Dana Point Hosts Grand Prix of Cycling on Cinco De Mayo

The fastest cyclists in the U.S. will be blazing through downtown Dana Point all day Sunday for the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling concurrent with the city's Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Brad Fowler of the city's public works department said the event will host 800 bicyclists of all calibers and is expected to draw thousands of spectators. The pros start at 4 p.m., but the races start at 7 a.m.

The short, eight-tenths-of-a-mile closed course emphasizes speed, Fowler said.

"They'll be rounding corners every 90 seconds, whipping around curves," he said. "It's kind of the NASCAR of bicycle racing."

There will be a free kids' race at the beginning and plenty of family-friendly activities, Fowler said.

Cash raised from the race will go to the Boys & Girls Club. Last year the race raised enough to buy 50 bikes for kids' Christmas presents. The Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation is one of the lead sponsors of the event and aims to keep kids active by promoting the sport, Fowler said.

The nearby Cinco de Mayo festival will ramp up at 10 a.m. with free live music, booths and craft beer for sale all day.

Fowler said the city is trying to keep event parking separate from the harbor, so park on the streets around Pacific Coast Highway and up and down the lantern streets.