Day Two Of Clocktower Classic Handcycling Races Through Texas Valley
Racers from all around the country were enjoying a sunny day as they raced through the Texas Valley area for the road race portion of the Clocktower Classic handcycling series.
Today’s 48-kilometer (about 30-mile) race began and ended at the Wildwood Cover entrance of the Rockly Mountain Recreation Center and a few fans were waiting to see the finish.
Click here to see a photo gallery from the race.
Mandy Evans and her two children live in the area and decided to check out the race Thursday morning.
“I think it’s important for my kids to see people who may have encountered some challeneges to continue to work hard and be successful,” she said. “And these atheletes do work hard, you can see that.”
Ryan, Evans’ 9-year-old son, said he thought the handcycles were “really cool.”
“I’d like to try to ride one,” he said. “But I’m probably not strong enough.”
Roads were closed from about 9:30 a.m. to noon, including Big Texas Valley Road from Texas Valley Road to Friday Road, Texas Valley Road to Sand Springs Road, and a portion of Sand Springs Road.
The series began Wednesday with a time trial beginning and ending at Darlington School (Click here to read a story about that race and local rider Mike Sprouse.)
The final leg of the race will be Friday evening beginning at 6 p.m. on First Street in downtown Rome.
“Road closures will start 30 minutes before race time, so I would recommend being in place one hour before race time,” said race director John Crowley.
Friday’s road closures will include Second Avenue to Broad Street, Broad Street to Fourth Avenue (the north bound lane), Fourth Avenue to East First Street, and East First Street to Second Avenue. Parking on those roads will be not be allowed and the roads should be closed to about 9 p.m.
Crowley said volunteers are needed Friday from 4:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in downtown Rome should someone want to get involved.
Although the Clocktower Classic grew out of the Tour de Georgia, with the handcycling criterium first appearing at the end of Stage 2 in 2005, the event now stands on its own as a world-class bike race.
The event is a major component of the prestigious U.S. Handcycling Series, but will carry a new honor in 2009 as the only race in the series with the additional status of being a part of the UCI Calendar.
The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) is based in Aigle, Switzerland, and is recognized by the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees as the global governing body for competitive cycling. The organization assumed responsibility and management of Paralympic Cycling (which includes handcycling) in 2008, and has included the Rome race as a P1-level race for the first-ever international Para-Cycling Calendar, which offers all participants an opportunity to earn points toward international ranking.
