Capital Stage Bike Race – Spectators Welcome!

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Andrea Casebolt starts the Time Trial at the 2010 Enumclaw Stage Race

Fans of bike racing are in for a treat June 10-12.  That weekend, Olympia will play host to the Capital Stage Race, a brand new race covering four stages over three days.  Race organizer, Erik Anderson is excited to be bringing the event to our state capital.

“Olympia has a lot to offer cyclists,” says Anderson, who lives in town. “We have great roads, excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and plenty of things to do while the riders are not racing.  I’ve been promoting races for years, and I have always wanted to do a project like this in my own backyard.”

Members of the Cat 4/5 OOA Masters Team line up for the Olympic View Road Race in 2010

Racing begins Friday with the Stage One Road Race near the Capital Forest.  Category 4/5 Men, Category 4/5 Masters Men, and Category 4 Women will leave in waves starting at 11 a.m.  At 3:05 p.m. The Professional and Category 1 and 2 Men, Masters 1/2/3 Men, Category 3 Men, and the Pro/1/2/3 Women will start.

 “Competitive cycling is a tiered ranking system based upon experience,” explains Anderson.  “As athletes move through the ranks and earn points, they can upgrade to a new level of racing.”   Everyone has to start as a Category 5 (Category 4 for women) no matter how fast they may be. Some people never move beyond a category 4 license, but they still see racing as a challenge because they’re competing against others of the same ability.

The Stage Two Time Trial will be a lightning fast 3.5 mile course along Capital Lake.  Starting Saturday morning at 7 a.m. and continuing throughout the morning, this stage pits individual cyclists against the clock.

Category 1/2 Riders compete at the 2010 Tacoma Twilight Criterium

The Stage Three Criterium will be the most spectator-friendly according to Anderson.  “The criterium allows spectators to see the racing up close on a closed course at the Capitol Campus.”  Depending upon the category, races will run anywhere from 20 to 70 minutes in length.

Before the older riders begin their races, a 15-minute Junior Criterium will be held for riders aged 10-14.  Girls and boys will ride together but will be scored separately.  10-12 year olds and 13-14 year olds will also be scored separately.  Although there will be a number of experienced junior riders competing, Anderson encourages youth who would like to try their hand at racing to come on out.  There is a $15 fee and a one day racing license must also be purchased for participation in the junior race.

Free Kids’ Racing

Free kids’ races for those 10 and under will be held at 4:40 p.m. on Saturday.  There will be different races for all ages and abilities, including training wheels and tricycles.

Adult Criteriums will continue on through the early evening with the final race starting at 7:50 p.m.

The Capital Stage Race concludes with the Stage Four Road Race on Sunday.  This “Queen Stage” will start near Elma, Washington.

Local Teams and Riders

Anderson points to a couple of local teams and riders to watch.  “Olympia Orthopaedic Associates (OOA) will be out in full force,” says Anderson. “This local team includes 75 members and half of them will be racing in the event.”  Jim Holbrooks and Vaughn Nelson, both riders for OOA, have a number of wins in Category 3 races this year.  OOA Masters level racers (those ages 40 and up) comprise one of the strongest overall teams in the state.  Revel-Rad, a locally based junior development team also has a few members who will be riding.  15 year old Capital High School student David O’Brien has had a number of podium finishes in Men’s Category 4 races this year, and North Thurston freshman Andrea Casebolt is already a force in the Women’s Category 3 races. 

Anderson is expecting between three and four hundred racers as well as an additional 75 to 100 youngsters for the kids’ races on Saturday.  He hopes for as many spectators as possible.

Local sponsors include Olympia Federal Savings,

Joy Ride Bikes, The Alpine Experience, The Bike Stand, Rosser Chiropractic and South Sound Running.

 

Links of Interest:

http://www.capitalstagerace.com/index.html

http://cbcracing.org/

http://www.radracingnw.org/index.html

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