Registration is now open online for the second annual Barry’s Roubaix road cycling race, set to take place in Pitt Meadows on April 10.
The race, presented by Maple Ridge’s Local Ride Bike Shop, is run on a flat, gravelly course near the Pitt Meadows Regional Airport, and pays homage to the windy and hostile conditions faced by professional riders during historic spring classic races in Europe, like the storied Paris Roubaix race, which will be featuring its 108th edition in France on the very same day.
“Hopefully the weather will be windy and wet so riders and spectators get the full spring classics experience without the cost of flying to Europe,” said Barry Lyster, race organizer and Local Ride Bike Shop owner.
“Even though the course is flat, the fact that nearly half the loop is on gravel will definitely play havoc on the race. Add some wind and rain, and we’ll see who the strongest riders really are.”
The 10 km loop features roughly 4 km of the scenic Pitt Meadows Dyke system along with rural farm roads.
New for 2011, Barry’s Roubaix is offering novice categories, along with a youth category.
For the month of February, if riders sign up for both the Barry’s Roubaix road race and Race the Ridge stage race, they will receive a combined discounted price for a total savings of $30.
Race the Ridge, Local Ride’s other spring event, is a three-event road cycling stage race that hits Maple Ridge on May 7 and 8.
This year sees the introduction of a two-stage novice race, consisting of the Golden Ears Time Trial and the Town Core Criterium.
“We wanted to give riders new to road racing a taste of what stage racing is like,” said Lyster. “The Golden Ears Time Trial and the Town Core Criterium are practically icons of Race the Ridge and cycling in Maple Ridge.”
Both events rely on volunteers in order to be successful, so if you are interested in helping, contact Local Ride Bike Shop for volunteering information.
• Visit www.Karelo.com to register for both events and check out www.localride.ca
races for more information about the races.