Events: Bucks County Classic Cyclosportif
Riders taking part in the Cyclosportif 100K course will return via McNeil Road, featured here.
(2016) According to a fellow cyclist who owns his own business, a consumer needs to see an advertisement no fewer than seven times to gain confidence in a new product. From there recognition takes over and the consumer can glean what the product is and how it performs. It should go without saying that the more a product is out there, the more success the sales campaign can be. The problem is, most business owners pull the plug before the necessary wait time for advertisements to see a return on the investment.
This weekend Doylestown will play host to multiple bike races as part of the Bucks County Classic during the annual Arts Festival. Race day dominates the docket on Sunday, September 11th, only this year. The streets surrounding the art tents will see bike races such as an amateur women's and men’s race, several children’s race, the much-anticipated Lenape Scorcher high wheel race, and pro women’s and men’s races rounding out the schedule. But there’s one other cycling event that happens before most fans have claimed a spot along the course barrier, let along even found a parking spot around town.
Departing at 8:30 from the start/ finish line of the downtown criterium course, local riders will begin their journey around northern Bucks County with the option of 50 kilometers or 100 kilometers course. Riders will enjoy on course feed zones and technical support with the added enjoyment of experiencing some of the most peaceful roads the northern part of the county has to offer. Imagine how enjoyable riding with these advantages will be with the added benefit of a peloton for company. There is one more bonus to registering for this event when the finish line is crossed.
The short course dabbles with the beautiful Cafferty Road before making the turn for home. The long course develops the experience by taking it far up to the road’s terminus. The long route then winds around taking riders over roads we recommended a few months ago past Ringing Rocks Park. The course adds enjoyment by routing cyclists down the incredibly beautiful Chestnut Ridge Road/ Upper Tinicum Church Road. To give cyclists a true Bucks County experience, the cyclosportif long route ducks through a covered bridge. Riders then make the turn southwestward toward the finish where the final bonus comes into play.
Once the route has been tackled, cyclosportif participants can plant themselves relaxingly in the shade at the finish line VIP tent. There’s no concern of going elbows out along the barriers here. Riders earned their spots at the finish line VIP area. This is certainly the finishing sauce to registering for Sunday’s cyclosportif.
When amidst sheer enjoyment on some of the back Bucks County roads, I’ve noticed a route marker that leads me to cocking an eyebrow. It’s a yellow ‘C’ on the road, markings of cyclosportif routes in the past. If I dabble long enough in the areas of Ringing Rocks or Upper Tinicum Church Road, I can expect to see no fewer than seven route markers. All one has to do is see the final route marker directing riders to the VIP tent to be completely sold on the product. The fact that finishers can watch about three races with their feet propped up is just an added benefit of enjoying the day of the cycling experience in Doylestown.
The Bucks County Classic Cyclosportif 50k and 100k registration can be found here.
