2025 Inductee

DAVID THOMPSON

CATEGORY: Promoters & Organizers

David was active in cycling, both competitive and non-competitive in the Quad Cities. He was an active QCBC board member and helped design safe cycling routes in and around the Quad Cities. In 1999 he accepted the position of Director of the Quad Cities Olympic Road Race and Time Trials from long time Race Coordinator Terry Burke. Working with the Quad Cities Olympic Committee and the Quad Cities Bicycle Club David promoted bike racing in the Quad Cities as part of the Quad Cities Olympic Games. Dave served as Director from 1999 through 2023. In addition to working with the Quad Cities Olympic Games he started the QCBC’s Time Trial Club Championships and in coordination with the Cornbelt Running Club re-started the Quad Cities Du-State-Du Championships. 

 An avid cyclist himself, by 2019 he had accumulated over 225,000 miles cycling and had ridden in 49 of the 50 states and several countries.

David’s interest in racing included both local racing as well as international racing. In 2015 he traveled to Richmond to watch the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road Race Champions. He used the knowledge he gained from observing how other Race Directors planned their races and applied what he saw to the Quad Cities Olympic Time Trials and Road Race.  

Although, some years the number of participants at the Senior Olympics was low, the races were always conducted to high standards, which was acknowledged by the racers. With the help of his wife, Melinda, David also was able to compete in some of the races (some years) often finishings on the podium. Melinda was his number one assistant at the races.

For those who are not familiar with the QC Olympic racing, the courses were a 25k Road Race held in Rapid City, IL and a 10k Time Trial held in Preemption, IL. Although each of the races were conducted at the same time for all participants, results were tabulated by age groups.

In 2021 David was elected to the Quad Cities Senior Olympics for his association with the Quad Cities Senior Olympics for over 20 years as athlete and Director of the Senior Olympics Road Race and Time Trials. Rhonda Elsbury QCSO Board member wrote: “On behalf of the QCSO Board David thank you for your participation with us for 20 years and being a fine and respected leader for the cycling events. Best wishes for all of your next adventures.”  

2025 Inductee

DAVID HOLMES

CATEGORY: Promoters & Organizers

Why are some bicycling events so much more popular than others? Those events

 which seems to draw cyclists from afar and of state, country and even international reputation? One important factor, perhaps above all others, has to be the personal experience of the organizers in racing themselves. Which brings us to our inductee for excellence in event organizing, David Holmes.

Dave’s vast experience as a cyclist was impressive. To list only a few, illustrate his range of events and also his experience of what contributes to events of excellence.

•      Furnace Creek 508 RAAM Qualifier

•      Bicycle Across Missouri (BAM) 550 miles in 47 hours

•      Litchfield CDC 400 miles in 24 hours

•      Race Across Iowa (RAI) 325 miles in 23 hours

•      Paris Brest Paris (PBP) 750 miles in 63 hours

•      Countless brevets of 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K

Dave held most of his events in his hometown of Eldridge, IA and there were many.

The motel parking lot was bursting with cars, sporting license plates from all over the Midwest and a smattering from each coast. There were riders at one time or another from; Japan, Austria, Australia, Canada and other countries.

He did everything he could to make his races first class. Always, arrangements were made with local hotels for registration and/or lodging. Restaurants were a short distance away, local police informed and all of the minutia which it takes for racers to focus on their riding. Food at check points was always quality and abundant. He always had plenty of volunteers willing to help support him, which speaks well of how people related to him. His trophies for awarding riders were worthy of display.

Everything was just first class.

David was a long-serving Regional Brevet Administrator for RUSA (Randonneurs USA)

Organized the World 24 Hour Challenge

Organized the RAI (Race Across Iowa)

Organized the Firecracker 500 RAAM Qualifier

Provided Randonneuring brevets for years out of Eldridge

World Ultra Cycling Association unanimously inducted David into its Hall of Fame.

Dave, killed when run over by the trailer of a semi while on his bike in July of 2004, was mourned by fellow lovers of the sport of endurance cycling at the local, national and international level.

•      Cedar Valley Cyclists of Cedar Rapids, IA held a memorial ride in his honor following Dave’s favorite 200K brevet route. A total of 45 Ohio, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin participated.

•      He was recognized for his service to ultra cycling by Randonneurs USA in their August 2004 issue of American Randonneur magazine at his passing.