RANCHO MIRAGE — Make no mistake. Tour de Palm Springs is not designed only for some of the world’s greatest bicyclists. The annual event, which attracts thousands embraces athletes of all abilities and disabilities.

United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire (UCPIE), and Tour de Palm Springs organizers will present nine children with mobility disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, their very own adaptive bicycle.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood.

About one in 323 children has been identified with CP according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

The event, organized by Coachella Valley Serving People in Need (CVSPIN), was created by Tim Esser to help local charities raise the necessary money to carry out their missions for a better Coachella Valley.

“The Tour de Palm Springs has been a venue not only to raise much needed funds but also to raise awareness in the broader community toward the abilities of children with disabilities. I know of no other cycling event in the nation where kids with mobility disabilities can cycle along 10,000 serious cyclists from all over the world” said UCPIE Director of Program Services, Sofia Campos.

UCPIE joined the Palm Springs event Springs in 2012 to create the first special needs team of children for the Tour de Palm Springs. Through being a proud participating charity for the annual event UCPIE has successfully grown its team and fundraising efforts from just a few pledges with one child in 2012 to over 150 participants in February of this year and raising a record $52,000 fifty two thousand dollars through the Tour de Palm Springs!

“This is exactly why the Tour de Palm Springs was created” said Tour de Palm Springs Board President, Aftab Dada. “Since 1999, the Tour de Palm Springs has had a legacy of giving to our local Coachella Valley charities. UCPIE partnering with the Tour de Palm Springs is a wonderful example of what can happen when the community comes together for the benefit of others.”

The cycling event will be Feb. 9, 2019 in downtown Palm Springs