Crosstoberfest, Sun Valley's celebration of bicycle racing's oldest form of competition along with Bavarian-style beer appreciation, returns to River Run for an eighth year Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 30-31.
The two-day competition presented by Powerhouse, Sun Valley Resort and Road & Dirt coincides with Sun Valley's 2010-11 winter kickoff at the River Run Plaza shops. Times are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Halloween Sunday.
This year's race course resembles a more classic cyclocross event, with more road time between the barriers to help make traditional cyclocross bikes more competitive with mountain bikes, according to race promoter and beer connoisseur Billy Olson. The cyclocross competition is an event for riders of all ages and levels of competition.
The Idaho State Championships are also being held at Crosstoberfest. On Saturday, riders will compete for prizes, and on Sunday for medals and all weekend for glory and beer.
Much of the course will be in the upper parking lot where the Sun Valley mountain crew has been clearing gravel and buffing out the course. An aerial map is going up on the Powerhouse Web site, www.powerhouseidaho.com.
It's day-of-race registration only, $30 adults, $15 juniors. Kids 12 and under are free. Registration opens at 11 a.m. There are prizes in all classes. Be sure to leave pets at home.
Flight 1 (Juniors/Beginners, 20 minutes) goes off at 12:15 p.m. and the Shimano 6-and-under class at 12:45 p.m. Flight 2 (Women 1, Men 1/2/3 and Masters 35-plus, 60 minutes) begins at 1 p.m. That's followed at 2 p.m. by Shimano 7-9 and Shimano 10-12. Flight 3 (Women 2/3/4, Men 4, Masters 45-plus) takes off at 2:35 p.m.
