The riders were serious, no matter their level of experience. (Photos by Peter Lindner. Click to enlarge)

Last Sunday’s Tour de Fair Haven went a long way toward solidifying the borough’s place among bicycle-racing aficionados as the real deal, race organizer Michele Berger tells redbankgreen.

With more than $15,000 in prize money this year — a fivefold increase from the $3,000 handed out at the inaugural 2009 edition of the event — the tour attracted an estimated 525 racers, or about 100 more than anticipated, Berger said.

One came from Switzerland, another from New Zealand, and every state east of the Mississippi is believed to have been represented.

The prize package was second in size among New Jersey races, following the Tour of Somerville, the state’s oldest bike race.

“Overall, it was a big success,” Berger says. “The money helped us attract some big names. Pretty much all the races were 95 percent packed to the limit.”

The only shortcoming, he said, was that the event did not attact the number of female racers event organizers wanted. “So we have to work a little harder for next year or call that off,” he said.

The race results are here.