Cyclists, downtown businesses thrilled for Saint Francis Tulsa Tough's return

Cyclists, downtown businesses thrilled for Saint Francis Tulsa Tough's return

CHANGES IN THE BOND..

OVER THENEXT FIVE YEARS.NEW AT 10 ----TULSA'S PREMIERE CYCLINGEVENT, TULSA TOUGH, RETURNS THISWEEKEND - AFTER MISSING A YEARBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.THOUSANDS OF COMPETITIVE ANDCASUAL RIDERS ARE SIGNED UP TOCYCLE THE COURSE THROUGHDOWNTOWN AND ALONG THE ARKANSASRIVER.IN THE REBOUND GREEN COUNTRY -2 NEWS' MASON MAURO SHARES THEIMPACT THE RACE'S RETURN HAS ON- NOT ONLY THE RIDERS - BUT ALSOOUR CITY.DOWNTOWN TULSA - GEARING UP TOBE THE EPICENTER OF THECYCLICING WORLD - THIS WEEKEND.THOUSANDS OF CYCLISTSOF ALLSHAPES, SIZES, AND SKILL-LEVELSARE DESCENDING ON GREEN COUNTRYFOR THE PREMIERE EVENT IN THECOUNTRY TO RETURN.(SOT Malcolm McCollam / SaintFrancis Tulsa Tough ExecutiveDirector)06:57:24;20 "To be able to getback on that stage this year andwatch that crowd come togetheris going to be special."06:57:30;48(MASON STANDUP)SAINT FRANCIS TULSA TOUGHWELCOMES CASUAL RIDERS ANDCOMPETITIVE RACERSTHOSE TRAINEDATHLETES WILL SPEED AROUND ACOURSE FULL OF SHARP TURNS HEREIN TULSA ARTS DISTRICT ONSATURDAY.(SOT Justin Williams / L39ION ofLos Angeles)06:58:13;51 "Getting back intoracing is really exciting.Getting back into racing withthe biggest race of the year isa little bit scary." 06:58:21;02TULSA TOUGH IS THE FIRSTNATIONAL COURSE JUSTIN WILLIAMSAND HIS LEGION OF LOS ANGELESTEAM RODE OFF WITH A VICTORY ATIN 20-19.THE PANDEMIC COST THE CYCLERS ACHANCE AT REPEATINGIN FACT THEVIRUS SHUT DOWN THEIR ENTIRESEASON.(SOT Williams)06:58:49;59 "It was thisemotional roller coaster ofgetting ready and then thinkingthe season was going to returnand then being like, 'Oh, it'stoo far gone.'" 06:58:56;48(SOT Williams)06:59:47;42 "We're really,really hungry to get out thereand show what we can do."06:59:51;05TULSA TOUGH'S RETURN - NOT ONLYA WELCOME SIGHT TO ATHLETES -BUT ALSO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.MALCOLM MCCOLLAM - TULSA TOUGH'SEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - SAYS THECYCLING WEEKEND IS A MONEYMAKERFOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THEBLUE DOME DISTRICTHE SAYS - HOTELS ARE ALSOBOOKING UP TO HOUSE THOUSANDS OFRIDERS FOR THE CYCLINGSPECTACLE.A BOOST FOR SOME BUSINESSES MOSTAFFECTED BY CORONAVIRUS(SOT McCollam)06:56:42;37 "You can feel theenergy of downtown coming backto life now