March 21, 2007
national bicycle race to climb Libby Hill Park
On April 7th, the cyclists in the inaugural US Open Cycling Championship climb the cobblestones in Libby Hill Park on their way to the finish line at the The Library of
Virginia. [via]
From bikeride.com:
“The inaugural US Open Cycling Championship slated for April 7 in
central Virginia will be a unique event in American cycling. This is
really a made for TV event that will be aired on NBC, so it will be
one of the the few times during the year that cycling is broadcast
nationally on a major network. It’s date on the calendar will be a
nice warm up for the Tour de Georgia that starts a week later.The UCI-sanctioned men’s race, part of the USA Cycling Pro Tour, will
start in Williamsburg After a circuit around the colonial area, the
course heads past Jamestown and then heads up the Virginia Route 5
corridor toward Richmond. Along the way the cyclists will pass the
James River Plantations, the Charles City County Courthouse, and the
Malvern Hill Battlefield.Upon entering Richmond at about 10:30 a.m., the racers will begin a
7.1 mile circuit, including a steep climb over cobblestones in Libby
Hill Park, and passage through both Jackson Ward and Shockoe Bottom.
The men will finish around 12:00 noon in front of The Library of
Virginia. Live Jumbotrons will be set up both at the finish line and
in Libby Hill Park.The women’s invitational circuit race starts at 9:00 a.m. in Richmond
in front of The Library of Virginia, and will finish at about 10:15
a.m.After watching the race in person, you can watch it in a same-day
national broadcast on NBC Sports, from 2:30-5:00 p.m. ET. Visit
usopencycling.com for more information.”
This is really cool! Their web site says this is the first American road cycling event televised nationally in more than 10 years. The climb up the Libby Hill Park cobblestones is marked as a key point in the race. I bet some jerks are still going to complain about parking and noise though.
gotta love it. Richmond has a long way to go to make itself bike and pedestrian friendly– but having events like this can really mobilize citizens that want to be able to get out of their cars and walk and bike to everything they need. Why do so many folks walk in the streets instead of on the sidewalks…it is a crazy thing I see all the time in Church Hill/Union Hill???
I know I plan on lining the course with a banner calling for “bong hits for mohamed!”
-Dont forget to bring a towel
Shouldn’t somebody be whining about the traffic, parking and noise?
Have they actually seen the cobblestones winding up Libby Hill? Last time I checked, it was uneven and would make for a very bumpy ride.
Yeah, they may even fall. That’s called “entertainment.”
the bumpy ride is the point…check out the paris-roubaix ride–now thats bumpy!
libby hill isn’t that steep street behind the market is it?!
I had a tough enough time going back up franklin and I have a triple chainring!
Use the small chain ring, shift the front down and (I’m not kidding here) sit down! It works. I’ve been doing it for years. It may take a bit longer but you’re not as tired at the end.
Tour de Church Hill- sorry I won’t be there. The cobblestones should make for a good time.
Why do people walk the streets instead of the side walks? Good question.
I personally stick to the streets because if I walk in front of a stoop of some (not all) white people, I sense an awkward social tension. It may or may not be racial tension and it may be my own insecurity… And I also keep my distance from stoops that have young black males hanging out, because they take great amusement in heckling, making loud jarring noises to intimidate, or provoke passers by…
Also, some brick side walks are buckled all to hell and you could seriously BUST YOUR ASS if you’re too busy gazing at all the beautiful old houses and their enchanting landscaping.
Churchhill has seen some gloomy years since the 1950’s and although it is a fantastic community of interesting and approachable people…It is still healing from gloomy years of poverty ,crime, and drug use.
I also think that if your primary mode of transportation involves walking, which is the case for a lot of Churchhill residents, you make much better time on the street than on the multitude of sidewalks in disrepair.