Bike Reno

It’s almost time for the 2010 Tour de Nez, and there are quite a few changes this year.

The Tour de Nez opens this year with a 1.5 mile time trial prologue in Sparks on Thursday in Victorian Square.  Yes, this is the same Victorian Square where they will be holding the weekly farmer’s market.  The Tour de Nez Tech Manual promises “Beer, Music, Mayhem”.  Hopefully no one gets loaded and starts chucking organic peaches at the racers.

On Friday, the downtown Reno crit takes place on a new course.  The start/finish line has been moved to the intersection of First and West and the riders will now make a short loop around the river via Sierra, Island, and Arlington before turning left on First and going out Riverside to Vine.  There is a long straightaway on First that takes the racers back to the start/finish.

Saturday will feature another criterium at Northstar Village.

Some thoughts here…hasn’t the Lake Tahoe stage traditionally been a road race?  This is an awfully strange stage race.  A 1.5 mile time trial (that should take what…3:30 per rider?) and then two criteriums.  I’m not sure why they decided to change the Reno course…the old one was pretty awesome.  It had great amounts of difficulty and danger that this one doesn’t have.

Heads up: Reno PD will be looking for cyclists breaking the rules of the road this weekend, so be on your best behavior. The Nevada Bicycle Coalition has the details.

The Reno Wheelmen Twilight Road Series begins Sunday with a time trial in Cold Springs at 10:00 am. It is free. Their website isn’t updated for 2010 yet, but their 2009 Twilight Road Series page has info on registration, venues, etc.

Update: The Reno Wheelmen have update their website for 2010. They have posted the Twilight Road Series general race info and the 2010 race schedule.

In case you haven’t heard, there will be a fundraiser/bike race/sand castle contest/BBQ at Galena Park on Sept 27.  Detail are at www.renogalenafest.com.