September 30, 2025
Over 750 cyclists will visit Kannapolis next week as they participate in the 26th Anniversary of the Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour.
With a new route, Cycle North Carolina will travel from Lake Lure to Fort Fisher October 5th to October 11th. With beautiful tourist stops along scenic back roads, the “Mountains to Coast” ride is the highlight of the year for many cyclists from across the nation.
They will arrive in Kannapolis on Monday, October 6 between 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. The cyclists will spend the afternoon visiting the City and camping overnight on the horseshoe at the North Carolina Research Campus. They will leave the City between 7:30 and 8 a.m. on the morning of October 7.
The public is welcome to cheer for the cyclists as they arrive in the City on Monday and again when they leave to begin their next leg of the tour on Tuesday morning. The best location to cheer on the cyclists is at the corner of Laureate Way and North Research Campus Drive.
The City of Kannapolis and the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau are working with downtown Kannapolis business owners and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers to welcome the cyclists and to maximize the economic impact of this event for local businesses and hotels.
The cyclists represent 38 states (AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV) plus Canada, Scotland and England. The youngest cyclist to ride for the entire week is 12 years old, while the oldest participant is 88 years old.
Over the course of the week, riders will bike an average of 67 miles per day. Additional overnight stays are planned in Lincolnton, Asheboro, Fuquay-Varina, Goldsboro and Wallace. The route will also pass through many other towns and communities along the way, including Rutherfordton, Spindale, Ellenboro, Shelby, Catawba, Troutman, Mt Ulla, Gold Hill, Denton, Ramseur, Bear Creek, Moncure, Benson, Four Oaks, Mount Olive, Kenansville, Warsaw, Rose Hill, Burgaw, Rocky Point, Wilmington, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach as they make their way to the finish.
In this year’s tour, bicyclists will experience numerous instances of North Carolina’s unique topography including mountains, ample farmland, several lakes, creeks and winding rivers. Three to four rest stops are scheduled daily to break up the ride and allow riders an opportunity to take a break from pedaling. Some of the featured rest stops which are planned for the ride include Bechtler Mint Historic Park, Ellenboro Train Depot, Triple B Vineyard, Balls Creek Campground, Troutman Depot, Patterson Farm Market, Montgomery General Store, Denton Harrison Park, Lake Reese, The Barn at Woodlake Meadows, The Paisley Barn, Broadslab Distillery, Bentonville Battlefield, Mount Olive Train Depot, Cowan Museum of History and Science, Duplin County Veterans Museum, the World’s Largest Frying Pan, Paul’s Famous Hotdogs, Greenfield Lake and River Road Park.
The Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour is the state’s only fully-supported ride. Luggage is transported in vehicles from one overnight host community to the next; rider support vehicles are available to aid cyclists who experience physical or mechanical trouble; outdoor camping areas with amenities are set-up in overnight host communities; and rest stops will be available every 15-20 miles along the route, with beverages and snacks for all participants. Riders can register for the entire distance, three-day options, or first-day & last-day only options. Online registration is still open at www.ncsports.org!
Hosted by North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS), Cycle North Carolina was developed to promote North Carolina’s scenic beauty, heritage tourism, visitor attractions, historic sites, state parks, fitness, healthy lifestyles and the benefits of bicycling to individuals and our state. During the past 24 years, Cycle North Carolina has stopped overnight in more than 100 North Carolina towns and visited over 800 North Carolina communities.
Cycle North Carolina is presented by Retire NC. Partner organizations of Cycle North Carolina include: BODYARMOR, Truist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Wilmington & Beaches CVB, Bryant Real Estate, Lowes Foods, NC Craft Brewers Guild, Bota Box Breeze and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
For more information on Cycle North Carolina, contact NCAS at (919) 361-1133, or visit the Cycle North Carolina Web site at, www.cyclenorthcarolina.org.
North Carolina Amateur Sports is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that annually organizes the BODYARMOR State Games and Cycle North Carolina. NCAS is dedicated to the promotion of the spirit of amateur sports, physical fitness and health to all ages and skill levels through the participation in organized events which enrich the state of North Carolina. For more information on NCAS and its events, please access www.ncsports.org.
###