Tour of Nevada returns Saturday, Sunday

A group of riders round the southwest corner of the Nevada Square during the 2014 Downtown Criteria. Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail

Nevada Daily Mail

More that 270 cyclists are expected to race on two courses this weekend for the third annual Tour of Nevada, Julie Lewis, the local coordinator for the event, said.

The event kicks off Saturday at 4:30 p.m., with the Downtown Criterium, a 12 turn, 1.2-mile course around the downtown area. Then on Sunday the School Yard Criterium races start at 9 a.m. on a .9-mile course circling the high school.

Kids races are planned for both days of the event. Participants must have helmets to compete.

This year's event will bring several new activities to the Downtown Criterium, including a beer garden by Sharkey's Pub and Grub on the north side of the Square and from 8 to 11 p.m., Sober as a Judge will be performing. Lewis said to bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the music of this popular group made up of area judges.

Lewis said that she is having bleachers brought in to provide seating on the Square in several places for people wanting to watch the cyclists.

She has also arranged to have eight additional lights stands for this year's Downtown Criterium for some of the darker streets where the course winds through residential areas.

To add to the event Lewis said the Vietnam Veterans of America would put flags up around the Square

According to the city's brochure for the event: These races are called a criterium, which are short course races typically 1-mile in length. Racers must demonstrate a variety of technical skills to be effective which provide exciting moments that spectators love. Participants enter corners in tight packs that they must navigate smoothly while holding their line against fellow racers in order to accelerate hard away from the corner. Victories are hard fought and explosive as racers sprint and attack others riders to gain position.

Lewis said that she is still looking for volunteers to help put on the race, particularly for Saturday night. Among other jobs she needs corner marshals to keep the raceway clear and let cars in and out of their driveways and to help keep racers and spectators safe. And the pay is t-shirt and reserved seating at a corner where much of the action takes place.