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Spring Classic first stop on Sask Cup Road cycling tour

Around 45 riders from throughout province to take part in three-race event
The Moose Jaw Pavers will be hosting a trio of races in and around the city during the annual Spring Classic this coming weekend.

Around 50 racers from throughout western Canada will take part in the hill climb at Buffalo Pound on Saturday morning, criterium at 15 Wing on Saturday afternoon and road race starting at 15 Wing and winding its way back into south Moose Jaw on Sunday morning.

The three races combined will form an omnium, with point awards for each event and the total from all three races winning the overall title.

“We’ll get guys from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan… so there will be some pretty good riding coming up and I expect we’ll see some pretty good racing all weekend,” said Pavers president Rob Walcer. “And with the Western Canada Games coming up, this is also a qualifying race so we’ll see a few more younger riders out, too.”

Kicking things off will be the time trial hill climb, with the starting area at the Maple Vale grocery store in Buffalo Pound, located down the main hill past the park entry gates. Racing starts at 9 a.m. with the youngest riders and continuing up through the top racing classes until completion.

The criterium will be one of the highlights of the weekend. Taking place on the tarmac just in front of the air traffic control tower, the event is expected to be one of the safest of its kind on the Sask Cup circuit as well as an entertaining spectator opportunity.

“It’s a great venue, it’s safe for the participants because it’s such clean, smooth surface, no potholes or anything like that,” Walcer said. “And we set it up in such a way it’s a fun course for them to ride.”

Races will be 20 or 30 minutes plus one or two bell laps depending on the class and decision by race officials. The event carries an interesting additional aspect where a premium will be put on certain laps with the potential of winning cash prizes.

“Like about halfway through, there will be a bell lap where the next lap is worth $20,” Walcer explained. “It gives them some extra incentive and leads to some pretty good racing.”

Riders will also have to keep up with the pace or risk being pulled from the criterium if they fall too far behind the leaders.

“And there’s lots of strategy, where you can let someone go out and set the pace and burn their legs out or you can sit back and let someone else dictate the pace and make your move at the right time,” Walcer said. “So it’s a pretty cool event.”

Action begins at 2 p.m. and finishes with the top classes at 4 p.m.

The road race on Sunday closes out weekend.

Riders will start at 15 Wing and head back along 9th Avenue to Moose Jaw, onto Valleyview Drive and south onto 7th Avenue SW before looping around and heading back on the same route to 15 Wing. The course continues on 9th Avenue SW to Highway 2, then north to Grandview Street East, loop south down 1st Avenue SE to Wellesley Street, up to Grandview Street West, then east to Highway 2 and south back to the 15 Wing start finish area.

Overall, the course is 23.52 kilometres and will feature riders covering from one lap up to 71 kilometres over three laps depending on their racing class.

The top riders will go off first at 12 p.m. and youngest classes at 12:12 p.m. The finish line will be located on 9th Avenue just east of 15 Wing.

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