Get out your baggies, flannel and steel, it’s Singlespeed Night at Speed of Light. The second round of June’s four themed WorldTour events, it’s one for the gearless Thursday. After what could be two days of rain, the trail should be fast and packed for the SS specialists, with a dozen or so riders expected to battle for the title of King of the Singlespeeds.

It’s a title two riders have early claim. Steve Andriese is a SS legend, and always sets the mark. He’ll be a big favorite on the line, and there won’t be an on the line that won’t discreetly check his gear ratio. His chief rival is Kyle Macdermaid, who is already back to form after a lingering shoulder injury knocked him out of much of the May campaign.

Behind those two, Einstein Racing-Short’s Brewing boasts Jason Whittaker, Craig Fortuna and a 50/50 chance of Cody Sovis on his All City Nature Boy. Sovis just finished his Bearclaw Bicycle Co. Balthazar with B+ wheels, and he’s using the next few rides to dial in the rig.

Andriese’s Hagerty teammate Kyle Smith will certainly figure into things aboard his freshly constructed SS Niner.

Some of the top end of the field will be missing, with a number of big names skipping to keep the legs fresh ahead of Saturday’s Lumberjack 100. It’s a prime chance for the Myers Brothers to get back in the WorldTour mix after going 1-2 at an action packed and very close Giro Competition.

It’s also the debut of miniSOL, a 6 mile version for #youths under 16. We’re expecting a dozen punks to take off 1 minute behind the bigwigs, and YOU can watch for results and a recap on Friday.

Next week is an important one, with Cyclocross Night coming along with the KEEN Cook-Out post ride at the Bunker Hill Parking Lot.