Professional Cycling Draws Crowd to Downtown Roanoke

Professional cycling is back!

The inaugural Virginia’s Blue Ridge Downtown Twilight Criterium drew spectators and professional cyclists from all over the country to Roanoke for an action-packed evening.

The race, which featured a $15,000 purse, drew 88 professional riders from as far away as California and Vermont and featured a few Roanoke Region pros as well, among three classes of riders (men, women, and masters).

The course was fast, thanks to a few rain showers, and the crowd was loud, cheering on racers and ringing cow bells. The event coincided with Bike Month and downtown was packed with spectators that came out for the races, live music, and events such as an Adult Big Wheel Criterium and Roanoke Valley Beer Mile.

You can view official race results here and keep up with the crit at vbrcrit.com.