Written by Chris Johnson for the Coloradoan. Republished with permission.
Well it must be summer in Northern Colorado because the cycling event news is coming fast and furious. The Oval Omnium is firing up Sunday, Ciclismo Youth Foundation’s Summer Ride program is underway, and the 40 in the Fort is just weeks away. But there is even more coming up in June. Here’s the latest:
Hayseed Omnium presented by Centerra
Taking NoCo grass-roots racing to the next level, Your Group Ride, Ciclismo Youth Foundation, First City Cycling Team and Fort Follies women’s cycling program have come together to develop the region’s first grass-roots omnium series. The Hayseed Omnium presented by Centerra is a six-week running points series featuring two time trials (YGR’s Taft Hill time trials), two weeks of roubaix-style road racing on the CYF Circuit Race, and two weeks of fast-paced criterium racing at the City Streets Criteriums.
Each Tuesday night for the next six weeks, high race finishers will receive omnium points, which will be tallied throughout the series. At the end of the omnium, the omnium king and queen will be crowned, and bragging rights will be divvied to the best all-around grass-roots riders.
Your Group Ride Live
YGR Live is back for its June edition. Join us at 7 p.m. June 13 at New Belgium Brewing for a program featuring the latest in NoCO bike news. This month’s special guest is new FC Bike Program Manager Tessa Greegor. Bring your questions for Tessa.
We’ll also spend a big portion of the event talking about the upcoming stage of the USA Pro Challenge on Aug 24 in Northern Colorado. If you have questions about volunteering, sponsoring the event, road impact or just where to watch, join us at the panel. We’ll have a number of representatives from the local organizing committee on hand to answer questions and help you get involved.
Ciclismo Singletrack High
At 7 p.m. June 6, CYF is hosting the only Northern Colorado screening of Singletrack High at the Lyric Cinema Cafe. Proceeds of the screening benefit the Ciclismo Youth Foundation.
From the film’s producers: “Many kids in America stop riding bikes in high school. Riding through puddles is no longer cool. Two wheels get traded in for four. For hundreds of kids in Northern California, the ride never stops … it gets faster. These are the student-athletes of the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League. They come from the mountains, the suburbs, and the city. Some ride carbon fiber race bikes, others old steel clunkers. They ride to win, to finish, and to escape. For six weekends every spring, they don their school colors, roll up to the start line, and fly. This is Singletrack High.”
Come join CYF at the Lyric for an evening of bikes, beers and a great movie.
For information on all these and other local events, visit YourGroupRide.com and follow Your Group Ride on social media.
Chris Johnson is a former Chicago bike messenger, longtime all-weather commuter, recreational endurance cyclist, current category 2 road bike racer and director of Northern Colorado Cycling Events. Email NorCoCyclingEvents@ gmail.com or visit yourgroup ride.com.
