HILLSBOROUGH: Top-flight bicyclists to ride through township

   More than 100 competitive cyclists from around the world will tackle a grueling 75-mile trek through 11 towns during the 19th annual Frank “Nap” Torpey Hills of Somerset bicycle race on Saturday, May 26.
   Many of these same riders will then compete in the Ferrero USA 69th Annual Tour of Somerville, America’s oldest, continuously run bicycle race, on Memorial Day.
   Professional and top-flight amateur racers from as far away as Canada, New England, California, Russia and South America will take on the course, which begins and ends this year in front of the Somerset County Administration Building at 20 Grove Street in Somerville. A change in this year’s route will also see the riders leaving County Route 518 and heading on Route 206 north for a short distance before entering River Road in Montgomery Township.
   Starting at 9 a.m. and accompanied by police vehicles, the Hills of Somerset peleton will roll through Somerville, Raritan, Branchburg, Hillsborough, Montgomery, Millstone, Manville, Bridgewater, Warren, Watchung, and Bernards Township. before returning to Somerville some three hours later.
   ”This is an exciting event in the spirit and color of European road races like the Tour de France,” said race director Vince Menci.
   The race is named in honor of the late Frank “Nap” Torpey, a Somerville native and former Johnson & Johnson executive .
   The tour is expected through Hillsbrough between 9:10 and 9:20 a.m. on Studiford Drive and South Branch Road, and then on to E. Mountain/Amwell Road and into Montgomery.
   Expected finish back in Somerville is after 11:30 a.m.