Sixth annual race offers a prize purse of more than $10,000 to winners.
HASTINGS, MI – Organizers say the nation's largest gravel road bicycle race will once again be held in Hastings on Saturday, March 22.
More than 3,000 cyclists are expected to participate in the Founders Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race.
The last-place finisher in the inaugural 2009 race called the event a “fun ride, in a suffering kind of way that only bikers refer to as fun.”
The race promises to punish again this year as it pits the pedal pushers against a Barry County terrain of gravel, rocks, sand, mud and possibly snow and ice on a 36-mile loop that incorporates 2,200 feet of climbing. A purse of more than $10,000 awaits the top finishers.
Hosted by Founders Brewing and Kisscross Events, the race offers four categories ranging from 24 to 62 miles in length.
Named after the classic Paris-Roubaix race in France, the Barry-Roubaix race begins at 10 a.m. in downtown Hastings. Registrationis currently closed but an after-party and awards ceremony with live music will be available for those participating or spectating.
The after-party and Velocity USA awards ceremony takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The Sweet J Band will provide live entertainment on the awards stage from 3 to 6 p.m.
For details, visit barry-roubaix.
Todd Chance is the West Michigan Entertainment Concierge for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at tchance@mlive.com or follow him on Facebook , Twitter, Google Plus