JACKSON TWP — The annual Tour de Cure ride hopes to attract more participants this year by adding a new timed event.

The Tour de Cure in its 25th year is organized around the country to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

The Pittsburgh chapter’s event will be July 17 with its headquarters at Seneca Valley High School.

It is open to competitive bicyclists as well as more casual bikers. There are 10-mile, 30-mile, 50-mile and 100-mile routes.

Some of the routes ride through Harmony, Zelienople and McConnells Mill State Park.

New this year will be a Gran Fondo event. Riders doing the 100-mile route will go through three timed portions — ranging from 1.4 miles to 6.3 miles — that are mostly uphill.

Event coordinator Shannon Davis said that the Gran Fondo is the only event of its kind in Western Pennsylvania. The association hopes to pull in more people from outside the region with that.

“We were looking to grow the event, and one way to do that was with the competitive cyclists,” Davis said.

Last year the ride had about 250 riders, while this year organizers hope for more than 400.

The date also was changed. Instead of in May, it was pushed to July to allow cyclists more time with good weather to train, Davis said.

The goal is to raise $225,000 for by the association.

About 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, while another 86 million have prediabetes, meaning they will develop the disease if action is not taken, according to the association’s website.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin.

For information, visit diabetes.org/pittsburghtourdecure.