This summer is the inaugural year for several interesting new Seattle-area cycling events. For competitively-oriented riders, check out The Fiat of Kirkland Little 150, which is inspired by the “Little 500“–one of the most historic racing events in the US, and featured in the movie Breaking Away.
The Little 500, held at Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington, is a relay race in which the members of 4-person teams use the same bike and race 200 laps (50 miles) around a standard quarter-mile (440 yard) cinder track.
As it turns out, Phil “Bilko” Stephens competed in the Little 500 between 1987 and 1991. Phil is a prominent member of the Marymoor Velodrome Association and is a distinctive MC voice at area bicycle races.
The Little 500 is a unique cycling competition in that it’s part of IU’s identity, and for student-athletes like Phil it can have a huge positive impact on the college experience: “There is a lot of passion and energy around the event but at the end of the day only the racers know how strongly they invested themselves in the competition–and that huge investment of energy translates into real-world benefits.”
The Little 150 will be held on the Pacific Raceways “flat” course, and will cover 75 laps–150 miles–and is expected to take approximately 6 hours. In contrast to the Little 500, racers competing in the Little 150 will use their own bikes and make “pit” exchanges with teammates. Each team can have between 2 to 8 riders, and as a result the average speeds should be very high. The final results will be determined by well-timed and coordinated attacks.
Example exchange technique for the Little 150:
Travis Dougan, Race Director, said “I am excited about the event because it is the only road event where bike racers will win as a team. As bike racers we train together frequently but rarely get the chance to race as a team with the same result. Bike racers typically expend themselves in support of getting a teammate across the finish line first, but in this event the emphasis is on the team as a whole.”
To keep things fun and friendly the Little 150 venue will have music, frequent lap prizes, and opportunities for the competitors and spectators to socialize.
The Little 150 is sponsored by Rairdon’s Fiat of Kirkland and Element Cycles of Redmond.
Date: Sunday June 30, 2013.
