The Capital Stage Race Returns For A Second Year – June 15-17

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Joy Ride Bikes LaceyBy Laurie O’Brien

Starting Friday, June 15th, and running through Sunday, June 17th, the Capital Stage Race is returning for a second year to Washington’s state capital.

Last June, over 225 bicycle racers converged on Olympia for the first ever Capital Stage Race.  For this year’s installment, race promoter Erik Anderson is hoping to increase those numbers by at least 100 riders.  The race features four stages set over three days of racing and will feature two stages in the downtown area that will be spectator friendly.

A rider competes in the Time Trial around Capitol Lake in 2011.

Friday – Stage One will take place starting at the Middle Waddell Camp Ground in the Capitol State Forest.  Riders will complete 10 mile circuits around the neighboring roads beginning on Friday morning and continuing throughout the day.

Saturday – The Stage Two Time Trial is a spectator friendly race that will take riders on a 3.5 mile out-and-back course along the Deschutes Parkway near Capital Lake.  Traffic and parking will be affected along the route from early morning on Saturday until approximately noon; however, sidewalks and running paths will be open.

Starting Saturday afternoon, traffic on Capitol Way will be affected as cyclists compete in a series of criterium races around the Capitol Campus.

 Juniors only time trial and criterium – Last year’s race featured a junior (ages 10-14) criterium on Saturday.  New this year is the inclusion of a time trial for the younger racers.  Starting at 10:15, registered juniors may test their biking skills against the clock on the same course used by the adults.  At 2 p.m., they will open stage 3 with both junior D (10-12) and junior C (13-14) criterium races.  Medals will be awarded to the top three in each category, and boys and girls will be scored separately.

A free kids race is a highlight of the Capital Stage Race.

Free Kids’ Races – Starting at 4:40 p .m. on Saturday, a series of races for youngsters on trikes and training wheels all the way through age 10 will take place on the regular criterium course.

Sunday – Sunday’s stage will take riders on back roads from Grand Mound all the way to Elma and back.  The Pro/1/2 and Category  3 Men will complete a 90 mile loop that features 5 climbs with three of them in the final 20 miles of the race.  Anderson has dubbed Sunday the “Queen Stage,” and he knows that the overall winner of the combined stages must be able to ride with the best on this day. Other Categories will ride between 47 and 70 miles.

There are a number of local riders expected to do well this year.  Last year’s General Classification (GC) winner in the Men’s Category 3 race, Olympia Orthopaedic Rider Dave Gordon, is expected to challenge for the overall top spot again this year.  Jennifer Burtner, also riding for Olympia Orthopaedic, was on the podium for three stages last year, and should be a real threat for the GC in the Women’s Pro/1/2 race.

Anderson is particularly pleased with the continued support of local sponsors Olympia Federal Savings and Joy Ride BicyclesRosser Chiropractic and Adam Cramer, DDS, and Hammer Nutrition are also providing financial support to help bring the race to Thurston County.

Registration information can be found here:   http://www.capitalstagerace.com/

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