NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium Race Series 2009
We are proud to announce the NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium Race Series is officially back! Nashville's fastest bicycle races will continue for a fifth straight season in 2009 at LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans.
Agreements were recently finalized between the Tennessee Titans, NashvilleCyclist.com and associated sponsors that will allow for the race to begin on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009. It has taken a lot of discussions, meetings, number crunching, compromising, hand wringing and most of all patience to get the criterium series back on track. For 2009 we have nine races planned on every Wednesday in July through August.
It is our hope this news will send a much needed positive jolt into the bicycling community since many were quite disappointed at the possibility of no race series. We believe this is an exciting moment for the entire bicycling community of Middle Tennessee. The event had previously been taken off life support and left for dead, but a miraculous turn of events developed to assure its continuation. Countless racers, enthusiasts and fans have enjoyed the Wednesday night series since the summer of 2005. The 2008 series garnered over 750 in total participants alone, which is obviously a difficult thing to walk away and give up on.
We came to an ugly fork in the road back in the winter that appeared to derail and end the popular series. Due to many administrative changes affecting the various authorities involved with the LP Field/Titans facilities it meant the stadium would not be economically feasible as a race venue. The details of why or how we overcame obstacles is not a matter for public consumption, but it is important everyone give thanks to the Tennessee Titans organization for their willingness to make sacrifices in order for this series to work. In other words, I encourage you to let the Tennessee Titans know you appreciate their generosity towards the bicycling community!
When you read the flyer you will notice several big changes from past years. Instead of detailing all those changes here you can read them from the flyer posted HERE. The changes you see were absolute requirements in order for the series to be viable. It was either institute changes to the entry fee and payouts or not race at all. Yes, we could have dropped the payouts, but that would defeat other goals we seek to accomplish. Even if we did drop the payouts the entry fee would not decrease by much at all. We understand there potentially could be some financial disappointment, but allow us to remind you:
1 - It's still cheap!
2 - It's local and convenient!
3 - You save on gas, hotel and food!
4 - July & August lack nearby race dates in Tennesse!
5 - You want to stand on the top of the podium wearing the title belt or tiara!
Since we put it that way how can you resist? We thought so!
One other change this year will be the enforcement of potential rain outs. If the promoter feels the weather is going to greatly negatively impact the event then that night's race will be cancelled. A severely low turnout cannot be afforded, ie if you play you pay, and the numbers must work week-to-week for this to be feasible. The promoter will keep a close eye on the forecast and rain clouds throughout each Wednesday leading up to the 5:45 PM start time. Rain outs will try and be communicated by 5:00 PM, but we reserve the right to make a decision later. As you know rain storms are unpredictable and blow through quickly in Middle Tennessee. Rain out information will be communicated and posted through the NashvilleCyclist.com Twitter account, which you can follow HERE.
We will be honest, we are going out on a limb here. You can probably deduce from the flyer and this news item that this event takes jumping through some serious financial hoops. However, it is our hope you will continue to support the series by showing up each and every week. We realize it requires a deep commitment and sacrifice on your part, but realize it is a shared experience that none of have the luxury of avoiding if we want the series to continue.
When we began NashvilleCyclist.com over five years ago we were at the forefront of creating shared experiences through our passion for the bicycle. For most of us that passion is what we think about when we wake up, and the last thing we think about before falling asleep. We say let's continue to build that passion, let's continue our shared experience, and let's continue to express ourselves athletically for all of Nashville to see!
Now, let's see some bike racing!!!
Agreements were recently finalized between the Tennessee Titans, NashvilleCyclist.com and associated sponsors that will allow for the race to begin on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009. It has taken a lot of discussions, meetings, number crunching, compromising, hand wringing and most of all patience to get the criterium series back on track. For 2009 we have nine races planned on every Wednesday in July through August.
It is our hope this news will send a much needed positive jolt into the bicycling community since many were quite disappointed at the possibility of no race series. We believe this is an exciting moment for the entire bicycling community of Middle Tennessee. The event had previously been taken off life support and left for dead, but a miraculous turn of events developed to assure its continuation. Countless racers, enthusiasts and fans have enjoyed the Wednesday night series since the summer of 2005. The 2008 series garnered over 750 in total participants alone, which is obviously a difficult thing to walk away and give up on.
We came to an ugly fork in the road back in the winter that appeared to derail and end the popular series. Due to many administrative changes affecting the various authorities involved with the LP Field/Titans facilities it meant the stadium would not be economically feasible as a race venue. The details of why or how we overcame obstacles is not a matter for public consumption, but it is important everyone give thanks to the Tennessee Titans organization for their willingness to make sacrifices in order for this series to work. In other words, I encourage you to let the Tennessee Titans know you appreciate their generosity towards the bicycling community!
When you read the flyer you will notice several big changes from past years. Instead of detailing all those changes here you can read them from the flyer posted HERE. The changes you see were absolute requirements in order for the series to be viable. It was either institute changes to the entry fee and payouts or not race at all. Yes, we could have dropped the payouts, but that would defeat other goals we seek to accomplish. Even if we did drop the payouts the entry fee would not decrease by much at all. We understand there potentially could be some financial disappointment, but allow us to remind you:
1 - It's still cheap!
2 - It's local and convenient!
3 - You save on gas, hotel and food!
4 - July & August lack nearby race dates in Tennesse!
5 - You want to stand on the top of the podium wearing the title belt or tiara!
Since we put it that way how can you resist? We thought so!
One other change this year will be the enforcement of potential rain outs. If the promoter feels the weather is going to greatly negatively impact the event then that night's race will be cancelled. A severely low turnout cannot be afforded, ie if you play you pay, and the numbers must work week-to-week for this to be feasible. The promoter will keep a close eye on the forecast and rain clouds throughout each Wednesday leading up to the 5:45 PM start time. Rain outs will try and be communicated by 5:00 PM, but we reserve the right to make a decision later. As you know rain storms are unpredictable and blow through quickly in Middle Tennessee. Rain out information will be communicated and posted through the NashvilleCyclist.com Twitter account, which you can follow HERE.
We will be honest, we are going out on a limb here. You can probably deduce from the flyer and this news item that this event takes jumping through some serious financial hoops. However, it is our hope you will continue to support the series by showing up each and every week. We realize it requires a deep commitment and sacrifice on your part, but realize it is a shared experience that none of have the luxury of avoiding if we want the series to continue.
When we began NashvilleCyclist.com over five years ago we were at the forefront of creating shared experiences through our passion for the bicycle. For most of us that passion is what we think about when we wake up, and the last thing we think about before falling asleep. We say let's continue to build that passion, let's continue our shared experience, and let's continue to express ourselves athletically for all of Nashville to see!
Now, let's see some bike racing!!!
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 6/04/2009 12:39:00 PM
8 Comments:
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Awesome!!! Thanks, Tim, for your persistence and making this happen for us. Our community wouldn't be the same without you.
Is it just me, or is the flyer link not working?
It is a Word document version 2003. I will try and get it converted to a PDF early next week.
Great News.....
u da man!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Tim!!!
For those of us that don't have the time to do a lot of traveling on the weekend, this affords us a few more opprotunities a year to race.
Very much appreciated!
I cetainly appreciate all of your efforts and hard work. Nashville is fortunate to have you. I will be at every race with $20 in hand. I won't win any of them, but I will have a blast trying.
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