THE ROUTE:

Click HERE to view a map of the route, that will open in a new window. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Click HERE to view a cue sheet of the route, that will open in a new window. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

After all these years of putting on our century, we still have little control over high water, downed trees, or paving crews, so these routes are subject to change without notice. Any cue sheet and map released on the morning of the ride will control.

THE SUNRISE IS EXACTLY 100.00 MILES LONG, calibrated with a Jones-Oerth-Lacroix counter, following the same painstaking procedures as the International Olympic Committee and USATF course certifiers. You can read more about our course measurement efforts by clicking HERE.  It begins at Rossview High School and moves clockwise through Montgomery County, Tennessee, and three counties in Kentucky - mainly Todd County but also Christian and Logan. The 2009 route duplicates the 2008 route that had fewer turns and less cumulative climbing than the pre-2007 courses, 9% less to be exact.

YOUR FASTEST CENTURY? It easily could be. It should be, because here, you ride faster by maintaining a steady effort over an easy course, not by taking chances. We don’t encourage reckless riding. We also limit speeds, top speeds, by avoiding fast downhills. The century course does have a single quarter-mile rise of 66 feet. All the rest are short and shallow. Yes, we support the lead peloton, but THIS IS A TOUR, NOT A RACE. Obey the laws, be courteous, and use common sense. Judicious just doesn’t have to mean slow.

To prove to the world just how fast you rode 100 miles, we'll be providing loaner timing chips to all pre-registered century riders at no additional cost.  We may have a few timing chips left for day-of-event registrants, first-come-first-serve. At the end of the ride, you'll return the chip or we'll chase you to the ends of the earth, make your life miserable, hound you for the scoundrel that you are, point our your sins for all to see....you get the idea.

SOMEBODY MUST HAVE RIDDEN AN ORGANIZED CENTURY FASTER THAN 3:44:55. That's what we thought. But then we scoured the Internet, e-mailed 100 bicycle clubs, and joined a dozen ride forums—all in search of a faster time. So far, no one has come up with one. We won't hang our heads if it turns out we don’t own the record. We're confident this 100-mile course—if it’s not Number One—ranks among the fastest. Your name’s not Lance? It doesn’t have to be. A FAST COURSE IS AN EASY COURSE. That's the point.

A SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING THE ELITE PELOTON (Start time at 6:45 AM):

You must be capable of averaging at least 25+ mph for 100 miles to join the lead peloton. You must do your fair share of the pulling; wheel-suckers will be banished. We've observed unprepared riders going out with the elite group, thinking it will be "cool," but they "bonk" about 50 miles into the ride and have an absolutely terrible time getting home. Don't join this group unless you know that you can average 25+ mph AND can contribute to the pace line. We are not going to attempt to police admission to this group or have you send us your credentials to qualify. You know who you are. For this elite group we offer motorcycle support with intersection control and a trailing sag vehicle with basic energy food and water. We do not offer "MAVIC" style wheel exchanges or repair services. If you have a mechanical, we wave goodbye and you're stuck until regular SAG picks you up.

Another note about the elite group: Tandems cannot participate in the elite peloton. (Don't get us wrong. We love tandem riders and we welcome each and every tandem to participate in the regular century ride -- but not the elite peloton.) With two strong riders attacking level ground, tandems are really, really fast. And that's the problem. We can't predict if one or more tandems will participate every year in the elite group. In 2005 we had one tandem in the elite group, with two really strong riders, and they covered 100 miles in a record time of 3:53:00, but with no tandems participating in 2006 and 2007, that record stood no matter how hard the solos tried. So starting in 2008 (and going forward), only solo riders can participate in the elite group.

Click HERE to learn more about the elite peloton from 2005.
Click HERE to learn more about the elite peloton from 2006.
Click HERE to learn more about the elite peloton from 2007. Watch the VIDEO.
Click HERE to learn more about the elite peloton from 2008. Watch the VIDEO. Click HERE for 2008 century timing chip results.

FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW: