Sequoia Cycling Classic makes return to downtown Visalia
Vongni Yang
When Shaun Bagley moved to Visalia from the Midwest in 1986, he never envisioned that he would become an avid bicyclist.
But after watching his first Sequoia Cycling Classic in 1990, he fell in love with the fast-paced sport and has never missed a race when its been held. Over the past seven years, however, the event has been in hiatus.
With no signature cycling race in Tulare County to call its own in nearly a decade, Bagley, 46, along with Visalia resident Eric Henson, 41, decided to take matters into their own hands.
They threw their energies at attempting to revive the event, at least the Criterium, last summer and after months of logistics and planning, the Sequoia Cycling Classic is making a return to the heart of downtown Visalia on April 26.
"It was frustrating because the race had so much history and we really wanted to get it back," Bagley said. "The only race that is like ours is down south and up north. There's really no high-caliber race like this in the area. That was really one of the reasons why we wanted to strive to get the race back."
The Criterium, a 0.7-mile counter-clockwise course starting in front of City Hall at Acequia Avenue, is hoping to draw 600 racers, amateur and professional, and thousands of spectators to Visalia said Henson, the event co-director. The cash purse is $15,000.
"It's going to be more than a just a race," Henson said. "It's going to be a great community event."
The Criterium features 10 races, including two children cycling events, which are free for children to enter.
As part of the festivities, event organizers have established a beer garden, a VIP tent and a kids' carnival. All proceeds from the beer garden will benefit a local charity, Henson said.
Also, food trucks will be selling traditional American barbecue, Jamaican barbecue and Mexican food, among others.
The children's play area will be stationed on Stevenson Street between Center and Acequia avenues and offers free activities, booths and exhibits including a California Fitness Academy Kids Ninjas classes, a Strider Adventure zone for children 18 months to five years old, and a bounce house.
"We're trying to promote it as just not a bike race itself, but as an event that the community can enjoy," Bagley said.
At the height of its popularity in the 1990s and the mid-2000s, the Sequoia Cycling Classic, which was sanctioned by both the U.S. Cycling Federation and U.S.A. Cycling, was a weekend-long event with a 30-kilometer time trial in Exeter and the Criterium. The event has previously attracted the likes of an up-and-coming Lance Armstrong and Rebecca Larson. In 2007 when Larson competed, she was the top-ranked rider on U.S.A. Cycling's women's Category-1 Criterium rankings.
At this year's Classic, the men's pro race will be headlined by Raahsan Bahati, a Criterium specialist, who is based out of Southern California.
"I think if we can get riders here and it's a really good event, it will definitely make them come back," Bagley said. "And our race can grow from there."
Craig Peyron, owner of Sierra Bicycle Werks for the past 12 years in downtown Visalia, is excited to see the event return.
"It's great for Visalia in general," Peyron said. "It's great for downtown, and it's not only good for the racing community but cycling in general."
Pre-registration is available and closes Thursday at 11:45 p.m. Riders can sign-up online at http://bikereg.com/sequoiaclassic and fees start at $35. On-site registration is available on race day with a $10 late fee. To compete in a second race, the cost is $15.
Race-day registration opens at 7 a.m., and closes 20 minutes before each scheduled race.
A mechanic will also be on hand to provide any maintenance for bike failure.
"So far, everything is coming together perfectly," Bagley said.
The Sequoia Cycling Classic Criterium is April 26 in Downtown Visalia. The Criterium, starting with the Elite 5 category race, begins at 8 a.m. The Criterium is a 0.7-mile loop, starting and finishing at Acequia Avenue and Johnson Street. There is no cost for spectators.