Major stage race could start in Portland

Twilight Criterium 2007-21

Professional road racing is coming to Portland.
(Photos © Jonathan Maus)

Event organizers with the Mount Hood Cycling Classic stage race, one of the premier professional road races on the West Coast, say the first two stages could be coming to Portland.

Race director Brad Ross, the man behind the Cross Crusade and the Twilight Criterium, told me today that he’s “95% sure” that the first two days of the six-day race will start in Portland.

The event was founded by Dalles resident and race promoter Chad Sperry and has taken place in and around the city of Hood River for the past four years. Sperry hired Ross to add a Portland stop to the race and Ross has been pitching his plans in meetings with various stakeholders and agencies over the past few weeks.

Cross_Crusade_#1-2007-3.jpg

Race promoter and consultant
Brad Ross.

Ross still has a few sign-offs to gather (including TriMet), but most of the route planning is complete and he is confident that the plans will become a reality.

The first stage will be a prologue, 1.5 mile individual time trial along Naito Parkway and Waterfront Park. In this stage, racers will go against the clock to determine their starting order for subsequent stages.

Ross says the second stage will be a circuit race that will climb from Washington Park up to Skyline Road and then back through roads around the Oregon Zoo. Racers will do multiple laps of the seven mile course.

According to Ross, all the major, US-based professional teams (Toyota, HealthNet, etc…) have already committed to compete in the race.

The event is scheduled to take place May 13-18th. For more information check out MtHoodCyclingClassic.com.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, contact me via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a paying subscriber.

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tmos
tmos
16 years ago

fuk yes

jeff
jeff
16 years ago

awesome!

Adam
Adam
16 years ago

I don\’t want to even imagine how boring Portland would be without Brad Ross. What a genious!

Russell
Russell
16 years ago

Depending on what route they use through or around Washington Park to get to Skyline and then back down again there should be some awesome spots to watch this from. Not sure how I feel about only a 1.5 mile TT down Waterfront though.

spencer
spencer
16 years ago

its a prologue, not a tt, so the sprinters will have a shot at the race lead, and it will be about pure power, not just being aero and skinny. it will be totally rad!

Tony Pereira
16 years ago

raceBOMB!

blurt
blurt
16 years ago

From the article

\”The first stage will be a prologue, 1.5 mile individual time trial along Naito Parkway and Waterfront Park\”

It is a time trial.

Darren
Darren
16 years ago

Given the craziness of the \’cross crusade, how about a barrier 30\’ from the prologue finish, and some water balloons along the circuit race?

jeff
jeff
16 years ago

Let\’s just say a prologue is a \’special kind\’ of time trial. Traditional for a stage race to start with one, very accessible and waaaay fast!

slint
slint
16 years ago

heard the prologue was moved to Tabor

ryan
ryan
16 years ago

how cool would the prologue be in downtown pdx. It would be huge in portland, people would line the whole course i bet.

maybe people would line the course at tabor, but it wouldn\’t be nearly as sweet.

paolo
paolo
16 years ago

Cool, both downtown or Tabor would be great.
Way to go Brad!