ShawneeDispatch.com

Participants in this year's Tour de Shawnee on Sunday will see a little less of the city than usual.

That's because this year's event won't include a 45-mile route, which usually takes the longer-distance cyclists out to the city's far western reaches. Participants still will be able to choose from a 25-mile route, which goes as far west at Monticello Road, and a more family-friendly 12-mile route.

Tonya Lecuru, deputy director of parks and recreation, said some participants have been disappointed to learn that the longest route wouldn't be available for the 19th year of the event.

"The route was eliminated this year due to trying to be budget conscious, and we hope to have it back next year," Lecuru said.

The absence of the long route also may affect the number of participants; the ride has drawn anywhere from 550 to more than 700 registrations in the past few years, with many cyclists using the event in their MS 150 training regimen.

"Unfortunately, registrations are down this year as far as preregistrations, probably because of the long route not being available," Lecuru said. "We're down about 100 or 120 preregistrations."

As it has for the past few years, this year's event will begin and end at the Power Play parking lot on the northeast corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Pflumm Road.

Check-in is at 7 a.m., and the ride begins at 8 a.m.

Registration is $25 per rider and includes a long-sleeved T-shirt, continental breakfast and a box lunch, rest stops, medical assistance and mobile bike repair. Registration forms are still available on the city's Web site, cityofshawnee.org, or at the Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Drive. The period to register by mail has ended, so forms must be hand-delivered to the Civic Centre. Registration also can be completed online at shawneeconnect.org.

While registration is available the day of the event, as well, Lecuru said preregistering was important to guarantee that participants get a T-shirt and a lunch. Proceeds from the event benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.