Just one week after the dust settled over the infamous cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in Northern France, amateur racers from all over New England, as well as professionals from throughout the country, will convene in the otherwise-obscure upstate town of Cambridge, N.Y. tomorrow to pay the race homage by kicking up some dust of their own.
In its fifth year, the Tour of the Battenkill is the self-dubbed "America's Queen of the Classics," borrowing the moniker from the European counterpart it is modeled after. In its first few years, in fact, the event was called Battenkill-Roubaix, a much more obvious hint at the race's heritage.
Battenkill is one of the most demanding one-day races on the American calendar. Similar to the cobbled anguish that is Paris-Roubaix, Battenkill features eight sections of pothole-strewn dirt roads over the course of its 62-mile route (compared to nine dirt sections and 82 miles for the pro event). While the course is also decidedly hilly, ascending 2,700 feet by the finish, it is the dirt that makes the race so difficult.
Depending on the weather leading up to and during the race, the road conditions can range anywhere from thick mud to volleyball-court sand. Last year, the day of the event was a scorcher -- despite the April date, temperatures were in the 80s. The combination of blazing sun and dry dirt made for a rough day on the road. The year prior, though, was a chilly one, and rain and snow leading up to the race made for a muddy affair. The forecast for this year's race looks promising, with mild temperatures and clear skies, but the dirt may still have some surprises of its own.
Even when the course is not tilted upward, racers will still struggle to find a place to recover, as the dirt, rocks and potholes will force them to labor for every pedal stroke. Whereas other races of similar length offer long descents for racers to catch up to the leaders after a hard climb, Battenkill never relents.
Races like Battenkill or the cobbled Classics like Flanders and Paris-Roubaix are unlike others. Tactics still play a part in how the race unfolds, but to a much lesser extent than in other races. In professional races, teams may send riders up the road in an early breakaway in the hope that they will be able to help their leaders later on when the break is caught and the big guns are fighting it out in a whittled-down group of favorites.
Just look at Quick Step's tactics in the Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 5. Sylvain Chavanel was up the road in a two-man break when team-leader and eventual winner Stijn Devolder launched the decisive move from a group behind, moving up to his teammate before attacking again for the win.
For the most part, though, the strategy in these races is to just ride hard and hope your opponents crack before you do. That should be the dominating tactic at Battenkill.
In amateur racing, teamwork is not quite as prominent a factor as it is in the pro peloton. Riders on the same squad will work together and don't -- or at least shouldn't -- chase down their teammates, but the level of coordination and self-sacrifice practiced by the pros is not usually found in the lower ranks of the sport. And when most people are in the race just for pure fun and not for a paycheck, not much else can be expected. But that does not mean the racing won't be hard.
Rather than being marked by numerous attacks and responses before the winning move is formed, Battenkill will be a simple war of attrition. Given the distance and demanding terrain, any early breakaway attempts will likely be doomed, and the final group should be slowly whittled down over the many climbs and dirt sections as rider after rider cracks and falls off the pace, leaving just a few survivors to fight for the win.
The immense popularity of a race like Battenkill speaks volumes for the growth of cycling in the United States. Since its inception, the race has become a major staple on the cycling calendar, and over 1,700 riders are registered to compete in one of the 20 fields tomorrow. And while the race was denied a spot on the UCI-sanctioned USA Cycling's America Tour calendar, despite the petition of promoter Dieter Drake, that has not stopped several notable professional squads and riders from signing on for the two-day pro-invitational event.
This will be the first time that Battenkill has featured an additional day for the pro field, and in attendance to test the route will be some the best racers in the country. The invitees include prestigious squads like BMC Racing, which just competed in Paris-Roubaix; Bissell Pro Cycling, which was also on the roster for the Tour of California; and OUCH Pro Cycling Presented by Maxxis, home of Floyd Landis. The start list clearly has an outstanding pedigree of riders that should make for a thrilling two days.
Some might see it as sadistic to march 62 miles over unpaved roads and countless hills in any mess of conditions. But for the riders preparing themselves for tomorrow's test of fortitude and desire, in which just finishing is an accomplishment in itself, it is a chance at glory.
