Saturday, March 28, was clear, sunny and noticeably chilly as more than 250 riders gathered for the first Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race. True to its name and its namesake, the race wasted no time in setting riders up for a challenge with a hill looming just out of the starting gate.
Elite riders lined up at 10 a.m. to get a head start on the hilly, 62-mile course. Both Expert and Sport riders rode a 31-mile loop; Elite riders completed it twice. The last to start were the Beginner riders, who took off en masse and rode an abbreviated 19-mile course. The field boasted a variety of mountain and cyclocross bikes, single speeds, fixed gears and tandems.
The race was a mixture of scenic gravel roads, a short section of two-track punctuated with messy sand pits, and winding pavement. The country roads running through Barry County and skirting Gun Lake were a perfect venue for a race, particularly at this time of year when most mountain bike trails are still drying out. Although the course wasn’t closed, traffic for most of the route was light.Michael Simonson, sponsored by Gary Fisher, took the top podium spot in the Elite race. Second and third place went to Derek Graham of Bissell/ABG and Michael Cook of Alderfer Bergen, respectively. The top women finishers in the Elite group were Mackenzie Woodring of Priority Health, Laura Webb of Hagerty and Shari Versluis of Founders Ale/Alger Racing.
Leading the pack in the Expert/Sport group was Chris Kreple, who rode in the 30-39 age group. The female winner in Expert/Sport was Laura Johnson, representing the 35+ women.
Among a respectable field of slightly more than 50 beginner riders, David Vannette grabbed the men’s victory. In an uncharacteristic showing, Andrea Davis represented Women 35+ with a win.
Riders gathered after the race at the Long Lake Outdoor Center to enjoy the hospitality of race promoter Rick Plite (Mr. Kisscross). Rick’s wife Cathy and a multitude of volunteers were also in attendance, helping to keep the event running smoothly. Along with a roaring fire, racers found prizes, award presentations to the top three in each class, food and the ever-present Founder’s brew, generously donated by one of the event’s sponsors.
Barry-Roubaix was a winning combination of the charm of a small race with the amenities of a large-scale event.
Complete results of the race are available on the Barry-Roubaix site.
Personal photos of racers can be found on the Fast Pro Photo Web site.
