ASHLAND – A bicycling festival featuring cyclo-crossing will be rolling onto Freer Field Sunday.
Ashland Bike Company owner Anthony Bunt, with help from Troy Chipka , is hosting the Freer Cross Festival at Freer Field starting at 9:15 a.m. Sunday.
According to Bunt, cyclo-cross is a type of racing where the competitors race on a closed-loop course that is grass and mixed terrain.
“Think of it as if motocross and high school cross country racing had a baby … that would be cyclo-cross,” Bunt said. “It usually involves a lot of hills and tight turns. It’s a pretty intense type of racing but it’s really spectator-friendly because they are riding on a looped course.”
Cyclo-cross bikes are different than road bikes or mountain bikes.
“It looks like a road bike but it has knobbier tires on it, like a mountain bike. They generally have different geometries to make them specifically for this style of racing,” Bunt said.
Racers compete for different lengths of time depending on their experience. The final race of the day is a “citizens race” which allows anyone from the community to try the course without having to compete against the “pros.”
In addition to the races, there will be a kids bike rodeo starting at 1:35 p.m. with several events for the kids to try out. Besides being fun, the activities help young riders develop their bicycling skills.
Bunt said the first activity will be a bike safety check to make sure all riders are safe and ready to take part in the bike rodeo. The event is free but all participants must have a bicycle, a helmet and a signed waiver.
Charcoal Mafia BBQ will have their food truck at the field and DJ GO Productions will provide music for the event.
