Our own West Marlborough Township will be the site of two cycling events this coming week: a time trial on Tuesday, July 3, and a road race on Wednesday, July 4.
As the race organizers describe it: "Once home to the King Ranch, with its rolling hills and immense open space, West Marlborough Township truly deserves its reputation as the heart of Chester County horse country. Known for its championed cause of rural preservation, West Marlborough is the perfect place to experience the countryside by car, foot, horseback, or bike!"
The 10.2-mile course for the time trial starts at Brooklawn (the Hannum family estate) on Newark Road, goes west on Upland Road (Route 842), north on Route 841 past the village of Springdell to Blow Horn, and then onto Route 82 and back to Newark Road. The trial starts at 5 p.m.
The 13.2-mile course for the road race (first race starts at 8 a.m.) has the same starting and ending point but goes further south. Cyclists will head south on Newark Road, west on Spencer Road and East London Grove Road to the village of Chatham, then north on Route 841 to Blow Horn, Route 82 and Newark Road.
There's also going to be a criterium in Kennett Square on Friday, July 6. The half-mile course (first race starts at 5 p.m.) begins at 101 East State Street and heads north on 82, west on Linden Street, south on Lincoln Street and back to State Street.
For much more information, maps, schedules and registration you can visit www.chescograndprix.com.
First off, thanks so much for posting about this! Loving the opportunity to come back home from VA for a big ride through the hills I grew up riding... REALLY looking forward to it, and wouldn't have known if it weren't for your feed in my daily reader!
ReplyDeleteDo you happen to know if the route map has been published anywhere, or if roads will actually be closed for the event?
Hi Kevin, So glad you will be coming up for the race! Yes, there are good maps and even charts showing the course elevation (I don't know what they're called) on the website. I know the affected roads were closed for the Oxford race and I'm assuming they will be for the Unionville ones, too, but I'm not certain about that.
ReplyDeletePlease let me know how you did in the race, and thanks for reading.