The committee discussed initial plans for Tour de Greylock at its Tuesday meeting, with a target date of Sept. 24, 2022, for the event. The route for the race, while not finalized, is expected to take riders across the county, from Lanesborough to Williamstown, using both roads and bike routes along Mount Greylock. 

 

"This is not just Lanesborough," said committee Chair Barbara Davis Hassan. "It goes all the way around the base of Mount Greylock. That's why Tour De Greylock is the name." 

 

The committee plans to fund the event, in part, by having local businesses along the route sponsor the event. They intend on having multiple sponsorship levels and options of varying prices. 

 

"I was thinking somebody could be a sponsor of one leg of the ride," said Laura Brennan of Berkshire Regional Planning Commission when discussing potential sponsorship options. "Or somebody could sponsor a comfort station, or something."  

 

Hassan said they expect approximately 50 participants but explained there could be many more depending on community interest. 

 

Committee Recording Secretary Patricia Hubbard said the event could help boost Lanesborough's local businesses while highlighting the natural beauty of the Berkshires. 

 

"It has the potential to be very popular, I think," she said. "And to draw people, not only from our own town but to draw people from other places." 

 

Hassan said they have been keeping nature and other features of the Berkshires in mind when planning the race. 

 

"That was our centerpoint of the plan, was the outdoors, and the activities that you can do in the Berkshires," she said. "That tended to be really high on the list of things people come to Lanesborough for, and highlighting all of that is nice to do with a bike ride because you can actually see a lot of the individual stores along the route." 

 

Committee member Joe Prince said he thinks the race could potentially be a significant draw for Lanesborough and the county. He believes many of the businesses along the route will be interested in sponsoring the race. 

 

"People have been dealing with a lot with COVID, and they're looking for something like this," he said. "And everybody wants to come to the Berkshires. I see 100 people, 200 people a week that are just wanting to come to the Berkshires for so many different things. I just think that this is going to really blow up."