Special to Iredell Free News

Statesville has been selected as the third overnight stop for the 2024 Cycle North Carolina Mountains to Coast Ride. This annual cycling event is set for October 6-12.

Wit Tuttell, the executive director of Visit NC, announced the route on Wednesday. Cyclists will ride from Spruce Pine to Ocean Isle Beach. Overnight stops include Spruce Pine, Lenoir, Statesville, Thomasville, Pittsboro, Benson, Elizabethtown and Ocean Isle Beach.

Cindy Sutton, executive director of the Statesville Convention & Visitors Bureau, expressed her enthusiasm about Statesville being selected as a stop on the event.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cycle North Carolina to Statesville as one of the key overnight stops for the Mountains to Coast Ride,” she said. “This event not only showcases the beauty of our state but also highlights the rich heritage and attractions that Statesville has to offer.”

Some 900 bicyclists from across the nation are expected to participate in the event. The average daily ride is 60 miles.

Registration

Online registration is currently open at www.ncsports.org. Interested riders are encouraged to register early.

About the Mountains to Coast Tour

Cycle North Carolina’s Mountains to Coast Tour, established in 1999, is the state’s only cross-state, fully-supported ride. Created in partnership with Visit NC, Capitol Broadcasting Company, the N.C. Department of Transportation, and North Carolina Amateur Sports, the tour aims to promote North Carolina’s scenic beauty, heritage tourism, attractions, historic sites, state parks, fitness, healthy lifestyles, and the benefits of bicycling.