DES MOINES, Iowa — It’s official the Des Moines Register’s Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is coming back to Siouxland this year.

On Saturday night the organization’s route, the 50th, will depart from Sioux City on July 22 and finish in Davenport on July 29. It will also stop in Storm Lake on Day 1.

The first RABGRAI Route spanned from Sioux City to Davenport. The first RAGBRAI only featured seven towns, starting in Sioux City making stops in Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines and Williamsburg before ending in Davenport.

The 2023 route hits many of the same cities as the first RAGBRAI Event but will not feature Fort Dodge or Williamsburg with Carroll instead taking the Monday slot and the communities of Tama and Toldeo taking the Thursday slot. The Friday slot will be occupied by Coralville with the ride ending in Davenport.

This is the 8th time that Sioux City has been selected as an opening community. This gives Sioux City the distinction of having the most visits from RAGBRAI in its 50-year run. All of the 2023 communities have played host to RAGBRAI at least three times.

The route is exactly 500 miles long, making it the 6th longest route. It also features 16,549 feet of climb, making it the 6th steepest route.