Posts Tagged ‘USA Cycling Professional Championships’

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US Professional Championships leaving Greenville

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

UPDATE: New story link added

I knew the time would come. Really the presence of the USA Cycling Professional Championships has always been tenuous here in Greenville. Now that tension is broken as word is out that the event will move to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2013.

Perhaps it was the fact that Philadelphia had hosted the event for a couple of decades lulled us into thinking that the event might find a new home that could give it the same longevity. However, the hints came early that the event was more likely to be “shopped” around on a regular basis.

Seems like just yesterday this sign appeared in Cleveland Park

I remember distinctly the behind the scenes movements to get the race to come back to Greenville. It seemed that each year was another crisis. While on the outside it was given a positive spin, behind the scenes it was pretty clear that at any moment the decision could come down from USA Cycling to move to a new venue.

It wasn’t a matter of Greenville being a good venue. The racing was good. The hospitality was great. Medalist Sports clearly stated they liked the Greenville locale. It all seemed to balance on money and exposure. Would USA Cycling keep looking for ever greener grass after getting loose from the corral in Pennsylvania?

Could we have kept the event? Well, the simple answer to that is that with enough money, sure we could have. However, I wonder if ultimately even money could have kept the event here. Beyond money is the opportunity to expose new audiences to the sport and bring the freshness and excitement that a new venue brings.

So, good for you, Chattanooga. Having the USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial Championships in your city will be something you will enjoy. It is a wonderful opportunity for you and as one friend said, “At least it will stay in the south!”

We shouldn’t mind too much here in Greenville. We enjoyed the race for several years. We’ve proven we can handle world class cycling events. Who knows, if USA Cycling continues to take this approach, we may see the pros racing down Main Street once again.

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Really? I won’t race

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Yesterday I commented on how often I have been asked about doping in cycling over the last week. There is another question I’ve been asked over the last couple of days. My first response to the questions is incredulity. Then I realize how the question reflects how far cycling has to go in the USA.

“Are you racing in the big race coming to town this weekend?”

No. I am not. Asking me that question is like asking if the guys in the local church softball league are planning on playing in a series against a major league baseball team. On a very good day, I might make it to the base of Paris Mountain sitting in the group of these professional riders, but there is no doubt in my mind I would be left behind on the climb to the top.

I don’t blame people for asking that question. Cycling is a very hard sport to get an understanding of unless you have participated in the sport. Stand me up beside a professional rider and the uninitiated probably couldn’t tell much of a difference.

Put us on the bikes and that all changes. It is hard to explain, but the professional would simply ride me into the ground. His training and fitness allow him to create and maintain more power. The power I can create and maintain for 20 minutes, he would be able to hold for hours.

The down side to this is that I don’t think professional riders get the credit they deserve from the general population. It isn’t that people think cycling is easy. It is more that they just don’t know how hard it actually is.

Well, if you want some idea of what it is like to be a professional cyclist, take your bicycle to the Furman side of Altamont road. Start at the bottom and ride up it as fast as you can. You cannot stop. No matter how rotten you feel, you must push your way to the top. If you make it up in 18 minutes, pat yourself on the back.

Now, turn around and ride down the winding road as fast as you can. You thought going up was hard! If you have the guts to take those corners without braking, I bet there will be numerous times you will have your heart in your throat!

Once at the bottom, repeat the above sequence four times. Trust me, you won’t do 18 minutes again. If you really give it your all, you will probably find yourself feeling sick by the time you reach the top on the second or third attempt.

Consider that a top professional will do those four climbs in half the time. It doesn’t mean that he can do that without breaking a sweat. There are times when a professional will feel the same sensations that you might during one of your climbs. The difference is that when he feels that way, he is going much, much faster and can ride well beyond the point where we would get off the bike and start pushing.

The up side to this is that it shows just how grass roots cycling is as a sport. Do baseball fans, basketball fans, etc. have the opportunity to train on in the same facilities as those they enjoy watching on TV? Do you have the opportunity to end up throwing baseball with a major league star who just so happens to show up in a local park? It is that common experience that fans can have with the pros that is unique to cycling.

So, no, I won’t be racing this weekend in the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship. I will be there for the SC State Road Race Championship. I’ll be racing for about 54 miles. The pros will go for 115.

Finally, let me add… even some amateur racers in our area could put in a good show with some of the pros. There are racers in the area that may one day be professional. There are some others whose time to make that cut is past, but can rise to a level beyond your typical weekend warrior.

That is one of the beauties of professional cycling. It is all relative. We all get to know what it is like to suffer. It is just that some are faster while they suffer.

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Yo, are you a pro?

Friday, September 17th, 2010

There is quite the excitement building up here in Greenville in advance of the 2010 USA Cycling Professional Championships. Tomorrow the Time Trial gets underway and then on Sunday it is the race that people in G-Vegas will be able to get up close and personal with — the road race. Just take a ride out around town and you’ll know something is up.

It isn’t just the banners that hang from the light and power poles. It isn’t just the various team vehicles that you see parked at hotels or moving slowly down Main Street. One of the most obvious signs that something is up are the numerous people you see out riding bikes… and they ain’t from around here.

Yesterday evening I went for a ride that included a portion of the road race course. I’m used to seeing people when I make this loop, but typically I recognize them or at least their colors as some local club or team. This time I was seeing people I did not recognize and who had this look on their face that gave the impression this was new territory for them.

The thing that made me chuckle was the times people would see me go by and out of the corner of my eye, I could tell they were “checking me out.” I was being subjected to a “Pro Scan.” This happened numerous times in the 20 or so miles I rode.

The “Pro Scan” is when people see you coming and you see them looking at you with an intent look on their face. Then as you are going by, their eyes follow you with squinting eyes. The unspoken question is, “Yo, are you a pro?”

Obviously, I am not. However, my POA Cycling Team kit is pretty awesome. I think any pro team would be cool with wearing the outfit. It certainly gives off a professional vibe. I think that is why it gets the attention.

The coolest thing about this weekend is that you actually do have the opportunity to do a Pro Scan with a positive result. There are pros all about the place. You see some alone on the streets within the city and others riding together out in the rural areas or over Paris Mountain.

I’m really going to miss the excitement of those days. The closer we get to them the more I remember the fun of last year. Oh well, for me personally, the Ride for Mike is a much more important event. I’m certain once I get zeroed in on starting that adventure, the excitement will far exceed what I would feel during USPros.

You all have fun! I’m leaving out tomorrow morning. I’ll be following my Twitter pals to keep up with what is happening in the races. Please keep the tweets coming!

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Could someone take the place of this bum?

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

It is August 10. That means there are only 10 more days until I can take my bike back on the road again and 39 days until I head out to Memphis to begin the 2010 Ride for Mike. That also means there are only 39 days until the USA Cycling Professional Championships come to Greenville.

That is right. I’m going to miss the South Carolina Road Race Championship and the events with the USPros. I didn’t start out to plan it that way, it was just a matter of not having an option. That weekend is such a blast! I hate to miss it.

However, I do want to help out here. Actually, the truth is, I feel guilty. I want to encourage you to help out volunteer organizer extraordinaire, Kimberly Morgan, as she helps make this event in Greenville a success. Perhaps you can help out since I am skipping out on her.

Here is an email she sent out recently…

Hello, everyone!

I certainly hope that this email finds you enjoying this hot but great Summer. I am, once again, the volunteer director for the USA Professional Cycling Championships that will roll into Greenville for the 5th year this September 18th and 19th.

If you are getting this email, please feel free to forward it on to anyone and everyone that you think might be interested in helping us out for the weekend’s activities; tweet and FB for me, too. I will need 100 volunteers on Saturday the 18th for the ITT which will be at CU-ICAR and I will need closer to 200 for Sunday’s road race that will climb over Paris Mountain and run through downtown several times!

My biggest need is always Course Marshals, and I am ready to begin placing you where you want to be! The city of Greenville is allowing us to use their computer system to register volunteers, so here are the directions to sign up for this year:

1. Fill out an application at: http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?AP=1947161640

2. You can click on an organization that you are affiliated with or choose none for you out-of-towners…

3. A confirmation with your password and directions will be sent to you within 24-48 hours from Elane Fleming, Greenville’s Volunteer Director for ALL city events.

4. Once you log in and complete your info, you will have access to choose the position and day you would like to help me with. There is a PDF file on the HOME page of each volunteer’s account that has directions on how to use the system. But, as long as you are registered, I will be able to contact you as well. And if you do not want to be contacted by the city for future volunteer opportunities, make sure you check that box to opt out of that as well.

Lastly, if you need me for specific USA Pro info, please feel free to use my USPro email:

kimberlym@usacyclingchampionships.com

Have a great Friday and a fabulous weekend! I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon!

Kimberly

So, how about a little help here? You don’t even need to be a cyclist. Kimberly can find a spot for you and you can learn a lot about this incredible sport during a very exciting event that is helping to put Greenville on the map.

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USA Cycling Professional Championships a go in Greenville

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Would have loved to attend the press conference yesterday for the official announcement of the USA Cycling Professional Championships to be held here in Greenville, September 18 and 19. So, I went out on the Web today to see what I could find about it and here are some links for your reading enjoyment. Welcome back to Greenville, professional cycling!

GHS Cycling championship set for another year in Greenville
GreenvilleOnline.com

“The people do vote with their feet in many respects, and they come out in droves,” Mayor Knox White said Wednesday during a press conference at Falls Park.

“That’s the really wonderful thing about this sport for Greenville, South Carolina. People are adopting it, embracing it in their day-to-day lives throughout the entire year by becoming cyclists themselves, and then when the event happens, it’s the only sport I can think of where in some cases, people don’t even have to leave their homes.”

Greenville looks forward to the USA Cycling Championships
CarolinaCyclingNews.com

According to Chris Aronhalt, Managing Partner of Medalist Sports, the USA Cycling Professional Championships have continued to gain popularity with each passing year, and last year, drew nearly 75,000 spectators over the course of the event weekend. Aronhalt attributes the Championships’ popularity to several factors: level of competition and terrain, community and sponsor support and the variety of events and activities that take place over the course of the weekend. “There is no question that this event offers fans an opportunity to see the nation’s best professional cyclists compete and that Greenville provides an ideal setting to host the Championships,” said Aronhalt. “In addition to that, however, I think the fact that fans are not kept at arm’s length, but rather can be actively engaged in the event, is a significant aspect of its appeal.”

USA Pro Cycling Championship Coming to Upstate
WYFF.com

For the 5th year in a row, the USA Cycling Professional Championship is making its home in the Upstate.

Interestingly enough, there was not any coverage on the larger news sources such as CyclingNews.com, Velonews.com, or even USACycling.org. I believe this is because this initial press conference is focused on getting the ball rolling on some local initiatives. The push for more national — and international — attention will come later.

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Who needs race radio when you have Twitter?

Monday, August 31st, 2009

What a satisfying day! Greenville was all abuzz with the USA Cycling Road Race Championship.  We learned that the race would return in 2010! That was just the platter… the cake and the icing was that George Hincapie won the Stars and Stripes jersey and will be representing as champion the US and his town, Greenville, for the next year.

It was fun to get out and see the action first hand, but you can be in an information hole when you are sitting up on top of Paris Mountain waiting for the peloton to come.  How do you keep up the action going on downtown?  Enter the age of Twitter!

Check out the action with these Twitter reporters (you’ll find that the more time that passes since this was published, the farther back you will have to go): BikeHugger, NeilRoad, PodiumInsight, WilliamDorn, DHMruz, USACPRO, and don’t forget BroomWagon.  These were just a few of the fans along the route (and in the media cars and media room) keeping us fans on the course informed.  You can also check out the hash tags – USPROS, USPRO, and USPROCYCLING.

Speaking with William Dorn last night, I mentioned it might be cool next year to organize things a bit more.  We could post “reporters” and different strategic places around the course.  We could all post to a common Twitter account – or probably best at hash tag – the information from that spot.  Add that to the chase car stuff from the lucky guys able to follow the race from there, and you could have a great way for fans to follow the event.

Other thoughts…

I’m excited to know that the USA Cycling Professional Championships will be coming back in 2010. I think Greenville is on the cusp of really finding a niche for cycling on the east coast.  It isn’t going to be without pain though.  It is definitely a cultural shift for many people.  That isn’t to say that cycling isn’t open to everyone.  I’m certainly as straight-laced and conservative as they come.  That isn’t the type of cultural shift I’m talking about.

What I am talking about is the willingness to accommodate bicycles in our community.  It is obvious that the city leaders recognize this.  Steps are being taken to win Greenville “bike friendly city” status.  This is a great step.  However, it is the willingness of the larger county region to accept – or at least tolerate – cyclist of all types that is needed.

Greenville is a natural place to ride a bike.  Now when people say Greenville in relationship to cycling, they don’t tag on the South Carolina.  A simple Greenville suffices.  That isn’t going to change.  Cycling will continue to grow here.  With that growth will come some tension.  Hopefully, the good of cycling will ultimately win the day.

Please, wear your helmet! While on Paris Mountain, I spent some time talking with a group of spectators.  Soon after a couple of those in the group headed down the Furman side of Altamont Road.  As they neared the end one of them got entangled with another rider.  He went down and hit his head.  He didn’t have a helmet.  He did receive head trauma and had to be immobilized.

It shows the importance of wearing your helmet – even when you think you are just a spectator.  When we start those two wheels rolling, we are no longer spectators – we are participants.  We need to be prepared – our lives may depend on it.

Reliving the day!

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Big time racing comes to Greenville – where to watch

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

Tomorrow is the USA Cycling Professional Championships.  Greenville is crawling with professional cyclists and bicycle lovers.  I’m not sure the rest of Greenville has caught onto the great coup this is for the city, but the cycling community certainly knows and we’re crossing our fingers for the future.  But, hey, let’s just enjoy what we have for today!

First, I’m compiling for you links to some of the official stuff out there concerning the race.  No need repeating what more knowledgeable people can tell you.  Enjoy!

I’ve also added a link to the official USA Cycling Professional Championships Twitter.  There has been a good amount of Twitter traffic concerning the event and a number of Twitter cycling fans will be meeting this afternoon.  I’m hoping I can stop by and meet some of the characters behind the 140 characters or less.

Now, where to watch the race Sunday?  Well, the obvious place is anywhere on Paris Mountain.  If you can get there early enough, you can find some spots on the shoulder that are large enough to set up a little picnic.  However, much of the road has narrow shoulders and peoples’ front lawns.

If you want to get up close and personal with the racers, then find a spot along the Furman side of the mountain.  They’ll be going slower up this stretch than they will be anywhere else on the course.  Still, slow is a relative term, 14 to 15 mph can seem pretty fast when a bike is going past you.

If you want to see them get up speed and scare you to death, then find a spot along the State Park Road side of the mountain.  There are more homes in this area, but there are still some spots you could set up a couple chairs and a cooler.  They’ll be screaming fast at this point.  No doubt they could hit as fast as 60 mph as they come off the mountain.  Wow!

You have to be careful on the mountain though, because you can get trapped up there and miss other parts of the race.  Of course, you could be downtown where all the organized action is going on.  Even if you don’t stay there for long, be sure to take in the atmosphere near the start finish line.  You might even be able to pick you up some nice cycling swag while you are there.

However, there are a couple of spots that I found last year that were pretty cool.  There weren’t a lot of spectators in these areas, but the terrain made it so that I was able to get a good view of the racers as they past.  They also were pretty comfortable spots.

This turn on Woodland Way Circle is my favorite spot.  It is shaded and on a slight climb.  The turn allows you to see the pros coming straight at you and then they turn right in front of you.  Take a look at this street view and you can see how you can catch them coming and going.  In the past this has also been right after a feed zone.  That makes it interesting as well.

Another spot that I enjoyed was on North Main.  This is a place of the course that most people don’t talk much about.  However, it can be a tough spot for these pros.  It happens near the end of the lap and the course has some pretty big rollers here.  Here is one of the spots that I used to take in some of the suffering near the end of the race last year.  Move up and down the street with this view and you can see the grade.

Here is another place on North Main where I think it would be cool if you could get in this little traffic divider area.  Imagine sitting at the tip of this thing watching the racers get ready to climb the hill behind you.  My guess is they’ll be flying at this point as they are coming down a hill and trying to get momentum for the climb to come.

If you can, bring you bike.  I found it helpful to be able to cycle from point-to-point.  With five laps, it is possible to move from one location to the next and catch the action from different views.  You will want to finish the race at the start finish.  It can be pretty exciting.  You will also have a better idea what is happening in the race as the announcer will have access to race radio and give you updates.

I hope this will be a bit of help to you.  Maybe I’ll see you out there!

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Where did the pros go?

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

All this talk about the USA Cycling Professional Championships got me looking back at some old posts I have about the course.  I found the following video of the climb up Altamont Road on Paris Mountain.  It was my very first video to post to YouTube.com (and you can tell it). Still, if you are not familiar with the climb, this gives you a blow by blow view.

I did make it on my bike yesterday.  First, it was the mountain bike.  Much of my afternoon was spent trying to mark out a course for a 5K run.  I kept trying different configurations to come up with the proper distance.  It was pretty frustrating and I was dripping with sweat.  So, when I got home I figured I would just jump on the road bike and cool down.

Okay, I admit, I was kind of hoping to run across some pros.  I heard that Ted King was in town and had been riding with George earlier.  One guy mentioned how as he as going up Paris Mountain a rider in a Cervelo kit came flying around him on the way to the top.

I did see a couple of riders as I was making my way through downtown.  However, once I got on Old Buncombe (following the USPros course), I didn’t see another cyclist – on a bike at least – for the rest of the ride.  There was one time just before turning up Altamont Road that a truck slowed beside me and kept pace with me.  “What’s up with that?” I thought and looked over.  It was a local rider with a phone camera.  He snapped the picture and said, “Gotcha’ Pait!”

This time I was saving my legs.  I eased my way to the top with a 16 minute time.  The pros are going to come pretty close to halving that on Saturday.  Word is that George Hincapie just recently had his best time up the hill.  That would be somewhere around 8 minutes and 30 seconds.  Even the pros getting shelled out the back on the climb are going to be putting out times around 10 minutes.

The human body is pretty amazing.  I try to imagine having the power to do what those guys do.  To me it would be almost like sprinting up the road!

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Traffic and location information for USA Cycling events in Greenville

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 24, 2009) – This weekend expect thousands of cyclists, from children on tricycles to Tour de France veterans on time trial machines, will descend upon downtown Greenville for the 4th annual Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships. Some roadways will be impacted by all the hoopla surrounding the Championships – professional bicycle races, elite handcycling races, recreation events and Health & Wellness Expo.  Event organizers want to make sure that any changes in traffic patterns for motorists will minimize impact on business owners, residents and spectators for this national sporting event, August 29 and 30.

Parking, road detours and rolling road blocks have been identified for both days – the Individual Time Trial on Saturday, August 29 at Clemson University – International Center for Automotive Research, and the Road Race on Sunday, August 30 in downtown Greenville. Traffic along the courses will be managed by the Greenville Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and South Carolina Highway Patrol. The dual championship is managed by Medalist Sports.

Parking for the Individual Time Trial will be located at the CU-ICAR facilities off Laurens Road. This area will host a closed-course time trial for both professional cyclists and elite handcyclists. The U.S. Handcycling Series, presented by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, begins at 8:30 a.m.  The USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championship, presented by Duke Energy, will begin at 11:30 a.m.  Spectators should access the facility from Laurens Road by turning onto Millennium Blvd., located to the south of I-85. Parking is located at the parking deck at Innovation Place.

The USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, using rolling roadblocks to restrict traffic along the official race route for the professional cyclists and official caravan vehicles.  The course will consist of a total of 10 circuits – three short start laps in the downtown area, four longer laps over Paris Mountain, and conclude with three finish laps in the downtown area. A downtown area that will be closed during the entire race is a section in the West End that includes Main Street from Augusta Street to Court Street and Broad Street from Laurens Street to Falls Street. Residents are encouraged to use alternate routes during race hours in order to avoid any delays.

The area near the intersection of Main Street and Broad Street  will be the site of the Health and Wellness Expo from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Greenville Hospital System, the title sponsor for the championships, will provide a hand cycling demonstration and activities with Safe Kids. Other event sponsors in the expo include Hincapie Sportswear (merchandise trailor), AVF Creations (photo booth), Soby’s (special Sunday Block Party), Café-ine (coffee drinks for purchase) and Novartis (complimentary blood pressure readings and fire truck display). There will also be interactive activities for children, including face painting, fair hair, and bounce house.

Maps of both race courses and tips on enjoying the action are available at the official event website, www.usacyclingchampionships.com. Below are some high traffic areas that will be affected by the race caravan, and the areas where the general public and spectators should pay close attention:

1. Buncombe Street/Pete Hollis Blvd. and Rutherford Street

·            Pete Hollis Boulevard headed into the downtown area will be blocked at Old Buncombe as the race passes.

·            Rutherford Street will be blocked as the race passes at Buncombe Street

2. Pleasantburg Drive

·            Pleasantburg Drive/Hwy. 291 will be stopped between Rutherford Road and Piney Mountain Road as the race passes.

3. Start/Finish Circuits

·            Cleveland Park will be closed for the first 30 minutes (3 laps) and final 30 minutes (3 laps) of the race.  Roads impacted include Broad St, Main St, River St, McBee Ave, Falls St, McDaniel Ave. Cleveland Park Dr., Lakehurst, Woodland Way, Woodland Way Circle, Ridgeland Dr., Cleveland St,  and E. Camperdown Way.

4. Paris Mountain

·            Altamont Road over Paris Mountain will be closed to all non-residential traffic during the entire race.

Closures on all affected roadways will begin several minutes in advance of the cyclists and race caravan. The roads will reopen once the final support vehicles pass a given location.  Law enforcement officers and race marshals will staff all intersections. Any local drivers who encounter the race should obey the directions of law enforcement personnel to ensure the safety of the public and race participants. Emergency vehicles will have full access to the course at all times.

Sunday’s USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship is expected to finish between 5:00 and 5:45 p.m.  An awards ceremony will follow the conclusion of the race. Earlier in the day the Palmetto Peloton Project will hold its fourth annual fundraiser bicycle ride, Stars and Stripes Challenge.   This recreational bicycle ride offers a long ride option on the same route as the pros, which will begin at Camperdown Way and Main at 7:30 a.m. A much shorter Family Fun Ride will begin at 10:00 a.m. in Falls Park. For registration and more details visit www.usacyclingchampionships.com.

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Getting buzzed – by a car, that is

Monday, August 24th, 2009

One thing I did not mention in the account of Saturday’s ride was the buzzing we received from a driver in an El Camino.  The event got me to thinking about the recent escalation of rhetoric from both cyclists and drivers. I realize there are some issues, but we really have it better than we sometimes think.

We had just turned onto a road after stopping at a stop sign to let some traffic by.  After turning right we began to sort into a double line.  Then came the simultaneous calls of “Car Back!” and “Car Up!”.  In our group ride, that means everyone is to move into a single file line.

The majority of us had managed to get in the line but a couple of riders were still finding their gap when the car behind us throttled it and came flying around us.  I could feel the draft from off the car as he came around.  He reached the middle of our group just as the car coming toward us met him.  It was a narrow squeeze!

An interesting perspective from a French rider who has joined us for several rides.  He came up beside me.  “Ah, one thing I am not used to in America is how slow the cars go.”  He indicated that he meant the cars coming around riders.  “In France…” he gestured emphatically at the El Camino speeding off into the distance, “that is France!”  Maybe we Greenville riders have it better than we think we do.

Frankly, I prefer the guy who comes around fast to the car that just sits back there and you keep wondering if he will ever come around.  Different people respond in different ways.  It has been my experience that the vast majority of drivers and cyclists do try to coexist.  There are those drivers who are mad at everyone – cyclists included.  There are also those cyclists who ride with a chip on their shoulders.  It is that minority that typically frames the debate.

We could live in Iowa where there are efforts from some citizens to ban riders from the rural roads.  I don’t believe it will happen, but it does show that there are people out there willing to take action to attempt to free the roads of cyclists.  At least for us it is merely complaining on the editorial page of The Greenville News.

Now this week we will find the roads even more active with cyclists.  With the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship coming up this weekend, the roads around Paris Mountain will swell with cycling enthusiasts and and professional teams.  While the word has been spread, I’m sure there will be many drivers who will find it a surprise.

For a few hours the cyclists have the road

For a few hours the cyclists have the road

I’m not here to preach at everyone about how we should treat each other.  Personally, I think there will always be an uneasy relationship between cyclists and drivers – just as there are for drivers and bikers.  However we do it, we’re going to have to learn to live together on roads.

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