HISTORY OF THE EVENT
Door County is a bike pedaler's paradise. Scenic backroads blanket a peninsula with over 300 miles of shoreline and an endless array of gift shops, restaurants and lodging options. The peninsula is commonly referred to by visitors as “the Cape Cod of the Midwest.”
The Door County Century (“DCC”) was founded in 1979 by Joyce Mahlik, Bob Gaie, and members of the Bay Shore Bicycle Club in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The ride originally took place in Sturgeon Bay, the population center of Door County, before moving to Sevastopol School just north of Sturgeon Bay in 1984.
In 2008, the ride was purchased by Dan Mahlik and Eric Resch. Both are successful businessmen in Milwaukee as well as avid cyclists. They plan to make the DCC the most fun festival bike ride in the Midwest. To help achieve this vision, they hired veteran event director Sean Ryan as Ride Director. With his assistance, they updated the ride’s logistics, enhanced the website, added online registration and made other changes benefitting the riders.
The most drastic change under the new ownership will be the relocation of the start/finish area. This move necessitated a change in the charity partner and a redesign of the course routes. The owners believe this change will be in the best interests of the riders, the event and all of Door County.
Come ride with us!