If you live in the San Angelo area and want to compete in cycling races, be prepared to travel out of town to find events.Our city is experiencing a severe drought as relates to road and mountain bike racing.
With the exception of the upcoming 6-Hour Dinosaur mountain bike event and the small time trials put on by the local cycling club, there hasn't been an organized road or mountain bike race in San Angelo since the Red Bluff Mountain Bike Challenge took place in October of 2009.
It wasn't always this way. During the 80s, 90s and as recently as the mid 2000s San Angelo was a hotspot for bicycle racing.
Our community hosted the Texas road cycling state championship event twice (1997 and 1998) with bike racers from all across the state converging on San Angelo.
The Dog Days multi-day stage race in the late 80s and early 90s also attracted a large number of out-of town cyclists.
Other cycling and related events that once took place here in San Angelo but are no longer on the calendar include the Tour de Burma race (now a non-competitive tour), the TMBRA and West Texas Championship Series mountain bike races that were held in the State Park, the Spillway Hill off-road duathlon, Striders duathlon, Wool Capitol triathlon (replaced this year with a new event) and the criterium races that were held in the downtown area and also around the Santa Fe golf course.
The four-week cyclocross series that took place on the ASU campus from 2010 through 2013 also disappeared from the calendar this year.
The current 'bike race drought' in San Angelo is a local phenomenon since cycling and bike racing are growing at a steady clip in other parts of Texas and across the nation.
As an example, a two-day cyclocross event last weekend in Manor (east of Austin) attracted over 800 participants from across the state and the recent Hotter 'N Hell event in Wichita Falls had almost 14,000 participants.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the current bike race drought in our region, but the most significant reasons are the cost, complexity and time commitment facing individuals or groups that want to promote a race.
Race promoters must select a non-conflicting date, try to line up sponsors, identify and mark a suitable course, obtain permits, purchase expensive liability insurance, find volunteers, arrange for police support for road races, develop a safety plan, market the event, buy items such as race numbers and awards, and then hope enough people sign up to avoid losing money on the event.
For anything larger than a small local club event to be financially successful, the race must attract a significant number of out-of-town participants.
Given San Angelo's remote geographical location compared to the larger population centers in Texas and also today's high fuel and hotel prices, it's become much harder to attract out-of-town racers unless the event is something completely unique, offers good prize money or has some designation such as being a state or regional championship.
Other factors that have impacted local bicycle racing include more events of other types to choose from (especially running), the high cost of buying what is perceived to be a 'race-worthy' bike and the simple fact that many local cyclists today prefer moderate-pace, more social 'Facebook' rides (pedal easy, stop, and post ride pictures) instead of hard race-training workouts.
Hopefully the bike race drought will end soon, but in the interim - if you live in San Angelo and enjoy racing your bike, be prepared for some significant windshield time as you drive elsewhere to compete.
Ride On, San Angelo, and remember - the local community is suffering through a bicycle racing drought.
Upcoming Events
Oct 25: Armydillo 10K, roadlizards.org/events/armydillow-10k-run/
Nov 1: 30K of the Dinosaur trail race, roadlizards.org
Nov 1: Six Hours of the Dinosaur mountain bike race, angelobike.org/6hour-dinosaur
Nov 15: West Texas Masochist Run II, roadlizards.org/events/masochists-relay-run/
