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Tulsa Tough Starts Friday

Matt Trotter
/
KWGS

The 12th annual Saint Francis Tulsa Tough is this weekend.

The cycling festival is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the bicycle this year. Tulsa Tough Director Malcolm McCollam said by the end of the 1800s, the bicycle looked a lot like today's models and could finally be ridden by women wearing skirts and dresses.

"And it gave women unprecedented mobility. So much so that Susan B. Anthony … she said, 'It has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.'" McCollam said.

Saint Francis COO Barry Steichen said the Tulsa Tough Divas cycling team is a good example of how the cycling event is an effort to improve community health.

"Designed to be approachable and accessible to women of all ages and skill levels, the divas have seen year-over-year growth in their membership and, in turn, has made it easier than ever for women to take that first step — or pedal — into improving their health through cycling," Steichen said.

Nearly 5,000 cyclists from all over the world are expected, but there's a noticeable local youth movement.

"Never in my 35 year riding career as an amateur here in Tulsa have I seen so many youth so actively involved in cycling," McCollam said.

Those young racers include 15-year-old Hannah Jordan, a former Make-A-Wish child now racing competitively, and 9-year-old Evan Coles, who's in his third year racing in the juniors category.

Tulsa Tough includes professional and amateur races, community rides and family events.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.