Speed of Light is a weekly free mountain bike race at the Vasa Pathway in Traverse City.

The 2024 Speed of Light season runs June 6 – September 12.

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Why We Need Speed of Light

SOL is meant to be a free, accessible to kind of race without having to travel or cough up entry fees. It’s meant to be competitive while being good-natured, inclusive and fun. You might race other people, but the real goal is to improve your own time and your own fitness. It’s also a great way to meet other riders in the area.

The Rules

Riders can put in a time any time, any day of the week until Saturday at 4am.

This is the route. (It’s the Vasa 25km, including Wood Chip Hill to Four Corners)

Speed of Light Schedule

June 2024

June 6 – Benchmark Ride (No themes, no points, just go)

June 11 – Drop Bar Night (Double-points for riders on drop bars)

June 20 – Fat Bike Night (Double-points for riders on tires 4″ or wider)

June 27 – Random Relay Night (Each rider’s time will be paired with another rider’s time for a “team” score – at random and probably using AI)

July

July 4 – No SOL (God Bless America)

July 11 – Tour Competition State 1 – Sprint Stage (Double sprint points on the Power Section)

July 18 – Tour Competition Stage 2 – Mountain Stage (Double Mountain points on the Boonenberg)

July 25 – Tour Competition Stage 3 – Time Bonus (20, 15, 10 second time bonuses on the line)

August

August 1 – Tour Competition Stage 4 – The Queen Stage – Two laps! (Once a year, we do it twice)

August 8 – Ladies’ Night – All Women get double SOL points!

August 15 – La Vuelta Competition – Stage 1 – Mountain Stage

August 22 – La Vuelta Competition – Stage 2 – Mountain Stage

August 30 – La Vuela Competition – Stage 3 – Sprint Stage

September

September 5 – La Vuelta Competition – Stage 4 – Straight time, straight points

September 12 – Speed of Light World Championships

How It Works

Points: Total number of riders, -1. So if 20 people race, winner gets 20, second place gets 19, third gets 18, etc.

Classifications:

Mountains: Fastest segment times on the climbing segment. Tour is the Boonenberg, Vuelta is the CC Climb.

Sprint: Fastest segment times on the sprint segment. Tour is the Power Section, Vuelta is GO!.

SOL points: Total number of riders, -1 for each place, every night. The rider with the most total points is the SOL Rider of the Year! (WOW!)

Results: Will be added to a spreadsheet and posted by Sunday night!

Questions? Let me know!