Page Valley Cycling To Wrap Up 2013 Summer Race Series
SHENANDOAH & STANLEY, VIRGINIA €“ The Page Valley Cycling bicycle club will wrap up its 2013 summer race series on subsequent Saturdays with the Shenandoah Time Trial on July 27th and the Page Valley Road Race on August 3rd. A portion of the proceeds from these events, which are co-promoted by Northern Virginia-based Whole Wheel Velo Club, will be donated to Choices of Page County. Page Valley Cycling has already donated a first installment of $2 thousand to Choices, and plans to contribute more at the end of the season. Among other beneficiaries from the events are the Luray Cavemen; the Luray, Stanley, and Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squads; and Luray and Page County High Schools.
In order to encourage more beginners, the road race will have a novice Category race as well as a special masters category for beginners ages 45 and up. The Shenandoah Time Trial even has a category for races who want to compete in a non-aero standard road bike rather than the specifically-designed time trial bicycles. Page County residents are entitled to free entry for these and all of Page Valley Cycling’s events.
We are constantly seeking ways to innovate and make competitive cycling accessible to all comers, said Christopher Gould, Race Director for Page Valley Cycling and co-owner of Hawksbill Bicycles in Luray. Gould noted that cyclists familiar with the annual triathlon in Luray may be particularly interested in the Shenandoah Time Trial, which showcases individual participants striving for their best time rather than the strategy and tactics required for a mass-start race like Page Valley Road Race.
Shenandoah Time Trial
The Shenandoah Time Trial on July 27th is an example of a unique discipline whereby individuals take off from the start line in 30-second increments and are timed as they travel the course in a race against the clock for the best time. Now in its third year, Shenandoah Time Trial has once again been designated as the senior championship time trial for the Virginia Cycling Association (VACA) and a part of the Mid-Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association (MABRA) Time Trial Series, as well as the Wounded Warrior Series.
Last year, a little over 530 visited Shenandoah for the time trial, include 205 bike racers. In post-race surveys, racers cited the friendliness of the people and natural beauty of the area as reasons to come back and visit. One racer from Pennsylvania said I felt more welcome at this race by the town than almost any other that I’ve done. Another from Maryland said, I most likely will visit Shenandoah off the bike because of my experience there on the bike. The time trial course itself also received praise, drawing comparisons to time trials in Europe.
We aim not only to host challenging events for all comers, but to showcase the area to visitors and help generate revenue for the local economy, said Gould, it was therefore encouraging to see the comments about the event. Survey estimates indicate that about $12 thousand was spent on food and merchandise in Shenandoah on race day, with an additional $9 thousand on lodging in the area.
While most of the roads on the course will not be closed, there will be limited access to in-town portions and motorists are cautioned to drive with care over the entire course while the race is in progress, which will be from approximately 8AM to 11:30AM. There will be road guards at key intersections on the course, stopping and directing traffic as necessary. As with previous years, the race course begins downtown and will head out of town on Back Road; taking in a loop including Fleeburg Road, Naked Creek Road, and Loop Road before turning around and heading back into town again.
Page Valley Road Race
The Page Valley Road Race, a classic on the regional calendar now in its sixth year, will return on August 3 and is the senior championship road race for both VACA and MABRA. This is a traditional mass-start race, where participants in different categories take off from the start in separate large waves of cyclists and will travel on the course loop multiple times at various distances depending on which category in which they are racing.
The elite racers will compete for 86 miles; while novice participants will race for as little as 21 miles. There will be a total of six different races at Page Valley Road Race, spread over three different waves that will take place over the entire day from 8:00 AM to approximately 5:30 PM.
The course loop, as usual, will include the neutral roll-out from Hawksbill Park on Marksville Road, and will take in portions of Ida Road, Farmview Road, Hollow Run, Balkamore Hill Road, and Kite Hollow. While no roads are completely closed for the event, there will be road guards at key intersections on the course, stopping and directing traffic as necessary. Motorists are asked to drive with caution and, if necessary, to pull over while on the course to allow packs of racers to pass.
We know that these events do cause some minor inconveniences, said Gould, but I know there’s also a benefit to bringing these events to our communities, both in terms of revenue raised locally for businesses and charities and in raising awareness to physical fitness. Last year, all of Page Valley Cycling’s events combined raised approximately $100 thousand in revenue in the county, a level that has already been exceeded this year after the Tour of Page County Stage Race, which occurred in late April.
About Page Valley Cycling
Page Valley Cycling promotes bicycling in Page County as a means of transportation, fitness, recreation, and racing. As with all of Page Valley Cycling’s events, the organizers work closely with law enforcement and first responders to assure the safety of both the motoring public and the bike racers. Those interested in volunteering or participating in the event should contact Christopher Gould by email at
