am start; 1,600+ ft of climbing. Some materials list it as 63 miles
- 32 miles (Half Metric Century) — 10:00 am start; 500+ ft of climbing
- Fun Rides, 1 and 3 miles — 8:15 am start; $15 adults
- 5K run/walk — 7:15 am start
- Terrain
- Paved roads through the Sonoran Desert: Davis-Monthan AFB, Old Spanish Trail past Saguaro National Park East and Colossal Cave, then Vail, Sahuarita and Green Valley before returning downtown
- Climbing
- 2,800 ft on the longest route
- Riders
- about 10,000 riders a year, per the organizer
- Cost
- $125-$300 for adults depending on registration date (2026 pricing); youth 17 and under free
- Founded
- 1983 by Richard J. DeBernardis, a touring cyclist who later formed Perimeter Bicycling Association of America
How the El Tour de Tucson started
Richard J. DeBernardis started the first Perimeter bicycling event in Tucson in 1983, after riding 2,218 miles from Alaska to Mexico in 40 days. That first ride had fewer than 200 cyclists and raised $4,500. A second event followed in 1986, and Perimeter Bicycling Association of America was formed around it.
El Tour became the flagship. The organizer describes it as the largest cycling fundraiser in America, with more than 311,000 riders across all Perimeter events over the years. In 2019 the charities riding with the event passed $100 million raised in total; by 2025 the figure was over $138 million. The 2026 ride is the 43rd.
The event now supports more than 120 nonprofits a year through fundraising teams. Riders can enter on their own or through a charity team at a reduced fee.
What to expect on the day
All routes start and finish at the Tucson Convention Center downtown. The century leaves at 7:00 am, the metric at 9:00 am and the 32-miler at 10:00 am. Timing is by chip on your bib and a second tag on the seatpost; your clock starts when you roll across the start line. Experienced pack riders on the 102 and 62 can apply for a Platinum corral.
Aid stations come roughly every 7-12 miles. The route closes at 4:30 pm, and aid stations shut down on a schedule that lets riders finish by then; there is no support or recorded time after that. Every finisher gets a medallion. CPSC-approved helmets are mandatory, aerobars are not allowed, and pedal-assist e-bikes ride in their own category without awards.
The century heads out past Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, along Old Spanish Trail with saguaro views near Colossal Cave, then swings south through Vail, Sahuarita and Green Valley before coming back into the city. Expect a cool start and a warm, dry afternoon.
Weather in Tucson for the El Tour de Tucson
Late November in Tucson is mild and dry. Around November 20 the average daily high is about 72 F and the low about 48 F, with roughly an 8 percent chance of rain on any given day. Dress for a cold 7 am start and a warm afternoon.
Loading the forecast for Tucson…
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Times are local to Tucson.
The town
Sleep, eat, fix the bike.
Tucson is Arizona's second-largest city, a desert town of about 543,000 people at 2,400 feet, ringed by five mountain ranges about 110 miles southeast of Phoenix. It is one of the most-ridden cities in the country, with the 131-mile car-free Loop path, the 25-mile Mount Lemmon climb and dry, sunny weather most of the year. El Tour de Tucson, held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, is its biggest ride.
Tucson International Airport (TUS) is eight miles south of downtown with nonstop service to about two dozen cities on Southwest, American, Delta, United and Alaska. Phoenix Sky Harbor is about 112 miles and under two hours up I-10 and often cheaper to fly into. Downtown is walkable and the fare-free Sun Link streetcar links the convention center, Fourth Avenue, the university and the Mercado district, but you will want a car or a bike for Mount Lemmon and most of the Loop.
Group rides around Tucson
Free, recurring, open to anyone. Ride with locals the day before, or the week after.
El Tour de Tucson FAQ
When is El Tour de Tucson 2026?
Saturday, November 21, 2026. It is always the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Where does it start?
All routes start and finish at the Tucson Convention Center downtown. The century starts at 7:00 am, the metric at 9:00 am, the 32-miler at 10:00 am.
How much does it cost?
Adult entries were $125 through April 30, 2026, rising monthly to $185-$300 in October and November. Riders 17 and under are free. Fees are non-refundable.
Is there a cutoff?
The route closes at 4:30 pm. After that there is no course support and no recorded finish time.
Can I ride an e-bike?
Pedal-assist only, no throttle. E-bikes have their own category, cannot use the Platinum corral and are not eligible for placement awards.
Where do I get my packet?
Only at the expo at the Tucson Convention Center, using the QR code from your confirmation email. A proxy can pick it up with your QR code and a photo ID.
Sources · 8 pages we read
- eltourdetucson.org https://eltourdetucson.org/
- eltourdetucson.org https://eltourdetucson.org/about-perimeter/
- eltourdetucson.org https://eltourdetucson.org/el-tour-de-tucson/2020-rider-guide/
- eltourdetucson.org https://eltourdetucson.org/el-tour-de-tucson/route/
- eltourdetucson.org https://eltourdetucson.org/faqs/
- bikesignup.com https://www.bikesignup.com/Race/AZ/Tucson/ElTourdeTucson
- strambecco.com https://strambecco.com/event/el-tour-de-tucson/
- weatherspark.com https://weatherspark.com/m/2857/11/Average-Weather-in-November-in-Tucson-Arizona-United-States
Facts checked September 15, 2026. Dates and prices come from the organizer and change. Confirm on the official site before you book anything.
