It’s a big, big weekend in cycling around the world and right here in the Best State Shaped Like Winter Apparel.
Super Saturday offers up not one but TWO options (count’em) for bike racing here in Michigan. Down south, the Lowell 50 takes its Spring form just a week after the Barry-Roubaix. The gravel grinders will stick to their cross bikes on the 50 mile gravel roads and over the picturesque covered bridges in the greater Lowell area. On of the prettiest bike races around, the Lowell 50 is a slightly flatter version of Barry-Roubaix, but with the added promise of strong winds and group-splitting climbs that hit over 10% in places. The race starts at 10am with the 50 mile category taking off ahead of the 28 mile option just behind.
Up north, Einstein Cycles has called all its men home for the St. Fatty’s Day Fat Bike Race and Expo. The race has moved to offer a solid mountain bike course with a (relatively) skinny tire class for MTBs and CX steeds. The fat bikes will still be out in force, with models from Surly on hand for test rides and even a few to race. Einstein Racing will be in all its glory at Marsh Ridge, sending seven riders including Ron Sanborn, Jorden Wakeley, Ryan Kennedy, Jon Dub-Nine and a host of others. The race hits the line at 2pm for an hour and a half of racing, followed by an expo, awards and live music well into the evening. kolo tc will be on hand all day with photos from the race, the expo and all the hi-jinks in between.
Then, the week of helligen is completed in Belgium as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, aka the Tour of Flanders, finally takes off. It might be the most highly-anticipated edition of the Ronde in recent memory, with the Boonen vs Cancellara rivalry renewed after Tornado Tom took both E3 Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem. Cancellara, at times, appeared the strong of the two at both races, and had almost a minute gap on Tom at E3 before a puncture and a crash knocked him back to a chase group. The Ronde will be live on NBC Universal at 8.30am EST, but Dutch and English livestream links from the Web will be posted here as early as 7am for your viewing pleasure.
A very hearty bon chance to all the Michiganders racing, riding and rolling this weekend. The best of luck to racers at both Lowell 50 and St. Fatty’s, and if you’re heading up north, be sure to grab a kolo tc sticker. Just $3, or free if they don’t sell out by the end of the day.
Allons-y!