A Colorado Springs man who puts on bike tours mostly in the southern part of Chile will be the new leader of RAGBRAI.
Dieter Drake will become the ride's new director on December 16th ahead of the journey next summer. Bikers will go across the state from July 19th through the 25th.
Drake is a cycling event organizer with 16 years of competitive and non-competitive cycling experience. He has coordinated technical operations, execution, staffing, tourism and route planning for over 100 cycling events.
“Bicycling and organizing cycling events are my passions and I'm honored to have the opportunity to be a part of this great tradition in Iowa,” Drake told WHO-TV Channel 13. “I appreciate the community that has been built around this event and the passion Iowans have for it and look forward to doing my part to preserve it.”
Drake most recently owned, promoted and coordinated cycling events such as Tour of the Battenkill, Tour of the Catskills and Cycle Chile. Drake currently lives with his family in Colorado Springs and will move to Iowa for the job.
Drake's hiring comes after the resignation of former director T.J. Juskiewicz, who resigned with much of the RAGBRAI staff in October to start Iowa's Ride.
(Photo: WHO-TV Channel 13)