NWA CYCLING NEWS & EVENTS

YOUR WEEK IN CYCLING!

Tuesday Night Worlds | Fayetteville

555 TNT | Bentonville

CLIF Blok | Giveaway

Milan San Remo | Italy

Tour de Pologne | Poland

Tour de l’Ain | France

Ozark Cycling Apparel | In Stock

Slow Streets | Fayetteville

Kessler MTN Jam Challenge | Fayetteville

Slow Streets Sundays | Bentonville-Fayetteville

Ozark Valley Triathlon | Fayetteville

Tuesday Night Worlds | This Fayetteville group ride has existed for 20 years and is cycling tradition in Fayetteville. Leaving @ 5:30 from The Bike Route or @ 6 from the parking lot adjacent to the Life Source building. Spirited pace with two regroups. This is a “try and drop you” race practice kind of ride. ROUTE: Black Oak-Thunder Rd-Round MTN-Wyman Click here for STRAVA link.

555 TNT Road Ride | This Bentonville group ride meets @ 5:55 from the Bentonville Square. 35-45 mile ride, spirited pace with several regroups. This is a “try and drop you” race practice kind of ride. No whining! ROUTE: TBD.

Don’t miss out on our CLIF Blok giveaway. All you have to do is drop a pic from your recent outdoor adventures in the comments on our Facebook post. Click on the link above. #feedyouradventures #eatmoreclifbars

Milan San Remo
Another beautiful race. Trek-Segafrado rode an aggressive race with attacks coming one after the other but nothing would stick. Although this race is a bit predictable with the Poggio ascent/descent at 9km I’m always at the edge of my seat on the run into the climb. You knew the favorites would go there. In recent years a small group going over the Poggio has stayed away with the sprinters teams trying to close on the final run in. This year was no different. When Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) attacked it was as if the rest of the reduced peloton was standing still. Only Wout Van Eart (Jumbo Vismma) followed. Alaphilippe would attack again this time putting a small gap on Van Eart near the top of the climb. But Wout would close it down on the descent. Here you had two incredible bike handlers and Alaphilippe was taking huge risks. Van Eart and Alaphilippe became temporary allies as the peloton was closing in. On the long flat run in they only had about 6 seconds. You had to keep the pace high enough to stay away from the chasers while thinking about the sprint as the finish line closed in. It was gripping stuff. Alaphilippe launched then Van Eart they were shoulder to shoulder Alaphilippe thrashing about and Van Eart a more calm style. They would throw the bikes forward and Van Eart would win by a quarter wheel. The 25 year old claimed his first Monument and lets not forget he won Strade Biancha last week. Kudos sir. 

Tour de Pologne Stage 4
We are witnessing the birth of greatness. Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step) turned 20 back in January. Lets let that settle in. Okay here we go. With 50km remaining Evenepoel launched a long range bid to win the stage and the overall. Overall leader Richard Carapaz (Ineos) crashed earlier in the race but I’m guessing the outcome would have been the same. At first he hovered just under 25 seconds and dipped down to under 20 seconds occasionally. But the chase was unorganized and they just kept attacking each other out of frustration. Evenepoel’s lead would creep up to just under a minute. Finally a decent chase formed with Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Rafal Majka (Bora) and Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott). But it was too little too late. While others seemed to be toiling with their bikes. Evenepoel looked smooth, powerful and in control of the days outcome. Alas, when he arrived at the finish all alone he reached into his pocket and pulled the bib number of his fallen teammate Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step) and raised it over his head. Jakobsen was involved in a horrific crash on stage 1 which had potentially life threatening complications. The night before stage 4 the team received word that Jakobsen’s condition was stable and he was out of the medical induced comma. What a superb and meaningful victory the 20 year old and his team. 

Tour de l’Ain Stage 3
Lets back up. On the previous day we saw Jumbo Visma dismantle Ineos. It was a bit of roll reversal. Instead of Ineos setting the pace on the climbs Jumbo Visma essentially rode them off the wheel. Only team captain Egan Bernal  (Ineos) made the selection. I must admit it was strange to see Bernal isolated. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) capped off stage 2 with a W rewarding the team for a superb effort. And on stageg 3, the queen stage with Grand Colombier on tap the fireworks would come no doubt. This time Ineos took control of the front like they normally do setting the pace. One by one they pulled for long stretches then peeled off. Note: 3 Grand Tour winners are on the this team Gerraint Thomas, Chris Froome and Bernal. When it was Froome’s turn to pull you could tell everyone was struggling by the grimacing facial expressions. Bernal would drop to the back of the group which was the first sign of blood in the water. Froome’s turn at the front seemd to expose that his captain was struggling. Sensing this Tom Doumolin (Jumbo Visma) would take to the front and did a loooooong turn. Again Bernal was isolated with no teammates nearing the finish. Was he bluffing? In the final stretch Richie Porte (Trek Segafrado) started attacking the group. Then Bernal attacked! Roglic immediately closed. They rode side by side and Roglic appeared to say something to Bernal before dropping him. Well done Roglic. He and his team looked unbeatable and rode a perfect race for the overall. 

Be sure to check out our online store. Pick up some Ozark cycling gear today. Click on the image and shop now.

Northwest Arkansas CYCLING EVENTS

Slow Streets in Fayetteville lasts through August. Click on the image for details.

Virtual Challenge – August 9-31. Click on the image for details.

Sunday’s in Bentonville and Fayetteville. Click on image for details.

Virtual event starts August 2- September 2. Click on image for details.

Local GROUP RIDES

Get connected to group rides that fit your level of cycling! During the season these rides happen each week barring inclement weather. Please connect with ride organizers for detailed information.

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

SPECIAL EVENTS