Former Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith may be seen bicycling through Collin County this weekend, as his Gran Fondo charity race kicks off at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at Southfork Ranch in Parker.
The ride will make a special stop in Princeton at Veterans Memorial Park between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Cyclists compete for a $10,000 winner-takes-all purse, and registration fees go toward Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities. The NFL’s all-time leading rusher and his wife Pat, a former Miss Virginia USA, formed their charity in 2002 with a “mission to provide educational experiences and enrichment opportunities for underserved children,” according the charities’ Facebook page.
The Saturday bike ride offers 94-mile Gran Fondo, 58-mile Medio Fondo, 41-mile Piccolo Fondo and a 22-mile ride. The Gran and Medio Fondo are capped at 600 riders each.
Attendees are treated to food and drinks, with special accommodations for VIPs.
Multiple rest stops will be staged along each route and motorists are encouraged to watch for cyclists on the roads. Event organizers say they’ll be riding rain or shine.
Learn more about the race at emmittsmithgranfondo.com.
For the full story, see the Sept. 12 issue or subscribe online.
By April Towery • [email protected]
