Day of the Ride
Stuff you should know...
CHECK IN:This year's check-in will be held at the Italy High School Field House (out near the stadium), not at the Rotunda. Please reference the map above for more detail. Riders can check in beginning at 6:00 am Saturday morning.
The ride begins at 8:00 am, staging riders on College Street. Italy Police will temporarily control the start to give riders a safe send-off onto the course.
START TIME:Sat June 20, 2026 — 8:00 am
LOCATION:Italy High School, 300 College Street, Italy, TX 76651 [Map Link]
ROUTES:Five routes again this year: 12, 30, 40, 54, and 63 miles. Due to unexpected construction in Hwy 55, we have had to adjust some of our routes. the new version can be found at:
https://ridewithgps.com/events/455122-2026-tour-d-italia
and https://tourditalia.org/printable-route-map
Please ride your downloaded GPS file and follow the painted course markings — they reflect the new routing.
Inclement Weather: Since there is a chance of bad weather on Sat morning, we also wanted to share out inclement weather plan related to cancellation. Rider and volunteer safety is our number one priority!
Cancellation threshold — SPC categorical risk. Cancel if the NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Day 1 Convective Outlook places any part of the ride area — the Italy / Milford / Dresden corridor across Ellis, Hill, and Navarro counties — in an Enhanced risk (categorical level 3) or higher on event morning. Enhanced (3), Moderate (4), and High (5) all trigger cancellation. At Enhanced the SPC expects numerous, more persistent and widespread severe storms, and a field strung out over ~65 miles cannot be sheltered — rider and volunteer safety is the first priority. Check the most recent SPC Day 1 outlook the night before (the Day 2 and Day 3 outlooks give earlier warning) and again at ~5:30 AM with the weather monitor and SAG Support lead; the Co-Tour Directors make the call.
Where to check — SPC Convective Outlook (the go / no-go input)
SPC outlook Link
Day 1 (event day — decisive) spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html
Day 2 (next day) spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day2otlk.html
Day 3 (3-day advance) spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day3otlk.html
ALCOHOL: Please respect that the Tour d'Italia is hosted by Italy High School. Refrain from consuming alcohol or disposing of containers at the High School.
PARKING:Primary parking entrance this year will be off of Hwy 667 (see picture above). Big thanks to Italy for making this happen — it helps eliminate the parking congestion we had at the High School last year. Follow volunteer parking directions on arrival.
SHOWERS AND CAMPING:Overnight camping is available again this year in the old gym (air-conditioned), plus tent space adjacent to the high school. Showers are now located in the field-house out near the stadium (no longer in the gym area).
E-BIKES: For the safety of our riders, pedal-assist e-bikes are welcome. E-bikes with an independent throttle are not permitted.
RIDE START:This year we will stage on College Street. Police will direct riders safely onto the course. (See ROUTES above — long-route riders now head out via TX-34 toward Avalon under the 2026 reroute.)
MEALS: CASH ONLY!!!Italy High School student organizations provide food as a fundraiser, and they're back again this year! Please consider supporting the students who work hard to make the Tour d'Italia a great day.
- Saturday breakfast — $10
- Saturday lunch — burger, chips, water — $10
MECHANICAL SUPPORT:Bike mechanics available at the start only. Come prepared! There will be no mechanical support at the rest stops this year.
ROAD CONDITIONS UPDATE (
- Mid-distance route — TX-22 (Blooming Grove → Frost → Mertens): TX-22 is a 70-mph highway with rumble-stripped shoulders — single file, stay alert, obey flaggers at the FM 308/TX-22 crossing in Mertens. SAG vehicle staged on the TX-22 segment.
- US 77 near Milford (two crossings): Use caution on Dale Acres North and Hope St — flaggers posted
- Return into Italy — city-street potholes: rough/broken on the Dunlap/Hope turns.
- 12-mile: Traditional loop, Road near bridge is rough and Bridge is not well maintained. Please plan to walk your bike over the bridge.
NO ONSITE REGISTRATION:There will be NO onsite paper registration. We will only do check-in at early pickup and on ride day — no onsite payment or paper registration. Our registration site stays open through the ride start, so you can register on your phone at Active.com even on Saturday morning. Please make sure you've received your confirmation QR code before coming to check-in, where you'll get your bib number and shirt.
REGISTRATION PRICING:Early-bird $50 through May 31. Price rises to $55 starting June 1, including day-of online registration.
CAMPING:
- The old gym at Italy High School is available to "camp out" in — air-conditioned, with girls' and boys' bathroom/shower facilities. Please be respectful of other campers and keep quiet 10:00 pm–6:00 am.
- Limited space to pitch a tent or park a camper at the school. No power or water hookups. Showers/bathrooms are now in the Fieldhouse
- Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Navarro Mills Lake offer hookups for campers (~30 min from the High School). Reservations usually required.
ONSITE PACKET PICKUP:Register online through the morning of the ride and pick up your packet at the Field House. Packets available after 5:00 pm on Friday, June 19, or 6:00–7:45 am Saturday, June 20. No paper registration onsite — you must register and pay online in advance. Electronic registration stays open on ride day ($55), so you can check in as a pre-registered rider. Please bring a copy of the QR code from your confirmation email (or show it on your phone) to speed up pickup.
ON-SITE (after the ride):Enjoy free snow cones, popcorn, a cold drink, and a hot shower at Italy High School. Camping available at the high school and in the air-conditioned gym.
